Positive Influence of Covid-19 On Pet's & Pet Owners

The COVID-19 lock-down has affected more people around the globe then any pandemic has ever before. Importantly, this influence has had a direct effect on pets as more pet owners have spent less time at work and more time cooped up at home 

Dogs, Cats & other small animals are an essential part of many families and many families couldn’t envision a life without their dog or cat. 

The negative impact of the Coronavirus around the world devastating, but one positive impact all pet owners can take away from 2020 is having more time to directly spend with their loved ones, including their pets.

In this short article, we'll go over the five ways to increase your bond with your pet during Covid-19 and six fun games any pet owner can use right now to take advantage of their increase leisure time at home. 

5 Ways To Increase Your Bond With Your Pet During Covid-19

1. Be sensitive and caring

Any attention you give your pet should always be kind and loving. This can promote a sense of security and safety in your pet and will continue to strengthen your bond. While there is so much negativity and uncertainty in the news, be sure to keep your interactions with your pet’s a positive and pleasing one.

2. More Praise
Praise your pet when you are playing with them and petting the. Use your pet's name to strengthen your message. For example, “What a good dog/cat you are, fluffy!". This is a very easy way to keep your pet’s focus primarily on you and will reduce any external anxieties or worries they have.

3. Refrain from yelling 

Avoid shouting or using harsh tones when giving your pet attention. This could cause your pet to be afraid or worried and may weaken the healthy attention they are getting.

4. Schedule regular playtime

Dogs, cats and other small pets are packs full of energy and they need regular exercise for fitness reasons. Try to play with your pet's as much as possible in outdoor environments (COVID- 19 restrictions permitting)  

5. More cuddles 

Use your extra time at home to spend more time cuddling and caring for your pet. You can easily pick up pet grooming tools to go above and beyond what you would usually do and give your pet that extra special groomed feeling. 

6 Fun Games to Play With Your Pet

If you need additional fun games to play with your pet then we've got you covered.  Although these tips generally apply to dogs, try and be creative and change them up a bit to make them work for other pets, including cats, bunnies and guinea pigs. 

Remember, playing games with your pets' is a great way to keep them active, busy, and will help them sleep at night. The best part is you both get to have fun while sharing important time together during this very unique period in human history.

1. Use a Flirt Pole

This usually works quite well for dogs that are mentally and physically agile. If your dog is very high energy then try this game out to tired them out.  

A flirt pole (or flirt stick) is a long pole with a rope attached to it. At the end of that rope is something that looks enticing and will signal to your dog to chase. 

Overall they are a very inexpensive toy to buy and will often work with cats and other small pets too. 

2. Tug of War

This game definitely applies to dogs a bit more than other pets and involves a strong rope and a bit of muscle. Most dogs love tugging toys and these toys are a smart way to release tension and energy, especially in hyperactive dogs.

Remember though, it's a game and there are clear rules. The game comes to an end if your dog’s teeth touch your skin. This may be a bit trickier to teach younger pups, but over time they'll learn that it's better to have fun and follow a few basic commands at the same time. 

3. Play Frisbee 

An easy game to try, if you've got enough space, is the basic or ultimate version of frisbee. Most pet toy stores will have a variety of frisbees and the principle is exactly the same as fetch. 

Frisbee is great for exercise and teaching your dog simple commands. If you are not able to leave your house due to the COVID-19 restrictions then you can play a miniature version in the garden.

4. Agility Course (works for all pets)

A smart game that anyone can set up at home is an action-packed agility course. This can very simple or extremely complicated, so get creative and let loose.

It's a smart game to stimulate your pet mentally, while simultaneously keeping them fit and mobile in a safe and secure environment. 

The best part about agility courses is you can lay them out for any pet, including, dogs, cats, bunnies, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, mouse and even pet rats!

If you've had the outdoor space then why not set it up outside your in your garden for the ultimate agility experience. 

5. Bubble Heaven

A fun game to try out with your pet is the bubble game. This is a game that will make everyone in the house smile and anyone can set up. Just pick a pack of bubbles, point them in the air and blow!

Once your pet sees them falling out of the sky, they will jump, climb and swipe at them with a smile on their face. 

Just remember to wipe off any excess bubbles from around your pet's mouth and face afterwards. 

6.  Find the Treats

This is probably one of the best games to try and any pet can get involved.

It's very easy to set up and if you have a few pet's at home, you can play the game with all of them simultaneously. 

Pick lots of hiding places around your house and then set your pet on a wild goose chase to find the treat. It's an exciting, uplifting and tasty game to play and will keep your pet engaged and active for ages. 

Spending more time with your pet is always a good idea. Although we aren’t in direct control of Covid-19 or it’s influence on our lives, one thing we can control is the quality time we spend with our pets.

Use this special time as a reminder of what and who is important in your life and try and get as much fun time going for you and your beloved pet. 

BIO

Hey, I’m Amy and I’m in love with my Pets! I have a diverse variety, including 2 cats, 1 dog, 3 rabbits, 2 guinea pigs, a rat, and a beautiful macaw. I love writing about everything pet-related and spend as much time as I can sharing my personal experiences on my blog: www.UltimatePetHub.com