Monsoon fun: Indoor activities to do with your pets when it's raining outside
Pets can get irritable staying indoors while it's raining outside. Here's how to make monsoon fun for them.
Monsoon is a season your pet adores as the pleasant weather and lush green surrounding are perfect for long walks. While rains provide a respite from scorching heat, they also raise risk of monsoon illnesses in pets and one needs to be careful by taking all necessary precautions from hygiene to nutrition. Monsoon is also a time of low activity for your pet kids, especially if you are staying in a place where it rains almost every day. Dogs or pets may get restless staying cooped up at home all day and it is important to engage them so that they not only remain active but also happy. (Also read: Can dogs have panic attack? Tips to calm your anxious dog)
"The monsoon season brings with it a lot of challenges for pet parents. In addition to rains being the ‘season of infections’, this period often results in lesser activity in pets. A light drizzle might be nice, but a full-blown rain shower is something most pet parents dread because it means their pet will be stuck at home for longer periods," says Sakshi Bawa, Founder, Mutt Of Course.
If you are one such parent, who is worried about your pets’ activity status, here are a few things you can do to ensure your pet gets enough exercise even during those heavy rain days.
Make them work: Use interactive toys to keep your pets occupied. There are many interesting and cognitively stimulating toys that are available for pets in the market. In fact, if you do not want to invest, you can also create indoor games with discarded bottles and cardboard boxes, but always supervise their play time. If your pet is driven by food, plant treats for them around the house and let them go for a treasure hunt.
Game time: How about a game of hide-and-seek with their favourite toy or food? Start easy till your pet is able to catch on. Once you have snuck away, find a spot and call your dog’s name until it finds you. Reward them for their effort.
Take them to meet their friends: If you have invested effort in socializing your pet, this is the best time to reap the benefits of that effort. You can take your pet to meet their friends or even leave them at a closed pet boarding to make new friends. A covered pet boarding with enough space to run around, or a play area can work wonders to keep your pet active.
Climb the stairs: If you have stairs in your home or apartment complex, you are in luck. One of the easiest activities to do is to leash your pet and walk up and down the stairs. To get variety, you can treat your dog after one complete set, pet them or even verbally encourage them. You can also try the stay command on your dog, and release them from the position once you are on the other end of the stairs, to make it interesting for your dog and you.
Mall/Café fun: You can even take your dog for a walk in a mall or maybe to a pet friendly café to enable them to interact with others. Just ensure that your pet is not stressed to meet other people and dogs, and does not show any signs of aggression.
"There are numerous ways shown on Pinterest, Instagram and other social media channels to keep your pet active. From a DIY ball pit, to playing fetch or tug-of-war, to creating a food-based Kong ball activation toy, there are many easy indoor activity suggestions that you can accommodate in your and your pet’s life. These cognitive and physically engaging activities can help your pets to be less stressed and stay stimulated, thus ensuring more health," concludes Bawa.
