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Activities to Do Indoors With Your Dog

        
          

indoor dog activities

On cold, rainy, or snowy days when you and your dog just can’t be outside for extended periods of time, how can you keep your pup entertained? While you may want to cuddle up on the couch with a cup of coffee and a good book, your dog may have other plans. Avoid this situation by arming yourself with a few tools to entertain your dog and wear him out, leaving you with some time to yourself.

Hide and Go Treat

For the nosy hound in your life, “hide and go treat” is a fun game that can keep a dog entertained for hours. Simply hide treats around the house (the tougher to find the better), and leave it up to your pup to find them. You can make the game even more difficult (and entertaining) by hiding a treat filled, frozen KONG somewhere in the house. Once your dog finds this tasty prize, you will be guaranteed an extended period of time to yourself!

Teach Your Dog a New Trick

Remember how tired your dog would be after an hour at Obedience class? All the thinking, performing, and the excitement of receiving a seemingly unending supply of treats can lead to one worn out dog. Recreate that experience by teaching your dog a new command or two at home. Start by finding a how-to video on Youtube or other website, and then replicate the steps with your dog. Remember to have fun and provide your dog with plenty of positive reinforcement.

Speed Obedience Course

Take a lesson from Rally-O, an activity where dogs and owners speed through a pre-designed course, performing obedience commands along the way, and set up command stations indoors. Choose five to six areas around the house and designate each space for a command such as “sit,” “down,” “stay,” “shake,” “roll over,” or a brand new trick your dog may have just learned. Try to run through the course with your dog as quickly as possible. After a couple run-throughs, you both will be tired and ready for a nap!

Interactive Dog Toy

The next time you go to the pet store, take a look at the interactive dog toys, which are perfect for rainy days. Toys vary in difficulty level, requiring very little skill to an almost Einstein-like intelligence level from your pup. For most toys, treats are hidden in special compartments, and the dog must figure out which lever to pull, button to press, or drawer to open in order to find the tasty prize. For food motivated dogs, these types of toys can provide endless entertainment.

dog puzzle

Indoor Agility

Does your dog have more energy to burn than can seemingly safely be done indoors? Consider setting up an indoor agility course in an open area, such as the basement. Use a bench for a jump, hang a blanket over a ladder for a tunnel, and use an overturned laundry basket as a pause table (for small dogs). The more creative you can be, the more energy your dog will burn!

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