Our four-legged friends provide us with warmth and love, and most dog owners would do everything they can to make their furry companions happy. Frequently, it means long walks around the neighborhood, trying out plenty of exciting activities, and a fair bit of patience when their dog damages a pillow or breaks a vase. However, we can’t stay angry for long, especially when we see their eyes full of emotions. And what an adventure it is to see how they learn more about the world around them through their shining eyes! You might want to check when your puppy will open his eyes if you have a very young dog and want to learn when this marvelous journey will begin.
Unfortunately, even if we are eager to provide our pets with anything they could need, it might be impossible due to the circumstances. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of dog owners find themselves in a problematic situation, especially if they are also self-isolating.
Dogs can react negatively to the new routine, but it doesn’t mean that there are no ways to prevent any problems from occurring. In a moment, we’ll explain how to take good care of your dog if you are self-isolating so that both of you stay healthy and in good physical condition. Let’s go!
Can My Pet Stay With Me if I’m Self-Isolating?
These days, that’s one of the most common questions of dog owners who are self-isolating. Thankfully, our readers will be happy to learn that it is even advisable for the pets to stay with their owners, assuming that their condition allows them to care for them.
In other words, if you are self-isolating, but aren’t infected with the virus, then staying close to each other is going to have a positive impact on the mental state of both of you. For many people, their pets are extremely important not only because they treat them as members of their family. What’s more, they help them stay in good mental health.
At the same time, due to the restrictions caused by the pandemic, animals are just as likely to suffer from mental health problems as their daily routine is changed dramatically. In this regard, they aren’t any different from humans. Though occasionally, dogs might want to spend some time alone as well, especially if there are more people in your household than before the pandemic, in the majority of cases, they will be better off if their owners are close.
If you are a dog owner who’s self-isolating because you were diagnosed with COVID-19 and have some symptoms but still can take care of your pet, then your dog can stay with you as well. It isn’t likely that you will infect your pet with the virus, as there have been only several cases of such a thing happening in the world. Nonetheless, you should thoroughly wash your hands before and after playing with your pet or feeding it, and ideally, wear a mask while you are next to it. Why?
Even though you probably won’t infect your dog with COVID-19, it doesn’t mean that the virus won’t get transmitted elsewhere through your pet’s fur, especially if someone walks your dog during your self-quarantine period.
On the other hand, if you have symptoms of COVID-19, and don’t feel well enough to play with your pet and feed it, then you should contact a friend or family member to take care of them for you.
Does My Dog Need To Be Walked?
If you need to or choose to stay home, then you won’t be able to walk your dog. However, although your dog will certainly not be happy with this development, it doesn’t mean that there is no way to find other ways for it to have some physical activity and fun. If you don’t have COVID-19 or don’t have symptoms that would make it difficult, you should spend some time every day on fun activities with your dog instead of going for a walk.
However, not all dogs will be at least decently happy with such a turn of events. Your home might also be a less than perfect place for this type of fun activities, or your health condition could make it impossible for you to play with your dog. If there aren’t any other household members who could do that instead, you should know that there are other options that you could also consider.
If you cannot spend enough time playing with your dog, you could ask a friend to walk the dog for you. If you have COVID-19, you should be careful to avoid infecting a friend when they come for the dog. Ideally, they shouldn’t enter your home and should bring their own lead. On top of that, no matter how cute your dog is, your friends should avoid touching it, as the virus could still be on their fur.
How To Get Dog Food While Self-Isolating?
Another issue that can be quite problematic is how to get dog food while self-isolating. Ideally, you should be prepared at all times and have 2-3 weeks’ worth of dog food while COVID-19 is still out there. This way, if you need to self-isolate, you won’t have to worry that the supplies of the dog food will end any time soon.
Unfortunately, you might not have this luxury and get surprised, e.g., when another member of your household gets infected with the coronavirus. Now, there are a couple of ways to deal with this situation.
First, you could ask a friend or family member to buy the dog food and bring it to your house. However, if it’s someone who doesn’t live in your home, you need to remember to warn them beforehand about the fact that you are in the middle of self-quarantine. This way, they won’t enter your house, but, e.g., leave the dog food at your doorstep so that they won’t risk getting infected.
Alternatively, you could just order dog food online so that you wouldn’t have to trouble your friends. One serious disadvantage of choosing this method is that you’ll have to wait at least a couple of days for the dog food to arrive, which might not be a viable option if you have discovered that you have run out of dog food. It’s also worth knowing that due to the COVID-19, the order might take a little bit more time than usual to arrive, which could make your situation even worse.
What if Your Dog Needs To Go to the Vet While You Are In a Self-Quarantine?
If something bad happens to your dog, it might require the help of a vet. However, during your self-quarantine period, you won’t be able to bring your dog to the vet. Depending on the severity of your dog’s health issues, you’ll either have to get a friend to travel with the dog to a vet or if the situation isn’t as dangerous, a simple video consultation might be enough.
However, before you start asking your friends for help, you should first contact the vet to see whether it is necessary for the vet to examine the dog or whether the second option is a viable alternative. If you are experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms or have suspicions that you might be infected, you should let the vet know about this fact as well.
Don’t Leave It Alone for Too Long
You should never leave your furry friend alone for too many hours at a time since this can result in severe depression and anxiety in dogs. Your dog might not be able to handle being left alone for more than four hours at a time.
You don’t need to be an expert on dog psychology to know that dogs need companionship, and if they are not provided any, they will be prone to misbehaving. It’s not that they are vengeful, but rather, their brains need some stimulation and some fun. If you are working from home, then ideally, you should make at least one break during your work hours and spend some time with your dog.
If your pets are left alone for too many hours at a time without any human contact and social interaction, they will be bored out of their minds due to a lack of stimulation from people around them. This, in turn, will leave them with no choice but to find something else to do to keep themselves occupied and entertained during those times when you aren’t around at all (e.g., chewing up furniture). And that’s probably not something that you’d want.
Conclusion
Though most people dislike the time of self-isolation, your situation might be even more difficult if you have any pets in your home that require your attention. Sure, they have a lot of love to give to you, which might be especially needed in times like these, but unfortunately, they also require a great deal of care and attention. This might be a problem if you are working from home and cannot leave your home.
Hopefully, after reading this article, you will now know how to ensure that the presence of your four-legged companion is a welcome one, instead of just another problem.
