{"id":4971,"date":"2020-03-21T17:55:35","date_gmt":"2020-03-22T00:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/napahumane.org\/?p=4971"},"modified":"2020-03-21T17:55:38","modified_gmt":"2020-03-22T00:55:38","slug":"how-to-stay-sane-sheltering-in-place-with-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/napahumane.org\/how-to-stay-sane-sheltering-in-place-with-dogs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stay Sane Sheltering in Place with Dogs"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One of the silver linings of a shelter-in-place order is the extra time\nyou get to spend with your furry loved one(s). But sometimes, the isolation and\nchange of routine bring out behaviors that aren\u2019t so delightful, and owners\nneed to find new ways to engage their dogs without violating the order and\nputting our community at risk. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some tips for fun, socially responsible games and physical\nactivities to do with your pup, whether they\u2019re just excited to spend more time\nwith you, or a non-stop busybody. These are also things you could do year \u2018round\nto put their minds to work, polish up those manners, and help strengthen your\nbond with your pet, so don\u2019t feel like you need to stop when the order is\nlifted!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercising\nthe Mind<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treasure Hunt<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turn your\ndog into a detective by hiding treats around the house for them to sniff out.\nTeach them the game by tossing the treat their way and saying, \u201cFind it.\u201d Once\nthey\u2019ve mastered that, challenge them by hiding the treats in another room. Start\nwith something extra smelly and delicious to make it easier. (Pro tip: Don\u2019t\nhide treats anywhere you don\u2019t want your dog nosing around in future\u2014like the\ninside of shoes, bags, drawers or cupboards.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kong Ball<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kong\nBalls<\/a> are great\nfor hiding treats and keeping dogs busy on their own. The toy\u2019s opening is\nsmall enough to provide dogs with a challenge, but also big enough for a treat\nto fall out before your dog gets frustrated. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interactive Food Puzzles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even though\nyour dog may figure it out in a few minutes, interactive\ndog feeders and puzzles<\/a> can\nbe a great way to keep your canine occupied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Shell Game<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The shell\ngame is just like the well-known magic trick, without the magic. Have your dog\nwatch you as you put a treat under one of three upside-down cups. Slide the\ncups around to shuffle them so they\u2019re in a different position than when you\nfirst hid the treat, and encourage your dog to \u201cfind the treat.\u201d This game\ngives your dog plenty of mental stimulation, and helps them work on their\nproblem-solving skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Master the Basics of Obedience Training<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does your\ndog know all of the basic obedience commands? (Sit, down, stay, drop it, and\ncome.) Does he have a reliable<\/em> recall and stay? Even well-trained dogs\nneed a refresher course now and then to keep them sharp. A few quick training\nsessions (5-10 minutes) each day can help them master the essentials every dog\nshould know, and keep them mentally stimulated, as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Teach Your Dog to Clean Up His Toys<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If your dog\u2019s\ntoys are kept in a container, you can teach them to put their toys away. Yes,\nreally! Children aren\u2019t the only ones who can be taught to clean up after\nthemselves, and with dogs it\u2019s actually a lot of fun. Teaching your dog new\nskills boosts their confidence as well as their mental stimulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first\nstep is making sure your dog knows \u201cdrop it.\u201d Once they\u2019ve got this down,\nencourage them pick up a toy and then give them their \u201cdrop it\u201d command when\nthey\u2019re standing over the toy container. Praise them like crazy when they drop\nthe toy into the box. Rinse and repeat. If you\u2019re consistent, you\u2019ll eventually\nhave a dog that will be able to clean up after himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Exercise the Mind & Body<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is your pup\ndoing zoomies around the house? Try some of these fun ways to channel that\nenergy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go For a Socially Responsible Walk or\nRun<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take your\npup for a walk or run, but please keep them on leash, and maintain an\nappropriate distance from other people. The dog park will be there when the\nshelter in place has been lifted \u2013 for now, stick with on-leash activities to\navoid spreading illness any time you leave your home.    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hall Ball<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A long,\nstraight hallway is idea for this version of indoor fetch. Take a favorite ball\nand roll it down the hallway as if you\u2019re bowling. Your dog will go racing\nafter it, without tearing through your home like a hurricane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hol-ee Roller<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Hol-ee Roller<\/a> is great for dogs that love bigger\ntoys. Its hexagonal cut-outs make the ball lightweight, so it\u2019s easy for owners\nto throw, easy for dogs to retrieve, and you won\u2019t have to worry about it\nbreaking your lamp. However, please be careful with it if your dog is a heavy-duty\nchewer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tug of War<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tug of War is\none of the best ways to engage in meaningful play with our dogs. It\u2019s fantastic\nmental and physical exercise for your pup, and since it doesn\u2019t require a ton\nof room, you can play it indoors just as well as outside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

StairMaster (Pup Edition)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now more\nthan ever, it\u2019s important to make the most of every area of your home! If you\nhave a staircase, put it to work by standing at the bottom and throwing a ball\nup to the top for your dog to retrieve. For most pups, a few rounds of this\nchallenging new game will ensure they\u2019re ready to sit still for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Obstacle Course<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While your\ndog may not be the next agility champion, an obstacle course is still a fun way\nfor the two of you to play inside \u2013 or outside, if you have a fenced yard. You\ncan build your own jumps, tunnels and weave poles (get creative with couch\ncushions, empty boxes, cones, etc.) or purchase some ready-made agility\nsupplies online. Working together to get through the obstacles strengthens\nyour relationship and builds your dog\u2019s confidence, as well as gives them a\nfun, challenging physical workout.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the silver linings of a shelter-in-place order is the extra time you get to spend with your furry loved one(s). But sometimes, the isolation and change of routine bring out behaviors that aren\u2019t so delightful, and owners need to find new ways to engage their dogs without violating the order and putting ourKeep Reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[129,23,128,127],"class_list":["post-4971","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dogs","tag-keeping-dogs-busy","tag-napa-humane","tag-shelter-at-home","tag-shelter-in-place"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Stay Sane Sheltering in Place with Dogs - Napa Humane<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/napahumane.org\/how-to-stay-sane-sheltering-in-place-with-dogs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Stay Sane Sheltering in Place with Dogs - Napa Humane\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"One of the silver linings of a shelter-in-place order is the extra time you get to spend with your furry loved one(s). 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