Caring for your dog during virulent times

How do you care for your dog in a time of the coronavirus pandemic? Mr Kevin Yeo, 28, chief confidence specialist at Pawrus Pet Care Education Group, which offers services such as dog training and pet grooming, shares seven tips.

If your dog is at home:

Entertain it with "enrichment toys" such as puzzle games or scented toys that provide the olfactory stimulation that it would usually get from walks.

Get a treadmill for your dog to exercise on. Adjust the intensity to suit your canine's activity level.

Use the extra time at home to teach your dog basic tricks such as staying and lying down. This can be done with positive reinforcement, like rewarding it with treats.

If your dog goes out:

Owners heading out to walk their dogs should ensure that both of you are a safe distance of at least 30m from other dogs.

After a walk, owners should clean their dog's paws as well as all walking equipment.

Owners should ensure that their pets do not share food and water with other animals.

Owners working from home should put some distance between themselves and their dogs from time to time to prevent them from developing separation anxiety when things return to normal.