Indoor Activities for Cold, Wet Days

During the recent cold, bad weather, we found some fun activities for our dog when he couldn’t play outside or go for walks.

Our dogs love their food toys. They love to hunt for their food, it provides mental stimulation, prevents gulping of food, and can be given while you are eating to prevent begging. They are also useful for  times when you want your dog to be busy while you do something else.

You can build on this by having your dog return his empties and trade for a full food toy. Here you can see Mitch demonstrating:

Another fun mind game is Left Right. Here you can see Mitch touching left and right hands on cue. This can be transferred to bringing the left or right toy, sock, etc. once your dog has the concept down.

Who doesn’t like Hide and Seek? Begin by letting your dog see where you hide the food treat and gradually work up to hiding it where he can’t see it. Eventually, try hiding the treat in other rooms or behind, under, and in between objects. Your dog will love this introduction to nose work.