No products in the basket.
In the cold and wet winter months it can be tricky to keep your dog amused and mentally stimulated. Here we look at some easy things you can do for mental stimulation and how to keep your dog entertained indoors.
The infamous Kong’s shape with it’s little hole means you can stuff goodies in there but it’s difficult to get them out. Perhaps fill the Kong with kibble or small dog biscuits and plug the hole with doggy peanut butter. This will give him the opportunity to “solve” the puzzle and earn rewards for doing so.
Whilst you’re in the house, you can always find time to do some training with your dog. Even if they are well versed in their normal commands, it will be mentally stimulating to go over them in a positive and rewarding way. Perhaps it could be a good opportunity to cement some of these commands further.
This is good opportunity to check in on essential commands. The core 5 commands are sit, stay, lie down, come and fetch. Check out our article on how to embed these commands here.
As well as cementing commands they already know, you could teach your dog some new tricks. Using treats as positive rewards to guide them in the right directions and by repeating the command words, you can teach your dog new things.
Sometimes it is ok to just let your dog be. They don’t always have to be doing something. There is a possibility of them being overstimulated if you are always on the go and busy with them so sometimes let them just sit by the window and watch the world go by.
If you have a box of toys for your dog, make them more interesting to him by putting some away. Then after a few weeks bring those back out and put away some more. Ever heard the phrase “absence makes the heart grow fonder” well this is true with dog toys! This is a great way to help keep your dog entertained indoors.
If you have an energetic dog, he may enjoy a game of tug of war with you. Make sure to use a proper tug toy or something else that will not hurt his teeth. And always make sure he has his paws on the ground. It puts way too much strain on a dogs neck and teeth if you lift their front paws whilst playing tug.
As kids we loved an indoor obstacle course on a wet day! And we bet your dog would love this too! Pull out the sofa, make a tunnel with the washing rack and a sheet, and pop some toys under a bucket for starters. See what other obstacles you can come up with!
Another game you can play with your dog is hide and seek. This is good fun if two of you are at home. One takes the dog out of the room and the other hides. Then when you’re ready, let the dog in and when he finds you, give him lots of praise and a treat!
There are many things you can do indoors to mentally stimulate your dog. And it doesn’t have to be expensive or cost anything at all. A bit of imagination and time and your dog’s brain and well being will thank you!
For more tips on dog health check out our other blogs here.