So here we are; all staying home like everyone should, washing our hands, not touching our faces, and trying to decide if we need to change out of our sweat/yoga pants for video conferences if no one can see us from the waist down anyway. (My answer: probably not. Although everyone will see them when your cat walks across the table and knocks your hot coffee into your lap, causing you to jump up. On the other hand, you'll also be saying NSFW words, and making hilarious faces, so maybe your coworkers won't even notice that your yoga pants say "Juicy" across the butt.)
Our pets must think this is the most amazing time ever, because we don't grab our car keys and leave for hours every day anymore. My dog is delighted. She's constantly dropping toys at my feet, asking to play. The cats seem a little irritated, like my presence is interrupting their routine of naps, sleeping, and rest breaks.
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| "I can bring more toys, if these are not enough." |
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| "Are you still here? Ugh." |
Are you bored? I'm kinda bored. So I brainstormed some ideas of things to do while we all stay home and stay safe:
1. Take all those cardboard Amazon boxes you haven't broken down for recycling yet, and build your cat a castle. Google "cardboard cat house DIY" for some amazing pictures and ideas.
2. Make a pet photo booth by cutting holes in a cardboard box for your pet to look through, and then drawing funny bodies/characters/actions underneath. (You can buy these online, but it's more fun to make your own, and you don't have to wait for shipping.) Take bunches of pictures and post them on social media for everyone to enjoy!
3. Teach your dog to "find it!" This is a fun one to do with kids. They can take turns holding the dog and hiding the treats. Start with a really yummy treat, not just a piece of boring kibble, but something amazing that your dog will be excited about. Show it to him, and then let him watch you "hide" it somewhere obvious a few feet away. "Find it!" you say, and let him go get it. Good dog! Then let him watch you as you put it somewhere a little less obvious, like under a napkin on the floor. This gives him the idea that he might have to look a little harder. Be careful not to make it too difficult too soon. let him "find" the treats pretty easily at first.
Then try taking him out of the room while you hide the treat (make it pretty easy this time), and see if he can find it when you bring him back in. And remember to use the command "Find it!" or something similar.
Alternatively, you could use a special toy, something small, that your dog is excited about, like a squeaky ball.
After a while, you can step up the difficulty. Kids are great at this, and are very imaginative in their hiding places. Make sure to choose safe places where nothing will get broken or scratched up by an excited dog trying to get at his treasure.
4. Build an obstacle course. Will your dog hop through a hula hoop? Can he walk along a plank? What about going under a blanket tented over a clothesline? Through a maze of cardboard boxes? You can try this with cats, too. Some might not be as enthusiastic, others will surprise you with their athleticism.
5. See if your pet can figure out the Shell Game -- you know, where you have three cups and there's a ball (or treat) under one. Move the cups around and see if your pet can guess where the treat is. My dog Josie was pretty good at this. My dog Jenny just wants to play with the cups.
Okay, that's all I can write for now. Jenny is pestering me to go for a walk. At least we can still go outside and walk our dogs (as long as we maintain social distancing, of course)!
Take care of yourself, and if you have any things you and your pets are doing to beat boredom, tell me about it in the comments!
