Coronavirus Isolation with Pets: 7 Healthy/ Indulgent Activities to Do Together
Isolation can be tough but when you have pets, you are never truly alone. Let’s turn this weird world situation into a positive and enjoy our time home with pets! If you are staying at home right now, to be safe or to protect yourself or others from Covid-19, here are 7 activities you can do together during your coronavirus isolation with pets.
- Exercise with your pets at home
- Walk your dog
- Read together
- Watch pet-friendly TV together
- Teach your pet a new trick or command
- Determine if your pet is left or right-pawed
- Quiet time together
Update
Since writing this article, a few pets have tested positive to Covid-19. This is not cause for panic. It is likely that the virus is transmitted on to your pet, as it might be on to your shoes. It is cause, however, to limit your pet’s contact with people, as you do yourself and also to practice hygienic handling of your animals. Wash your hands!
Exercise with your pets at home
We all know that exercise is good for us and, just because we cannot get to a gym or swimming pool, does not mean we need to become total couch-potatoes! Instead we can exercise with our pets.
Pick up your cat and do a few squats and lunges. Sit on the floor with your dog at your feet and do some sit-ups, giving your dog a little treat each time. Try it – it’s fun.
Check out more exercising with your pets tips.
Walk your dog
Presuming that your individual health situation still allows you to venture outdoors, you can walk your dog. Your dog will love you for it and while out walking, everything will feel like normal. In fact, in these strange times, walking your dog can be the most normal-like activity you can do!
While you are walking, you will encounter other walkers, especially dog walkers. Good thing is, that you can maintain your recommended distance apart but still have a chat. And since there is no risk for dogs, if your dog is friendly they can still meet other dogs.
Most dog walkers are pretty good already at social distancing! But watch our for the different dog park personalities of the human kind.
If you are relying on other people to walk your dog, be sure they know your dog’s behaviour habits and if they are friendly with other dogs, or likely to be aggressive. Always be careful with children walking your dog.
Read together
Children are known to benefit from reading aloud to dogs. There is no reason to think that we all can’t enjoy this activity, no matter our age. Dogs provide that non-judgemental, attentive response that few other humans can.
Audiobooks can be a great way to pass our time during our coronavirus isolation with pets and even help us learn something new. Pets are also known to relax by listening to calming music, such as classical or reggae. If you are feeling stressed, this may help you to relax too.
Coronavirus isolation with pets can really be a time to learn, to relax and to appreciate what you have at home.
Watch pet-friendly TV together
Some pets like to watch TV. Some could not care less! Humans are much the same. If you find yourself binge-watching copious amount of TV during your coronavirus isolation with pets, do not ignore your tv-loving pet.
Cats enjoy TV viewing, as long as the subject material suits their interests. This means no human soaps or dramas. They can watch you if they need that! Instead cats enjoy watching animals or occasionally cartoons. You tube is full of videos for cats.
Teach your pet a new trick or command
Since you have time on your hands, it might be fun to teach your pet a new trick. Even cats can learn. Even goldfish can be trained! Have patience and reward your pet for doing the right thing. Here are some easy commands to teach your dog. I like to help people train their dog to ‘speak’ on command.
If you’re stuck indoors, try creating a long corridor and play fetch with your dog or cat. If you have a back yard, get our and do some gardening with your pet.
Determine if your pet is left or right-pawed
Do you know if your pet is left or right-pawed? Now might be the time to find out.
Individual cats will often show a preference for using their right or left paw. Those that have a preference also have faster reaction times and are more accurate in activities such as catching toys.
One study showed that male dogs tend to use their left paws while females use their right but others have not had such a definitive conclusion about pawed-ness.
There are many ways that you can test your pet’s paw preference. For instance, dangle a toy above your cat’s head and watch which paw they use to attack it. Lots more suggestions here.
Quiet time together
Since you’re in isolation, you are probably spending a lot of quiet time, time that your pet will love to spend with you. Enjoy this time together. Your pet is there for you. They do not judge. They (mostly) like being petted. They do not judge you when you fail to shower! They vacuum up any food crumbs.
Enjoy this coronavirus isolation with your pets quiet time. You are one of the lucky people, as you will never feel as isolated as people who are home alone, without pets.
About the author
Dr Jo Righetti is an animal behaviourist and owner of Pet Problems Solved, where she helps people understand pets and the human-animal relationship. Jo loves being at home with here dog Chilli and 3 cats.