Hey Woofa’s,

Wow just when you think we had covid-19 under control, it comes back with a vengeance.

Here we are, in my Local Government Area, in a harsh high alert lockdown for all of August!!

Not all of Sydney, NSW are in harsh high alert lockdowns, just us in the South and South Western Sydney are.

My question is, why aren’t we in this together?

It feels like we are being segregated!   Other areas are still getting numbers but these areas are the only ones in high alert lockdowns???

I can no longer Groom Dogs, Dean can no longer work in Construction, so we are now home 24/7.

We can only go 5kms away from our home, we aren’t allowed to visit our elderly parents, only one person can leave the home to go grocery shopping and every time we leave our front door we have to have a mask on!

Don’t get me wrong I love my home and being home but for some reason this feels very different.

We have tried to start a new routine, so every day we take Billy for a morning walk!

This got me thinking about all the other things we can do with our dogs while we’re in lockdown!

Because, let’s face it, our dogs are probably the only ones thoroughly enjoying lockdowns lol!

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR DOG WHILE IN LOCKDOWN?

Here are some ideas on what you can do with your dog while in lockdown –

Walk Your Dog – most dogs love to go for a walk.  So if your dog is one of those dogs, by all means get out in the fresh air and walk them.

However, don’t over walk your dog, if your dog is tired or panting  excessively give them a rest.  Don’t forget if you are out for a long time allow them toilet time and give them a drink.

Don’t walk them if it’s too hot or too cold, use your common sense.

Brush Your Dog – if you have a long haired dog brushing your dog while in lockdown is very important in keeping the knots away.

Short haired dogs love a brush too.

Wash/Dry Your Dog – if you can’t hold off until your Dog Groomer is allowed to work again, then groom your dog at home.  Do so safely.

Play With Your Dog – some dogs don’t do well out on a walk, so play with them at home.  Exercise them in the backyard or up and down the hallway if you can’t do so outside.

Mental activity with your dog is just as important as exercise.  Have them find certain toys, sniff out their treats, or put together an agility course for them.

Use your imagination and make sure it’s safe.

Snuggle With Your Dog – only do this if your dog is a snuggler.  Some dogs don’t like to snuggle, so leave them be.  What I do is set up on the lounge with a blanket (either with a book/moive/show) and if Billy jumps on me and snuggles in then that’s where he stays.

I never force him to do so.

Give Your Dog Space – if your dog loves attention then so be it, but if they want time out, let them have it.  Just as we can get on each others nerves and need time in another area to ourselves, so do our dogs.

If your dog is trying to get away or is sleeping peacefully on their bed leave them be.

Don’t Over Feed Your Dog – I know I’ve had a tendency to snack a bit more while in lockdown!  So we have to be mindful about over feeding our dogs too.

Those doggy eyes are very hard to resist but we have to because we don’t want overweight dogs coming out of lockdown.

Teach Your Dog A New Trick – Dogs are never too old to learn something new.  Now is the time to teach them or redirect an unpleasant behaviour they may have.

Clean Your Dog’s Space – Wherever your dog sleeps or goes for their time out, you could give it a bit of a make over.  Tidy their bedding, wash their bedding, clean their toys, just make sure it’s comfy and clean.

Clean out their food dishes and water dishes.

WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN?

If you are currently in a lockdown situation, these are some ideas on what to do with your dog.

Our dogs seem to be the ones benefitting the most with their humans being home 24/7.

SO lets enjoy our time as much as we can.

IN THE COMMENTS BELOW – BILLY WANTS TO KNOW – WHAT FUN THINGS YOU ARE DOING WITH YOUR DOG WHILE IN LOCKDOWN?