Vidhi Malla
A few weeks back, we shared some tips around petcare for old dogs, the obvious questions that arose was, what do you do to keep your pets active in winters?
Considering that sometimes your pet will refuse to go out if it is too cold or if the temperature makes them uncomfortable. While, the recommendation is still to try and take them out for walks during the least cold times and use cover-ups like sweater, winter jackets or winter shoes (dog booties), sometimes it will just be impossible. So, what can one do as a pet parent to ensure that the pets get the requisite mental and physical exercise?
Here are 5 tips for days when it gets too cold or wet to walk your canine child:
1. Adventure with food: Most pets love food and this can be used as a brilliant way to add activity and mental stimulation to a boring indoor schedule. The most common use of food is to hide it around the house; under carpets, behind the sofa or just about any other place where it is easy yet exciting for your pets to find it. Another great food activity is to cut holes in a cosco ball and stick inside it. Once the cheese is secured, fill the ball with your pet’s favourite treats and see them enjoy work for the surprise that awaits them.
2. Playdates and outings: If you have invested time and effort in socialising your dog from a young age, this is the perfect time to reap the benefit of that. Play dates ensure that your pet has a gala time with their friends. Take them out to someone’s house or invite your pet’s friends to yours and ensure there is supervised play and fun.
3. Indoor training: Use the indoor time effectively to train your canine companion. The limited distraction of the closed space can be used to engage with your pet and ensure they learn something new. Enable them to learn about various social etiquettes like not jumping on guests or simply show them how to walk properly on the leash.
4. Doggy day care: If you are busy or know that you would be unable to spend time with your pet, try and enrol them for a day at the doggy day centre. You pet can both socialise and also have a fantastic indoor play session at the centre. Most pet care centres today offer an indoor play/garden area for the pets which can be booked on request.
5. Pet friendly cafes/shopping centres: There are many cafes and shopping centres that allow owners to bring in their pets. Take your pet to a new environment and let them interact. However, it is important that your pet is trained to reach in a non-aggressive manner in new situations.
Bonus Tip: Dogs understand discipline and like to work for their food. If you like doing DIY things, then a fun way to spend winters indoors is to make an obstacle course for your pet in your backyard or garage. You can use old tires, planks or order something online to create the course. Whatever you do, remember the purpose of the activity is to ensure mental and physical stimulation, so do not overdo the treats or don’t push the pets too hard for anything that is new to them.
Picture courtesy: Instagram/zhora_dog