How my dog taught me new tricks during lockdown

As most of the country prepares to leave lockdown, Lucy Corry shares the lessons she learned from an unlikely teacher.

During New Zealand's first lockdown in 2020, I was subjected to a sustained and highly-targeted marketing campaign. Every day, the other members of my household would look at me with their imploring puppy eyes and say, "Please can we get a dog?"

These two had studied their audience of one and knew exactly what would work. Spoiler alert: we got a dog. Here's Cosmo the spoodle in those cute puppy days (when his adorableness made it slightly easier to cope with 'accidents' inside and being woken up four times a night).

I'd like to say that being a reluctant dog owner has made me a better person, or made me exercise more, or any of those other lies that people tell themselves about owning a pet. But as I sit here, throwing a damp, half-chewed tennis ball for him to chase from one end of the room to the other, I realise that I have learned a thing or two from my constant companion.

Here are Cosmo's Five Lockdown Life Lessons:

Exercise is important, especially outside excercise

There's nothing like a small bout of self-isolation to make you realise how good it is to be able to go outside. My favourite lockdown coping mechanism is going for a run by myself in the early morning, when there are no cars on the roads and no people to dodge. Having a dog means you have to get out of the house, even when your personal motivation - or the motivation of your other bubble members - is low. Everyone feels better after a walk, including the dog.

Everyone needs time alone

There is one room in our little house where there's no Wifi. And no people. Coincidence? It's also where the dog likes to go and hang out by himself, to snuggle between the cushions on the sofa and bask in the sun. It's a very peaceful place to sit, device-free. Of course, once you're there it doesn't take long before everyone in the house realises where you are and wants to be there too, but five minutes' solitude is very restorative.

Eat as well as you can, but don't overdo it

If ever there's a time to focus on food, it's now. It can be tempting to live from one chocolate biscuit or chewy chicken strip to the next, but proper meals are a better way to punctuate the day. Treats are important for mental wellbeing, but try to save them as rewards for good work, or good doggy behaviour.

Don't let yourself go

Hair unbrushed? Dirty feet? A bit stinky? It might be a while before any of us are hanging out with other people, but that's no reason to drop our usual standards. You don't have to go full Hilary Barry on it, but be assured no one likes to share the sofa with a stinky dog, or teenager. A bit of brushing and washing now will also save you a lecture from the dog groomer/hairdresser later.

No one likes a barking dog

In other words, don't go off on a meaningless rant because you're upset about something. Barking incessantly is the dog version of being a keyboard warrior on social media. It puts everyone in a bad mood and achieves nothing. If there's a tennis ball taunting you under the sofa, no amount of barking will shift it. In other words: don't moan, take action!