While dogs make an excellent best friend to hang out with, they are dependent on you for a lot more than you think. As a pet parent, ensuring our pets live the best life we can provide is a crucial responsibility.
Your dog depends on you not only for meals and taking them out to poop or walk. Their emotional well-being depends on the mood and the general environment created around the house. Unfortunately, if you fall sick, you may need to plan to ensure your dog still gets care.
So without further ado, let’s dive in to learn how to take care of your dog when you are sick!
First: Ask Yourself Some Questions.
To prevent any dog issues while you can not manage your pup, you may need to pen down some essential details. They may vary from writing down alternatives you have, ranking from the best option to the least preferred one. To find these alternatives, you will have to ask yourself some questions.
First, you will need to assess your health. For instance, check whether your sickness is temporary, chronic, or infectious. You should also consider if you can care for a dog or anyone. If you have a chronic illness, it may be or get worse enough for you to spend some days at the hospital. Hence, making permanent alternatives like hiring a dog walker or getting a family member to spend some time with your pet beforehand is the best option. You can even look up for adoption or fostering homes. It welcomes another set of questions. As the answers and situations vary from person to person, your questions will too. Some common ones to help you get started may include the following:
- How does your pet handle different situations and strangers? You can judge this by their response to guests that visit your place.
- What can I do to reduce his trauma? Your pet won’t appreciate your absence at the least. To comfort him, make sure you have something familiar by his side, a toy or a blanket they hold close to their heart.
- Any bookings that I can make in advance? Talk to a relative beforehand or your local dog sitters to prepare for unwanted situations ahead of time.
- How long may I be gone for? If your illness gets worse, what’s the long-term solution for your canine companion? Short-term solutions may be easier to work out, but a long-term solution may require some working out on both options available and finances.
- How much would it cost? A probable important question, it is imperative to save up for your pet in your emergency funds in case things go out of the spiral.
Find a Staying Place For Them
Where will my pet stay? This thing is one crucial concern a pet owner will have when sick. There are a few solutions you may find appropriate according to your situation. Some helpful ones are listed below:
Friend or a Family member
Do you have a sibling, parent, or best friend who visits your home often? If so, that is probably the best place to have your dog stay over if you get hospitalized. Your dog will be familiar with them and be comfortable because they have seen you interact with them and feel safe around them. However, make sure your trusted person is a responsible person. If they are not thrilled to foster a pet for a couple of days and sound uninterested, it is best not to push and go over to the next best option available. Some family members may be allergic or have kids at home who are sensitive, which may be the reason for refusal.
If you need help only with walking or keeping the dog engaged, you may seek help from a younger family member or a child in the neighborhood and reward them with treats later!
Dog Sitter
Just like babysitters for human babies, you can hire dog sitters for your dog! Look up local dog sitters online, call them and interview them ahead of schedule, so you have your demands met and are satisfied with whoever you choose to allow your dog to spend time with. Certified pet sitters have professional training to take care of pets, so you would not need to worry about their health and food intake. They also make sure your pet is happy and as less stressed as possible in your absence.
This option is the best available if you have a small puppy or an old dog. However, pet sitters are costly, and this may be a burden on your finances. Make sure you budget your plan and always have an alternative sitter present, in case your first choice books for someone else!
Pet hotels
This one is a good option if you are out for a while. These hotels may be hard to access, especially in areas that are less developed. They also take additional charges for services like bathing or walking your pup. Make sure to research well and visit these hotels personally to see the conditions your dog will be living in to avoid any future discrepancies.
Fosters
It is hard to find a foster around you. Fosters are families or individuals who agree to keep your pet for a decided time. Some fosters may ask you to cover the costs of food for your pet while you are gone, so keep that in mind. You may also talk to people at your local elder homes. They are often interested in having some good pet company!
Automate Their Food
Because why not? If your budget allows you to, an automated food bowl is the best but for your pup out there! It is an excellent choice even if you are not sick. It is best to set up a regular time to feed the dog food to ensure a healthy food timetable. In case you fall even mildly ill or have a headache that may make you forget their mealtimes, an automated food feeder takes the added responsibility of providing them with impromptu meals off your shoulder. The feeder also gives the exact quantity, and once you fill it up, you do not need to worry about their food at all!
You can store their food in containers with this.
Walk Your Pooch
Dogs love running. It is good to take them on a walk or run daily for their physical and mental health. If you have a huge backyard, you are well-accounted for; setting them free will have them run wildly and wag their tails until they are exhausted.
However, most people do not have a big backyard for runs. In the case you are in isolation from your pet, hire a dog walker. They usually charge per hour or per day. Your dog can go to local areas.
A neighbor or a family member may also be up for the job. If you have a strong dog, do not hand them over to children or young teenagers. It’s best to hire professional help in case your dog is a fussy walker.
Keep Them Busy Inside Your Home
Check the following with our best gadgets for dogs.
- Puzzle toys-scent and search games-treats
Buy some puzzle toys that can keep your dog busy. Do not give the toys under normal circumstances; most dogs may get bored and stop playing after a while. Only hand it over when you are ill. Hiding scented treats around your house can be a great way to have them be at their paws for it.
- DogTV
Put something from YouTube or your local television to see if your pup might be interested in some relaxing TV time!
- Getting help
Get the help of children in your family and neighbors to spend some time with you and your dog.
The Bottomline
Life is full of unprecedented scenarios. It’s best to plan, especially when it involves your companion pet. Join pet groups around you if you find any. Make sure you remain active and do not hesitate to ask for help. Visit dog parks near you and try making conversations with other pet owners. It will help create a community of dog people who look after their pets and each other.
In case anyone approaches you to foster their dog for whatever reasons, always be eager to give some help, so when the time comes around, you can ask them as well!