Hey, guys, I hope all of you are doing well staying safe and healthy during this difficult time.

Before beginning this week’s column, as a professor of biology/canine behavior I would like to say to all college students who are transferring from traditional to online courses finishing out your semester. I know it’s a hard transition to make and please reach out to me if you need any help. This goes for any teachers as well. If you’re struggling with teaching online, please feel free to reach out to me. The transition from face-to-face to complete distance learning is difficult whether you’re the student or the teacher. I do have a lot on my plate so it may take a couple of days to answer you, but I will get back to you as all questions/concerns are answered in the order in which they are received.

The main topic I want to discuss with you today is how the coronavirus impacts your dog. As you can imagine, this has been a huge topic of discussion in my industry this week. This is a topic you should discuss with your veterinarian if your dog has any type of symptom, but as of right now, COVID-19 appears to be much different than the canine coronavirus.

Thus far, there have not been any documented cases of any pets with COVID-19. There has also not been any documented cases of dogs transmitting the coronavirus to humans.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry; make sure you take all necessary precautions for your family, including your pets.

On another note, with everything closing, many people are already getting cabin fever. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. With everything closed, the loss of work for many, and the lack of money to pay bills, what else is there to do?

Well, today I took my kids and our dog for a nature walk. It was 50 degrees which was luckily warm enough for us to throw on some jackets and take a hike. They were absolutely thrilled.

We are doing our best to enjoy this time together. Spend some extra time in nature. Spend some quality time with your family. Take your dog on an extra walk to get some fresh air. Take a break from your normal everyday life to enjoy the small things.

Along our walk, we were able to get some fresh air, our dog was able to run freely, we heard the crisp leaves crunch below our feet, felt the magic of the wind, and we were even able to visit a creek to listen to earth’s music.

We are always concerned with our lack of time, but to make the best of a bad situation, we can use this time to enjoy our lives rather than panic. And, in nature, we don’t have to worry about maintaining a social distance. It’s just us and the wilderness.

Other activities you can do with your dog include: hide-and-seek – hide treats around the house for mental stimulation, fetch, dog puzzles which are available at most pet stores, and/or an indoor agility course.

If you have the time, an indoor agility course could be a perfect way for both you and your dog to get some physical and mental stimulation.