Indoor activities for dogs are key to keeping your canine companion busy and out of trouble when you’re not able to take them out on walks or play fetch in the backyard. These 10 indoor activities for dogs will give your dog plenty of mental stimulation while also helping to strengthen the bond between you two!
1) Puzzles
Puzzles engage your dog’s mind, but they do so in a low-impact way, that is, it doesn’t wear out their body, which can be helpful if your pup has mobility issues. Playing puzzles also helps them bond with you and learn problem-solving skills. The best thing about puzzle toys? They can keep dogs busy while you’re cooking dinner or paying bills!
2) Treat Dispensers
All dogs like treats, so if you’re looking to give your pup a treat on a hot day, try filling up a treat dispenser. This will keep your pet busy and out of trouble indoors. The treat dispenser comes with two compartments, one for small treats and one for large treats. And is a simple twist-off design that allows you to fill it with dry food or water. It can also be used as an in-car snack holder!
3) Tunnel Systems
Simple to set up and relatively inexpensive, tunnel systems provide an indoor activity your dog will love. The fun doesn’t stop there. Try out a tunnel race with your pup. In these races, you and your dog take turns running through tunnels. Just make sure you leave enough time to warm up before sprinting.
4) Treat-Dispensing Balls
Simply fill these treat-dispensing balls with peanut butter, dog treats or cheese, and give them to your pet to play with. She’ll have so much fun figuring out how to get at that tasty morsel that she won’t even realize she’s getting some healthy mental stimulation.
5) Boredom Busters
We all know that dogs can get bored indoors, so it’s important to keep them active. They need things to do, otherwise, they’ll find ways to entertain themselves, which usually entails destroying your house. Take a look at our list of indoor activities for dogs and try one out! Your pooch will thank you (eventually).
6) Snuffle Mats
Most of us understand that dogs love a good game of fetch, but that’s not exactly an indoor activity. Luckily, there are many other fun games you can play with your dog indoors. One option is to get your pup a snuffle mat, essentially a large mat with several different textures and spaces to hide treats in; you and your dog will spend hours trying to sniff them out. It’s an excellent bonding experience that helps both you and your dog work on socialization skills.
7) Adapted Ball Games
A fun indoor activity involves using a towel or a ball and teaching your dog to play fetch. Since they can’t chase their toys around, you will want to throw it to them repeatedly in order to get them excited and running back and forth. This is an excellent way to tire out your dog on a rainy day as well. If you don’t have a tennis ball lying around, any sort of soft toy can work, too.
8) Agility Course Training
Agility training is a great way to build your dog’s confidence while spending quality time with him. As he becomes familiar with agility obstacles, he will be more eager to test himself and may even show off his skills at home! Before you start agility training, make sure that your dog is up-to-date on all vaccinations and health requirements and has a solid understanding of basic commands. It’s also important to introduce him to agility equipment slowly so he doesn’t become overwhelmed by these new structures.
9) Physical Exercises with the Dog
There are a number of physical exercises that you can do with your dog. For example, if you have a fenced-in yard, play fetch with them, or do a simple follow me exercise where they have to run alongside you while you walk around your yard. Be sure to exercise your dog regularly; just like people, dogs need their bodies kept in shape and healthy!
10) Mental Stimulation
Give your dog a job. He’ll be much more satisfied and calm if he has things to do. Try some toys that need to be chewed or hide treats around his environment so he can sniff them out. If you have a puzzle feeder, give it a whirl! (If you don’t, learn how to make one here.) Teaching your dog tricks is another great way to stimulate his mind, as well as yours!
READ HERE FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES FOR DOGS!!
English
Arabic
French
German