HOW are your pets doing this quarantine?
Are you all cozy-cuddly-mushy with those peppy roll-overs or rubs or wiggle? Aww.
We know that the coronavirus pandemic has made it mandatory for people across the globe to practice social distancing (in Iloilo, not observing social distancing could lead you to penalties).
In this time of community quarantine, though having you home all day may sound like your pet’s dream come true, social distancing can also cause your animals to feel bored, restless, confused, and unsettled.
Reports from Insider reveal veterinarians’ tips and advice for pet owners who are cooped up dusk-til-dawn with their “best friends.”
Create a daily routine to give your pet some comforting structure.
Travis Arndt, a US-based veterinarian, shared that pets tend to like structure and are happiest when they have a consistent schedule.
If your usual daily routine has been disrupted by the new safety guidelines, establishing a new one will help keep you and your pet happy.
“Create specific playtimes, like before you start your work-from-home day, during your lunch break, or after you’ve signed off for the day. Stick to that schedule as best you can,” he said.
For small-space residence with active animals, use extra-engaging toys for pets.
It can be especially tough to find indoor entertainment for pets who are used to romping outside.
Arndt shared that those with lively animals and small homes should focus on giving their pet attention-grabbing toys.
“Provide toys that stimulate your pet’s mind, like those that can be stuffed with treats or squeaky toys,” said Arndt. Tech-savvy pet parents can also use tablet apps designed for pets or stream videos meant to entrance animals.
Stock up on enough pet food, medicine and other basics to last for weeks.
It’s a good idea to pick up extra pet supplies if possible.
“Have at least a two-week supply of your pet’s food and medications on-hand. You will also want to make sure your pet doesn’t fall behind on flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives,” said Arndt.
Cat owners should also stock up on cat litter and indoor amusements, such as scratching posts or catnip.
Stick to your pet’s regular feeding schedule, even if you’re home all day.
It’s important to maintain your pet’s regular feeding schedule while social distancing, even if you have the opportunity to feed them more frequently throughout the day, said Adam Boyko, a co-veterinarian, reports from Insider showed.
“Don’t temporarily adopt anything you are not willing to take on for the long run. You pet will get used to the feeding schedule you use during quarantine, making switching difficult when you no longer have to work from home,” said Boyko.
If you do offer the occasional extra treat, or use frozen food as a distraction, take those additional calories into account so you can help prevent your pet from gaining too much weight, which can come with some health complications.
Tiring out your dog mentally can help them cope with being cooped up.
If you’ve walked around the neighborhood a million times but your dog still seems restless, you may want to try giving them a mental workout.
Boyko suggested working on basic training commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “down” in order to burn through your pet’s mental energy and help them settle down a bit.
“When a dog has to hold down the command for 15 minutes, it is actually very tiring for them mentally,” Boyko explained.
Keep your home environment as peaceful as possible to help active pets calm down.
Nervous or very vocal pets may have a hard time settling down if the house is filled with more people than usual during the day. But you can help your pet cope by keeping unnecessary sounds and voices to a minimum.
“If you like to work or relax with music on but your pet is used to a quiet home while you are away, wearing headphones to listen may be a good solution,” said Boyko.
You can also try restricting noisy activities to one part of the home, using subtitles or a very low volume on your television, and making sure your pet has a quiet place to nap.
Your pet may be looking for more treats than usual now that you’re home often, so remember that scolding your pet for begging can backfire.
Reward your pet for good indoor behavior with treats or some belly rubs.
If your dog or cat is on their best behavior, feel free to treat them with a small snack or some well-deserved belly rubs.
“Once your pet is behaving how you want them to, like lying down quietly, you can reward them with pats or a treat. This sends them the right signals for how they should act when you’re working from home,” said Boyko.
The key is to only give your pet a treat when they are behaving well, rather than using treats to distract them from bad behavior.(with reports from Insider/PN)
