How To Enjoy Quarantine With Your Dog

These days, many of us are working from home or are at least spending more time at home than normal due to the coronavirus, which has led many states to enact “stay at home” orders. While the world can be a scary place, there is at least one good thing about the quarantine – we’re all spending a lot more time with our dogs.

Can you imagine what is going on in your dog’s head right now? Every day you used to leave for work and he would follow you to the door wondering, “Hey, human. Where you going?” Then he would look at the window as you drove off. For eight hours of so, he would await your return. These days, you dog doesn’t have to wait for you to come home because you never had to leave. He is probably thinking about how great it is to have his favorite human home all the time.

Spending time with animals can be a great source of comfort. Dogs also make us healthier in body and mind. In fact, studies show that owning a dog reduces stress and is linked to lower blood pressure levels. Dog owners are found to be more active as well. In short, dogs make us feel happy.

So, while you’re stuck at home (or at least social distancing from others) here are a few suggestions of ways you can spend time with your dog while also recharging your mental battery:

1. Go for a walk on a new trail
2. Go for a walk around town and admire the new art
3. Go outside and run around the yard
4. Play fetch
5. Play tug-of-war
6. Take a nap together
7. Go for an ice-cream run (get dog a pup cup!)
8. Go for a cruise and let dog put their head out the window (blast music)
9. Go on a scavenger hunt looking for bears in windows
10. Get on the ground and rub dog’s belly
11. Pet dog
12. Dance around the house with dog
13. Watch your favorite movie together
14. Take dog for a swim (when it’s warm enough)
15. Teach dog a new trick (you’ve got plenty of time)
16. Go exploring on your property
17. Race each other
18. Wrestle dog (this works better when the dog is Jeter-sized)
19. Read a book together
20. Talk to dog

I’m sure this list could go on and on forever. I do just about everything with my dogs, but this quarantine has allowed me to spend even more time with them.

Personally some of my favorites not the above list are going on walks, going on car rides, reading books together, petting, and talking to my dog. Every day we go on a walk and try to find something new. Just make sure that when you do go on a walk, you adhere to social distancing rules. Talking to your dog may sound silly (then again, if you’re reading a dog-blog, maybe it doesn’t), but talking to your furry companion can be very stress-relieving. Personally, I find it comforting to have someone to tell my problems to or to bounce ideas off of. Sometimes, just talking through things (even if it’s mostly with yourself) is very helpful.

What are you favorite things to do with your dog? Do you have suggestions to add to the list? Let Caesar, Jeter, and I know so we can give them a try!