Every time I am about to leave the house without Rodrigo, he stands by the door and looks at me `with the saddest of looks that makes my heart melt. I mean, he even follows me to the bathroom, so you can imagine....he's a COVID dog after all. I've also taken a habit of taking him with me to most places, which makes it more fun anyways, and you'd be surprised at how many dog friendly things there actually are to do! Brace yourself for an exhaustive list I put together of all Rodrigo does, that can perhaps give you ideas of what you can also do together with your furry pal !
1. Grab a coffee !
Absolutely everyone loves coffee, and if you don't, you're weird. Just joking. If you don't, good on you, there are other healthier drinks for you! As for me, most weekends, I like to treat myself by starting my morning with a delicious cappuccino. Rodrigo is always up for that, and he sits by my side watching people go past, getting the occasional tap on the head by other dog lovers. If you forget to get some water for him, most places will even be happy to provide you with some.
2. Go for a run !
If you're more of an active person, you can take your dog with you for a run! It's safe to say that most dogs LOVE running (especially if you can go somewhere where her/she can be off-leash. By the time I cover 300m, Rodrigo would have gone and come back at least 3 times). If you have to take your dog on a leash, he/she might need some time to get used to it. Be patient, and take some treats with you to reward good behavior. If your dog has small paws and doesn't like running for more than 2 minutes at a time, you can also do easy, short-distance running in a park to get those legs moving!
3. Go for a car ride !
Another simple thing you can do, is to take your dog for a chilled car ride! Rodrigo loves to put his head partially out the window and smell all the different scents that we would be driving past. If your dog likes to put half his body out the window, watch out that he does not fall out! Make sure you're holding him, or put the window higher up. Unfortunately, some dogs do not enjoy car rides or get anxious. It is ideal to get them used to this from when they are still young, or get them used to it by taking them on short journeys at a time to see if you start to eventually see improvements.
4. Splipity splashes at home.
If your home permits and if your dog loves the water, or as in Rodrigos' case below, he's still a puppy and you're trying to get him used to the water, you can buy a small plastic container to fill up with water and have him/her splash around. It will only cost you around 30 euros (depending on where you get it from), and it will be tonnes of fun for both of you. Especially if it's really hot outside, it's a great way to cool down!
5. Go on a dog meetup event !
What better way to spend your weekend, than to be surrounded by pure joy and bouts of zoomies? You can sign-up on the WagsUnite app to see what dog meetup events there are in your area, that you and your dog can go to! On this day, we met another 4 timid dogs on the beautiful beach of El Palmar, Spain. If you find that your dog only gets along with particular dogs (...or you only get along with particular people), you can instead find other dogs and their parents to meet up with 1 on 1, so that you can ensure that the other dog has matching characteristics.
6. Go on an adventure !
One of the beauties of being a dog parent is that they encourage you to be more active and adventurous, at least for their sake! Explore a new trail or area you have never visited before with your dog, and I can assure you that they will absolutely love all the new scents to be discovered! But don't worry, if you feel a tad lazy with searching and would rather revisit the same place, your dog would be grateful anyways. Alternatively, open the WagsUnite app to see other organized hangouts in the area to get ideas, or if you and your dog want some additional companionship, you can also request to join one!
7. Go Plants Shopping.
If just like me, you are cur...I mean, blessed, with a love for plants, your furry pal can also join you on a lovely plant shopping spree. They might not enjoy having to share the space in the car with the plants, but they will enjoy the experience..and if lucky enough, there will be a pet section at the plants shop for you to be able to spoil your dog some more! (As a side note, if you're more into clothes than things you have to keep alive, you can also take him/her with you clothes shopping. Rodrigo loves it because of all the attention he gets, but it can get a little tricky when you are trying on clothes! It does help to have someone else with you to help manage...nothing a WagsUnite hangout event can't organize!)
8. Go on a SUP board adventure
This might not be for the majority, but if circumstances permit, your dog loves water and you own a SUP or find one to rent that allows you to take your dog with you, it sure as heck is plenty of fun! When we took Rodrigo, we rented from a place that didn't mind at all, and he absolutely loved jumping in the water and getting back on the board. If your dog struggles with swimming, you can also get him a life jacket to help him/her feel more comfortable and make things a little bit more safe.
9. Swim-race for the ball !
Everyone loves a challenge, even our furry friends. Sticking to the water theme for all the water lovers out there, you can have some fun by challenging your dog to a race for the ball. I love how Rodrigo puts in his second gear when there's that extra little bit of pressure of me potentially getting to his ball first. Truthfully, I have not yet managed to get there first.. I really need to work on my swimming technique!
.........if you're not a fan of the beach and like me, you don't own your own pool, your dog can also join you to a dog-friendly hotel/stay !
With that being said, especially if it is a hotel, do check that he is also actually allowed in the pool area, as some of them do not allow this. If it's an Airbnb, they tend to be less strict, but it always depends. We were lucky enough to have found a beautiful stay with a dog-friendly pool in Sicily, that Rodrigo absolutely loved jumping in!
10. Go skateboarding !
This is another one for the more active and exploratory bunch. When we put the harness on Rodrigo, he knows, he just knows, it's time to ROLL. He absolutely loves pulling his dad on his skateboard along the promenade or an empty road on those quiet Sunday mornings. It is one heck of a workout for him. Just watch out not to overdo it, it's easier for you on the skateboard than for him as he's running and pulling! Needless to say, also a must-avoid on those scorching days.
11. Work out together.
If you can do your workout on a portable mat, you've got yourself another opportunity to get your dog to tag along! Granted, you can simply do this at home in your living room, but if you want to make things a little bit more fun, find a nice open space in nature for you to workout at. Breathe the fresh air, and watch your dog have the time of his life, sniffing all the other dogs' excretes and asserting his dominance all over it. If you're patient enough, you can also get a ball or Frisbee for your dog, and throw it in between sets to keep him even more entertained. This could also be another opportunity for you to share this activity with another dog parent on WagsUnite, either by creating a chaotic group event or a more peaceful 1-1 meetup.
12. Go catch the sunrise or sunset.
If neither you nor your dog are up for these crazy activities, you can also keep it simple and get some downtime by getting up early to watch the sunrise or watch the sunset in the evening. So far, I haven't met any dog that does not enjoy this simple activity. As the Italians say, la dolce far niente' , the sweetness of doing nothing.
13. Take your dog to the office day.
If you happen to be lucky enough to be able to take your dog with you to the office or your workspace, do it! I am lucky enough for my company to allow me to do that, and all my colleagues find themselves looking forward to having a Rodrigo day, who provides everyone with his head or tummy to scratch for added serotonin and dopamine release, which leads to reduced stress. (If you are not allowed, try telling this to your boss...although more likely than not, it will not be allowed due to sanitary restrictions, possible allergies among other reasons) Also, beware if you have a ping pong table, your balls might mysteriously start to disappear.
Conclusion
If you have made it through all these points, congratulations on being a dedicated and determined dog parent, your 4 legged child is as lucky to have you as you are to have him/her. There are a few more things that could be mentioned that I have not included here, as I did not want this list to become too overwhelming. To briefly mention, you can read a book at the park and take your dog with you, you can play frisbee, you can hide little treats around the room and let his senses lead his way to them, and you can pass a football between two people as he plays piggy in the middle (its really fun!) I am aware that not all of these activities will be suitable for all dogs or locations, but there should at least be a few that are suitable for everyone, everywhere. So why don't you start tomorrow? Do something different!
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