Hello friendlies! Lulu here! Like some many most almost all of you, my Mama and Dada are under “shelter in place” orders. All the local parks, trails, and beaches are closed, and so is the harbor. That means no outings for me, no matter how many times I follow Dada to the door and wag my big fluffy tail when he goes out to get the mail. But does that mean I’m bored here around the house? Well, yes, it does. But I do have a few tips for keeping oneself and one’s humans occupied while everything is closed. Read on, friendlies!
Jigsaw Puzzles
Now one of the ways a lot of humans in isolation have been entertaining themselves is by putting together jigsaw puzzles, so much so that they have joined things like hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, and toilet paper on the list of items in short supply. Fortunately, puzzles are something you can easily create out of materials you may already have at home. I’m speaking of course of cardboard boxes.
There are several benefits to making a jigsaw puzzle for your humans out of cardboard boxes. One thing is that you get to have fun while ripping the box to pieces. Another is that the puzzle will be extra super hard for the humans, because, first, there’s no picture to help them with assembling it; and second, there’s no telling how many little pieces you might have eaten while creating the puzzle. This provides the potential for nearly endless entertainment as your humans try to find the last piece they need to reassemble the box. And if you actually end up depositing that last piece out in the yard on a potty break, well, there’s no need to tell them that.
Pro tip: If your humans aren’t quite sharp enough to assemble a jigsaw puzzle made of cardboard with no picture on it, shred something that does have a picture, like a cereal box. If you can get hold of the box while it still has cereal in it, this can also net you a tasty treat.
Foraging for Meals
Now I sure do hope all my friendlies who are reading this have got plenty of food and aren’t having to make a lot of trips to the grocery store or place orders with grocery delivery services where the delivery times are two or three weeks away. One way to help make your food last longer and keep you occupied while you eat it is to change the way you consume it. Instead of putting your meal on a plate, toss it all over the floor or into a big shaggy rug. Then you can spend an hour or two finding all the pieces and eating them. By the time you finish, and before you know it, there’ll be a new episode of Westworld or something for you to watch.
Pro tip: Don’t try this with spaghetti, stew, or soup. Unless you have a tile floor, of course, in which case, splatter away!
Pro tip: If you have a yard, you can also do this out there. Just wait a few days after running the mower or else you might end up getting some grass in the food you scatter.
Supplementary pro tip from Spicoli:
Spicoli: “Getting grass clippings into the food you scatter does not turn it into an ‘edible’, dude.”
Tidy Up a Little
Has your human’s man-cave gotten a little overgrown with ivy? Rip that stuff out with your teeth!
Pro tip: If you have thumbs, you may want to use your hands for this, unless your teeth are very strong.
Bonus: This will have the side effect of counting towards your daily flossing.
Make Sure Everything Smells All Right
Just because you and your humans are stuck inside doesn’t mean there aren’t still interesting things to smell. It also doesn’t mean slacking off on personal hygiene. And if you do personal hygiene properly, you can occupy yourself for a good part of the morning with it. You’ve heard of “spray, delay, and walk away”?
Well, let me introduce you to “roll and roll then take a stroll”:
Pro tip: For an extra dose of long-lasting smell, don’t spray the scent on yourself, where you’ll block most of it. Spray it directly on the floor.
Bonus: This is also a good way to deal with the situation if you accidentally set yourself on fire, say, by smoking while spritzing.
Take Up A New Hobby
This is a difficult time for your humans if they have hobbies that take them out of the house and out among other people; for instance, Mama and Dada haven’t been out to the dance studio since March. Maybe you can encourage them to take up a hobby that can be done around the house. For instance, you can go fishing with them. Humans find this activity very relaxing.
Pro tip: Just like regular fishing, it’s not necessary to actually catch the fish.
Bonus: If you do catch this fish, you don’t need to gut and clean it. But you can if you want to.
Wrap-Up
Well, friendlies, thank you for reading this first edition of Lulu’s Life Tips! I will be back with another edition when I think of some more. Depending on how much longer this goes on, this may include more ways to keep them entertained while they’re confined to quarters. Stay tuned, and stay safe!
The Oceanside Animals 
LOL! Your tips are awesome, Lu. It’s lucky that catching the fish isn’t part of that game. You missed it and ignored it every time. I play all fetch-related games the same way. And your jigsaw box puzzle is a real winner. Best. Puzzle. Ever.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
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Your puzzles are better than Hasbro! Well done. We tend to get a bit excited at a toy toss too and rush straight into zoomies with excitement.
Your fur-iends,
Norman & Elsa 🐾
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I love your tips! I think the puzzle idea is the JUST THE BEST!! Boomer
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These tips are great, even cats can make them work. I love those videos where you are running really fast.
Kosmo
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Lulu, you are so much fun and full of energy, you go girl!
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Then, you’ve got the other animals……
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Lulu you have lots of excellent advice today. We enjoyed watching you running around your yard. You seem so very happy playing outside.
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Excellent tips Lulu!
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Excellent tips Lulu! 🙂
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Great tips, Lulu. There is almost always a jigsaw puzzle on the counter here, and somehow or other, a piece of two always ends up doing a disappearing act:) Mom has a few new puzzles on hand and lots of old ones that can be redone, but you are right – the stores are all sold out of puzzles!!!
Mom said she saw a Dennis puppy on her walk the other day. She had a great time petting him/her and getting kisses through the fence. She looked for the puppy today but he/she was not out. She wants to get a pic of him/her to show you. He/she has the wiggliest little butt ever.
Woos, Lightning and Timber
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Charlee: “Aww! Our Dada says to give the Dennis puppy a kiss from him and Mama!”
Chaplin: “And give him a big purr from me and Charlee!”
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How sweet of you to make a puzzle for your humans 🙂
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OMD, Lulu, those are all FABulous tips my furiend! I have made over a dozen puzzles for Ma, butts she doesn’t seem too interested in puttin’ them back together. sigh. I also ‘fish’ like you do! BOL! Just an excuse to do zoomies ☺
I hopes that you can keep your peeps entertained…it sure is exhausting!
Kisses,
Ruby ♥
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You’re so smart, Lulu. Our folks say absolutely no puzzles. But I’ve been showing them how to roll in the yard to pick up the messages and take them home to read later. For some reason or other, I’ve also been busy getting more baths lately. XOX Xena
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This is the BEST boredom-buster post I’ve read yet by a mile. I love the cardboard puzzle, those silly adults will be besides themselves re-arranging to see what’s missing, lost forever or in your tummy. Glad to know mama & dada aren’t going to be bored any time soon!x
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We had Rosy take all kinds of notes Lulu, these are some wonderful ideas!!
xoxo,
Jakey, Arty & Rosy
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Whoa – that is one tough puzzle, Lulu! My mom loves jigsaw puzzles but she’s never worked anything like that one before! I have a snuffle mat but I wouldn’t want to eat my entire meal tossed on it. I like it for just treats. Great tips. Lulu!
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Great tips Lulu!! We do have one of those snuffle mats and we need to remind mom to get our puzzles out
hugs
Mabel & Hilda
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Lulu, we are just so happy to see the tips that you shared. These are all just so wonderful. The jigsaw puzzle one was our favorite one. Thanks for sharing this with us. Have a fantastic rest of your day.
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You sure have a lot of good ideas, Lulu!
I, Benji have been trying my paws and teeth at lumberjacking…I dug a big hole by a dogwood tree and then I was going to chew the roots, too, so that some of the peeps here could get rid of that so called dog…of course this entertains and occupies the peeps who get out the shovel and the big red pepper container…to spice up the whole area:)
And Angel MJF was really good at making puzzles out of bills…ie 10 dollar ones. Petcretary had to take the unfurbro’s bits & Pieces to the bank to get another one BOL!
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Mew mew mew Lulu yore a geeneuss!! not onlee did you give xcellent tipss an ideass you made LadyMew laff so hard shee spit tea out her nose!! Thanx so much fore that…shee had a ruff Seezure yesterday an was so sad today an now shee iss happy an gigglin like a littel girl..
Yore pawsum!!! An yore videoss are furabuluss too…
***purrsss*** BellaDharma
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