HOW TO OCCUPY A DOG WHEN THE WEATHER IS BAD
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Whether it’s -30, raining buckets, or blowing a gale, we all know what it’s like to be stuck inside with a bored, antsy dog.
With two high-energy pointers and long, cold Saskatchewan winters, we are well-versed in entertaining our dogs indoors when needed.
Below are ways to occupy your dog when the weather is bad.
Note that many of the low-key activities can also be used when you are under the weather or when your dog is on restricted activity after an injury or surgery.
GAMES
Playing games with your dog can be a fun and enriching way to pass the time. These activities are a little more hands-on and interactive between human and dog so they’re also a great way to bond.
HIDE AND SEEK
Have your dog sit/stay or down/stay. Go into another area of the house and hide. Call your dog. Praise or treat when they find you.
OBSTACLE COURSE
Rearrange furniture and have your dog weave through, jump over, walk around, duck under, and jump up onto and down off of it. Ensure what you’re using is stable and sturdy enough to keep it safe and fun.
SHELL GAME
Get three identical, opaque cups. Let your dog watch you place a treat under one of the cups. Shuffle the cups around multiple times. Ask your dog to pick a cup. Once they’ve indicated a cup, lift it and see if the treat is underneath.
PICK A HAND
Similar to the shell game. Let your dog see you put a treat in one hand. Put your hands behind your back and change (or don’t) the position of the treat. Present your closed fists to your dog and let them pick a hand. Open your palm to reveal if the treat is there or not.
FIND IT
Place your dog in another area of the house. Hide items like treats or their favourite toys. Release your dog with “find it!” and let them use their nose to track down the items.
INDOOR FETCH
If you have the space, toss a toy or ball for your dog to retrieve. Avoid slippery floors or tight spaces with hazards that your dog may run into or knock over.
CATCH
Playing fetch indoors can get tricky in tight spaces. Try tossing a toy or ball in the air and having your dog catch it before it hits the ground.
ENRICHMENT FEEDING
Enrichment feeding basically means providing food for your dog with an element of “work” to it. This forces them to slow down and use their nose and brain in order to access the food. It can be surprisingly calming for your dog and can provide entertainment for longer periods of time.
Enrichment feeding can use either their regular meals or additional treats. Just be careful to not overfeed when using enrichment feeding activities on a regular basis.
KONGS
Fill a Kong with dog-friendly treats like wet food, peanut butter, yogurt, scrambled eggs, mashed bananas or pumpkin puree and then freeze it to provide prolonged entertainment as your dog works at cleaning it out.
TOPPLS
Similar to a Kong, Toppls are fillable and freezable feeders for dogs. They have a bit larger opening and present slightly less of a challenge for dogs who get bored easily or don’t enjoy Kongs.
RUMBLS
A Rumbl, or similar treat ball, requires your dog to figure out how to move the toy to get the kibble or treats inside to fall out. It’s a great brain game that provides mental stimulation.
LICK MATS
Licking can be a calming activity for dogs. Spread anything you’d use to fill a Toppl or Kong onto a lick mat to provide a less challenging but just as fulfilling activity for your dog.
SNUFFLE MATS
Fill a snuffle mat with dry kibble or treats and let your dog sniff to their heart’s content while they search out the tasty morsels.
PUZZLES
Purpose-made puzzles for dogs are available in many styles and levels to provide a challenging and stimulating activity.
TOWEL ROLL
If you don’t have enrichment feeders on hand, there are still plenty of ways you can entertain your dog with household items. Lay a towel out, spread some dry kibble or treats on it and roll it up. Give it to your dog for them to figure out how to unroll and access the treats.
PARTY IN A BOX
Take a shallow box or container, crunch up some packing paper, hide treats inside and let your dog root around and find their rewards.
SCATTER FEEDING
Scatter feeding may be messy but it provides great mental stimulation for your dog. Simply scatter your dog’s food across the floor and let them hoover it up. This can also be done with dry treats, shredded cheese, small pieces of fruit, or any other foods suitable for scattering around.
TRAINING
Training is a great activity for times you’re stuck inside with your dog. Not only will it help pass the time and tire them out, it will add to their skill set and improve behaviours in their day-to-day life.
The possibilities are endless for what to train. Some tricks and commands particularly well suited for indoors and small spaces include:
- Place
- Settle
- Shake
- High Five
- Leave It
- Sit/Stay
- Down/Stay
- Come
- Heel
- Whoa
- Spin
- Train them to recognize the names of toys
- Train them to clean up their toys
HAVE A SPA DAY
If you’re looking to pass the time, you may as well tackle some regular grooming tasks that need to be done anyway.
Grooming your dog not only builds trust and creates a bond, but a calm and patient approach can also teach them to relax while being handled.
If your dog is stressed by any of the activities listed below, use the time to recondition and make baby steps toward them becoming more comfortable, rather than focusing on getting the tasks done.
Some grooming tasks to try include:
- Brush their coat
- Brush their teeth
- Massage
- Give them a bath
- Trim their nails
- Clean their eyes/ears/paws
I hope this list provided a little inspiration for ways to entertain your dog when the weather is bad. Whether you’re looking for something fun you can do together or needing a more hands-off option to occupy them while you get some work done, these ideas will not only pass the time but will also result in a happier, calmer, more satisfied dog.
