Can your dog "sit and come"? If not, now is the ideal time to learn or refresh common commands. Cats and small animals are also happy about an extra portion of play.
Hamburg (dpa / tmn) - For those who work from home or have some free time, dealing with the pet is good for their own spirits. This reduces stress and calms the nerves. In addition, the bond between humans and animals is strengthened. There are plenty of opportunities to deal with each other in your own four walls.
For example, masters and mistresses can train names with their dogs. "You always use the same word for a specific object," explains Sarah Ross from the animal protection organization Vier Pfoten. It is best to take different objects that look different and have different colors, such as a bear called "Teddy", a ball and a bone.
If you throw the soft toy on the floor, the corresponding command is "Get Teddy!" "It conditions the dog that the object has a command," says Ross. This can later be combined with a hidden object game, then it says "Such Teddy!". Nose work and concentration are required from the dog.
Astrid Behr, spokeswoman for the Federal Association of Practicing Veterinarians, suggests placing chunks of food under cardboard rolls and having them sniffed. Dog biscuits can also be hidden in the apartment. "If you start training, you can take something that the animal particularly likes," advises Behr. If the animal has less movement, the feed must be adjusted. Even if it gets treats during training, the food ration should be reduced.
Don't overwhelm the animal
"Sit", "Place", "Stay", "Fall over" or "Roll" and "Robben" - small games make dog and owner or owner fun and can be comfortably trained in the apartment. For starters, this can be even better because there is less distraction than outside.
However, the animal should not be overwhelmed. "Longer than ten minutes in a row is too much," explains Behr. Pets need significantly more sleep than we humans and therefore their rest periods. Nose work is also very stressful for dogs, they are tired afterwards.
Katrin Umlauf from the German Animal Welfare Association also advises to stick to the daily routine. "Anyone who previously worked around half a day should also stick to the usual times in the current phase." Because a dog must be accustomed to the absence of mistresses and masters in good time before the end of the home office phase.
Fishing games and clicker training
Cats, on the other hand, must be able to pursue their hunting instinct. If you like, you can build a "fummel board" for them. On this board parcours you have to make an effort to get treats. There are numerous instructions for this on the Internet.
According to Moira Gerlach from the Animal Welfare Association, attraction fishing games are also very suitable. A kind of angel is made from a line. At the end a small toy is attached, which is swung through the room.
In clicker training, the animal is conditioned positively to a sound - the click. There is a reward right after the click. "This works well for every animal species," says Gerlach. According to Gerlach, anyone who wants to do clicker training with small animals should make sure that the sound is not too loud. "The lid of a yoghurt mug that you bend is enough." The following applies to clickers: Especially at the beginning, you should not train too long, preferably only a few minutes every day.
Info Animal Protection Association for Corona
Tips from four paws