Aug 19, 2020
Why Taking Care of a Puppy Is Good for Your Mental Health During the Pandemic
Travel restrictions may be starting to ease up already, but the public is still urged to stay at home. Some companies still operate remotely, and schools aren’t likely to open. As such, a good number of us are still stuck at home, with nothing much to do than work and care for our families.
But if you live alone, or your kids are already grown-ups who’d rather keep to themselves, domestic life can be pretty boring. The stress caused by uncertainties and rising cases isn’t helping, too.
So is it time to give in to your desire to adopt a puppy? It is widely known that pets provide companionship, fun, and unconditional love. And those sound like the exact things we need while in quarantine.
Reasons to Adopt a Puppy
- It is an act of optimism.
Adoption inquiries on Petfinder surged to 122% in the four weeks between March 15 and April 15. Fostering became rampant, too, as pet shelters find themselves emptying up quicker than normal. Since March 15, over 1,500 people have submitted online foster applications, a whopping 500% increase from the normal volume of applications.
Judith Harbour, a licensed clinical social worker for the Animal Medical Center, stated that bringing new life into a home — a puppy in this case — is an act of optimism. It allows you feel back in control of your life, especially since this pandemic has forced us to alter our routines.
- They help ease isolation.
For people who live alone, isolation can be an issue with or without a pandemic. But with a pet, they can gain a companion, and treat it as their family. Pets may not talk to us, but they can join us in anything we do without us feeling like our personal space is invaded.
And if you’d rather adopt a rabbit or a cat, the benefit will be the same as well. They’re company is also excellent and just as heart-warming. And the more pets you adopt, the merrier.
- They are worth the effort and money.
Caring for puppies require work, and cost money. In addition to feeding them adequately and properly, they need to be potty-trained and entertained frequently. If you want to take their natural brilliance up a notch, you can also take them to a stellar obedience training program. A trained pup will be a lot easier to handle, since they can follow commands and resist their impulses.
But if you’re still leaving for work every day, then having a puppy may have a lot of drawbacks for you. You can leave a food and water bowl filled, but their full stomach won’t ease their boredom. Leaving them in a crate may also be an unpleasant experience for them.
Puppies can get stressed, too. That’s why it’s more advisable to care for one if there would always be someone to watch over them. That way, even if you’re out, they won’t feel lonely.
You can also train them yourself to make the indoors more exciting for them. Puppies and dogs love walking outside, but since opportunities for those may be limited, it’s best to enrich them indoors for the time being.
Make a play pen for them out of your delivery packages. You can create a box puzzle, where empty boxes will be arranged interestingly on the floor. Hide treats in some boxes, and let your pup find them. Then rearrange the boxes differently, with more treats this time.
And that’s just one example on how to keep them entertained. Over time, you have to change up your tactics to make every day fun for them. It’s undeniably a lot of work, but their love makes all the effort and money worth it. When the pandemic is over, you’ll be tremendously grateful for your pup for helping you survive.
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