So the good news is you’re still allowed to walk your dog. But the not-so-good news is that you’re pretty much *only* allowed to walk your dog. So by this point, you’ve probably been around the same block tons of times in the last few weeks. And your new de facto therapy dog needs furiety. Here are five ideas scientifically proven to make your same ol’ walk at least 12% less boring during this time of social distancing.
1. The “I Do In Fact Have All Day For This”
To dogs, smelling stuff is like reading a book or listening to a sweet, pee-scented symphony. So this time, let ‘em sniff till they can’t no more. Not only is a smell walk great for bonding, but it’s also fantastic for helping your pup understand the world around him. And like do you have anywhere to be anyway?
2. The “Lewis and Bark” Social Distancing Walk
We already know who really runs the show at your house. Now put your pal in the driver’s seat and let her decide where to go “Follow the Beagle” style. Let doggo call the shots and see where it takes you. And just to guard against any dashed hopes, it’s probably gonna take you to wherever the squirrels and garbage are.
3. The “Hardcore BARKOUR”
Instead of just making your pup walk on the sidewalk like some kind of normie, why not make her walk extreme? Have your dog hop up on stuff like stairs, benches, big rocks, parking lot bumps, curbs, wobbly logs–whatever you can find. All this excitement’ll help her improve her balance, keep her wheels turning, and help her build confidence.
4. The “Totally Oblivious But V Good”
Dogs are very lucky because they don’t understand capitalism whatsoever and thus are not currently crippled by the constant fear of impending doom currently plaguing many of the human-folk. Regardless, load up an app like ResQwalk or WoofTrax and raise money for rescue groups just by walking. Cause if you’ve gotta go on 56 walks today, you might as well lend a helping paw.
5. The “Snack Blessings From Above”
Emotional eating? Not me. Nope. And definitely not my dog. Make everyone a little happier by bringing some smelly treatos (like cheese or salami) along on your walk for ACTIVITIES. Throw the snacks into a grassy area and let your buddy find ‘em. It’ll give her a chance to sharpen her sniffer and give her some mental stimulation, too (like doing a Snackdoku, if you will). And it’ll give you something to do for at least 2.6 minutes, too.
How’re you makin’ the most of your walks? Woof at us in the comments and be sure to tag #SidewalkDog in all your adventures.
(Photo by Sasha Sashina)
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