What are the guidelines for pet owners that are under ‘home care and isolation’?
Home care and isolation is the term used when a person has suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and they have been advised to stay at home, isolated from others, to recover.
#1. Let your doctor know that you are a pet owner.
In some cases, this info will then be relayed to your state’s public health veterinarian for record-keeping purposes.
#2. Staying isolated from others means from humans and pets, as per the CDC’s pet care guidelines. This means that someone else should take on the tasks of caring for your Chihuahua including feeding them, walking them, etc. until you are feeling better.
#3. If you live alone and are the sole provider for your Chihuahua, wash your hands both before and after any care task and wear a face mask (if you already have one).
7 Tips to Keep Your Chihuahua Healthy & Happy During this Time
#1. Try to keep the vibe upbeat.
Dealing with the coronavirus pandemic puts a toll on everyone and this sort of ongoing stress can negatively affect canine family members, especially breeds like the Chihuahua that are closely bonded with their humans and easily pick up their emotions.
Take time each day to break away from the news and focus on the good things (like spending more time together).
#2. Enlist a secondary helper, if possible.
There are two reasons why having other family members help with Chihuahua care tasks can be a good idea: In the unlikely event that you fall ill you will want your Chi to be used to someone else temporarily caring for them, and your situation may have changed to one in which additional help is appreciated.
#3. Have enough food and goodies for your Chihuahua on hand.
The CDC’s advice to stock up on food and water for at least a couple of weeks applies to pet food and treats as well. Bulk amounts of dog food and treats (snacks, training treats, etc.) can be stored in something like the
Vittles Vault Outback Airtight Pet Food Container
to keep it from getting stale.
#4. Have enough of your Chi’s care items on hand.
Take a look at what you have at home for shampoo, coat care, skin & paw care, pee pads, toys,
Greenie dental chews, and any other items that you currently use as part of your Chihuahua’s regular care routine and consider having 1 to 2 months’ worth in case it’s harder to get to the pet store, shipping takes longer than usual, etc.
#5. If your Chihuahua has any prescriptions, including oral or topical medications, speak to the vet about having an extra months’ worth on hand.
#6. Keep your Chihuahua moving.
Staying at home more should not mean that exercise is cut back; there are many benefits to regular exercise that are especially relevant for Chihuahuas.
It helps a dog release pent-up energy that may otherwise be directed elsewhere (restlessness, excessive barking, destructive chewing, etc.), it’s helpful for emotional well-being to engage the senses, it helps regular metabolism, keeps the digestive track running smoothly, and much more.
Continue to take your Chi for at least 2 walks per day, as long as you’re able to. In cities that have ‘stay at home’ orders in place, most do allow people to take their dog for walks. Be sure to practice social distancing.
An alternative exercise that you can do in your yard or even inside is engage your Chi in games of fetch. Be sure to time then (aim for about 20 minutes, with rests as needed). If your Chi doesn’t have a favorite fetch toy yet, something like
Zanies Mini Tennis Balls for Dogs
can be lots of fun.
#7. Stop boredom in its tracks.
Chihuahuas may enjoy lazing around. For a little while. Then, it can get super-boring. And bored dogs can bark more, chew things up, get very antsy, or even become sullen and depressed.
These are our top 3 picks for things to keep a Chi busy:
1. The
PetSafe Busy Buddy Barnacle Toy. This is a treat-release toy that’s adjustable, so you can make it just challenging enough to keep your Chi interested. Best of all, the ‘extra small’ is ideal for tiny breeds like the Chihuahua.
2. The
Joe’s Home Dog Snuffle Mat. If you’re not yet familiar with snuffle mats, you'll be happy to learn about these. Snuffle mats are fabric floor mats with lots of flaps where you sprinkle in dog treats. Then your Chi goes to “work” foraging for them. Dogs love to do this because they get to use their incredible canine sense of smell and are ‘self-rewarded’ as they find the treats.
3.
The
Pet Qwerks Animal Sound Babble Ball. This fun orb reacts each time its nosed or pawed by letting out silly animal sounds (pig, duck, frog, bird, and more). It’s awesome for independent play and it’ll shut off when your Chi takes a break in order to conserve batteries.
A Final Thought
It seems that each day brings more news that can cause anxiety. Everyone is on edge, wondering what can be done. The impactful things that you can do as a pet parent is to be prepared, stay up-to-date on instructions given out by the CDC and other officials, and to remember that love will carry us all through. We are all in this together.
As always, love, hugs & Chihuahua kisses,
The PetChiDog Team
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