It’s cold cold cold this week!
Which makes it harder to provide our pups with the activity we both need.
With less activity, they may go looking for trouble…
We can get creative though! Here are 5 ideas for indoor activity to entertain your pups with on these long, cold days:
1. Treat or Toy Scavenger Hunt: Hide a handful of treats- or a toy your dog is playing with- around one room. Start with easy hiding spots as your dog learns how to search for them. Then release your dog to use their nose to find their prizes! The first couple of tries they might need a little help- but soon they’ll be flying around the room using their nose to find those goodies!
2. Trick Training: Teach your pup something new and fun! Trick training is fun for both human and dog, and there are so many tricks we could train! Some examples: spin, bow, jump over your leg, or back up. You can find trick ideas and descriptions on the AKC Trick Dog page: https://www.akc.org/sports/trick-dog/
3. Food Enrichment Toys: Use some of your dog’s food to prepare some food enrichment toys so they can entertain themselves by working for their food! Classic Kong toys, puzzle toys, snuffle mats or a DIY treat dispensing box are all great options! It’s also great to have some long-lasting chews on hand- bully sticks are a favorite.
4. DIY Obstacle Course: Make an obstacle course for your pup in your home using objects you already have! Have them jump over a broom handle, weave through a line of chairs, jump on and sit on an ottoman, and crawl under a chair. Teach them each individual skill first and then put the course together for a tasty reward at the end!
5. Practice Manners Training: Whether your dog needs refreshing on stay, leave it or go place, or they’re still working on mastering these skills, take this opportunity to practice these skills more consistently!
Pick three skills you’d like your dog to improve on and practice! Get your treats out and practice each skill for 5 minutes. A short and sweet training session helps to keep your dog motivated and engaged in training. Practice each skill at least once a day, or once in the morning and once in the evening. Set goals and see how much progress you can make!
