Winter is a tough time for us and our pups. It gets dark early, it’s cold, and rainy. It might affect your walk schedule or usual outdoor excursions.
But, just because the weather is bad doesn't mean the fun has to stop! Here are some indoor activities to keep your pup active this winter season.
Puzzle games
Keep your dog's mind sharp and active while you’re both cooped up inside with puzzle games. Puzzle games encourage your dog to use their brain and “hunt” for their food.
Simple items like The Kong Toy can be filled with their favorite kibble or treat to keep your pup active and curious. If you do not have puzzle toys, simply set up three or more plastic cups with treats underneath one of them. Have your dog sniff to find out which one it is. You can make it more challenging by switching around the cups to keep your pup entertained!
Treat Hide and Seek
Play a rainy day classic with your dog, hide and seek! But, with a twist. Hide your dog’s favorite treat around your home and see if your dog can sniff around to find it.
Lure them into the game with one treat in a familiar spot. Once they learn how to play the game, you can put more treats in more rooms and then let the hunt begin!
Indoor Agility Course
Setting up an agility course is the best way to tucker out any hyper dog when the weather is rough. Use basic household items like brooms, cushions, chairs, and blankets to create your course. Make sure everything is set up safely for your dog! Once you’ve set up your course, have your pup start at the beginning.
Motivate them by leading them through the exercise with a treat and many verbal praises along the way!
Work on Basic Skills
Bad weather and stuck inside? While you have the time, work on key training commands with you and your dog. You can start with the simple ones, sit, lay down, or stay.
One skill you will want to refresh are important recall cues that ensure you can get your dogs attention at any moment. These are commands like “come” or “watch”. You can even make it a game for the pup, call for them from different rooms of your home and when they come reward them with plenty of praise or treats.
Teach or Practice New Tricks
They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but this simply isn’t true! While you’re cooped up inside with your dog, revisit or teach some classic tricks like how to shake hands or fetch.
You can also get crafty with useful tricks like how to get your dog to put away toys or close doors behind them.
Be sure to keep your dog active and sharp during these winter months with these indoor activities. But, remember don’t stop their daily walks because of bad weather! Get the appropriate winter or rain gear for yourself and your pup.
Do you have any fun indoor activities to share? Reach out to us on Instagram or Facebook and let us know!