The lockdown might have definitely taken a toll on your mental health due to the severity of the situation that has come down upon everyone. But just imagine, if you're feeling this stressed about the situation, just how distressed your pets might be. Many people have now started to notice that their pets are acting differently than they usually do and experts claim that this could be due to being stuck indoors all the time.
One pet parent spoke about this and said that her dog tends to get nervous now that she's at home all the time and could be seeing this as an encroachment of its space. “My dog, Cream, is restless because suddenly there are too many of us at home, so she sleeps outside more often. I spoke to my friend and her dog is getting worked up too as he doesn’t get to go out like before,” she explains.
City-based canine behaviourist Tanya Patel says, “A sudden change in routine and completely stopping all outdoor activities can be overwhelming for dogs because having a routine provides them stability and now that has changed overnight.” “Use different techniques of feeding them - scatter feed, put the food in an interactive toy, or tie it up in a cloth, or freeze it to make them work for it,” she adds. She says that these activities can work as both a mental and physical exercise for the animals and can help keep them engaged.
Another pet nutritionist also suggested that apart from pet behaviour, pet parents should also focus on their pets' eating habits during the lockdown. “Low activity in dogs at such times can cause a lack of appetite so reducing their meal portions a little is ideal and every nutrient must be reduced equally,” she said. She also suggested that pet parents make do with the ingredients they can find easily instead of trying to opt for something that is unreachable at this point.
Foods like bottle gourd, pumpkin or carrots can make for a good source of fibres while eggs can make for proteins and desi ghee and rice, can make up for the fat and carbohydrate requirements. However, she also suggested that if their pet has a certain dietary requirement it is best that their vets are consulted before starting them on a different diet.
