Easy and Effective Ways to Entertain Your Dog at Home
If you share your heart and your home with a high-energy dog, then you know firsthand that a bored dog is a destructive dog! You may even still have the half-chewed shoes to prove it… Keeping up with an active pup can be a challenge on a good day, let alone when the weather is bad or you find yourself stuck at home sick on the couch! Today I’m going to share my go-to solutions to entertain your dog at home.
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As I sit here looking out the front window with my dogs by my side, I’m met with the sight of a snow/rain mix making it absolutely miserable to spend time outdoors, even in our own backyard. I tried letting the pups out in the backyard, but they don’t even want anything to do with it! Welcome to the end of winter/start of spring…
While we’re all familiar with the wet weather that the spring season often ushers in, not everyone is prepared to deal with an extended period of time indoors. Especially with an active dog!
Regardless of your dog’s breed, age or size, he/she will require regular exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Yes, there are definitely some breeds that will require more than others – this is why it is so important to do your research before bringing a dog home! But it’s important to note, even an ‘apartment-friendly’ dog needs to stretch their legs and get moving.
Whether you’re stuck indoors due to wet, gloomy weather or you’re currently self-quarantining in light of the current coronavirus situation, this is for you. Today, I’ve put together a list of my favourite activities to help keep your dog both mentally and physically stimulated. Make sure to share this with all of your dog-loving friends!
8 Ways to Keep Your Dog Entertained at Home
#1 – Training Session Time
Arguably the most obvious option, if you are currently working your way through the training process with your dog, this is your chance! Take advantage of this time to lay out short training periods throughout the day to reinforce behaviours that you have recently taught as well as to introduce your dog to new behaviours that you would like to enforce.
Concerned about leash manners? Many dog trainers will tell you that starting indoors is a great way to teach the basics while avoiding unnecessary distractions.
Not only is this a great opportunity when teaching the basics, but it can also provide an opportunity to teach your dog some of the more advanced tricks that you keep putting off. Have you always talked about teaching your dog to roll over or speak on command, but haven’t had the chance? Opportunity is knocking. Why not teach your dog to clean up his/her own toys?
If you need a little guidance, the internet is packed with great videos and articles. Take your time to do some research, reading and watching videos until you find a trainer whose training and teaching styles work for you and your dog.
#2 – Stuff a Kong or Similar Treat Toy
This is a great option if you’re looking to entertain your dog while you’re working from home. Prepare a Kong toy filled with a special treat for your dog and you can keep them busy for hours. Especially if it’s a frozen treat!
If you’re looking for a little inspiration, the Kong Company has shared a variety of recipes on their website, but don’t be afraid to experiment. Incorporate some of your pet’s favourite treats or even their food, transforming their meal into an interactive experience that will challenge them to work a little harder.
Warning: This activity can get a little messy depending on what you are using to stuff your toy. It is advised that you stick to areas of the home with flooring that is easier to clean up, avoiding carpet where possible.
#3 – Freeze Your Own Treat Toy
If you don’t have a treat style toy like a Kong but are looking to create a similar experience, you’re in luck. All you need is a little water and some freezer space. Take an ice-cream container or large margarine container and put some food or a treat inside. Fill the bucket with water and freeze it, trapping the ‘goodies’ inside. As your dog licks at the ice helping to melt it down, he/she will reveal the special surprise, providing motivation to keep going.
As with the warning listed above, you are going to want to take note of where you are setting your dog up for this activity if you don’t want to soak your carpets.
#4 – Create a ‘Busy Bucket’
While there are a lot of toys on the market that have been designed to stimulate your dog’s mind, a busy bucket is an easy solution to entertain your dog at home that can be created with items already available around the home. To start, all you need is a plastic or aluminum pail. A wastebasket works, if you’re looking for options!
In the bottom of the bucket, place a few of your dog’s favourite treats or pieces of your dog’s kibble. The scent of their treats is what will motivate him/her to search. On top of this, layer the pail with hand towels and/or dog-safe toys (like tennis balls) creating layers that your dog will have to work through in order to find the prize. If it’s a large bucket, you can add a treat occasionally in the layers to create a ‘reward system’.
Set the bucket down in front of your dog and watch him/ her dig through the layers. Is your dog finished quicker than you would have liked? You can easily ‘reset’ your busy bucket, changing up the layers as desired to make it more challenging.
#5 – Play Hide and Seek
If you have some spare time and are looking for a fun bonding activity, why not play hide and seek with your dog? Not only will this keep your dog busy, providing some fun mental stimulation, but it’s also a great way to practice his/her ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ skills. If you’ve also got children at home, this is an activity that can occupy everyone at once.
Have your dog sit and stay before heading off to hide somewhere in the house. When you’ve found that perfect hiding spot, call his/her name to start the game. Praise your pup when he/she locates you and then start the process again!
#6 – Indoor Fetch
Not all activities designed to entertain your dog at home require reinventing the wheel. In fact, if you have a long hallway or a couple of rooms that connect in a way that offers a straight shot, you can play a traditional game of fetch, just move it indoors.
Sure, this may not allow your dog to run as much as they would outdoors, but it’s better than nothing! If you have a high-energy dog like my girl Daviana (she likes to pick up her toys and throw them around) or if you’re including children in your play, I suggest investing in a soft toy like the Tuffy Ultimate Odd Ball. There is no quicker way to kill the fun than breaking something around the house or someone being hurt by a flying toy!
#7 – Tug of War
Another easy activity to enjoy indoors, all you need for a good game of tug is a durable rope toy. If you have a dog that is self-motivated, there are options on the market that would allow your dog to enjoy a game of tug while you’re otherwise occupied, including those that need to be installed to be fastened to your walls/door frames as well as temporary options that make use of a suction cup design.
#8 – Wrestle Mania
Okay, this one certainly isn’t going to buy you any free time to catch up with the household chores or get some work done if you’re working from home, but it’s a lot of fun! We all need a break from being productive, right? Why not get down on the floor and enjoy a fun wrestling game with your dog. This is a great way to bond with your pup by spending some quality time together.
If you have a younger pup, use this opportunity to teach him/her how rough is too rough. If your puppy pushes the game too far, simply stop the game, having him/her lie down and calm down before continuing the game.
The amount of activity this will require on your part will depend on your dog. Here in our house, wrestle time can quickly turn into full-on rolling around the floor with the pups while erupting in laughter. This is a great way to take your mind off any stress in your life at this time!
Remember, at the end of the day, a tired dog is a good dog! The more opportunities that you provide your dog to burn off that extra energy, the less likely they are going to use it to get into trouble.
What are your go-to activities to entertain your dog at home?
You are so right about what you said of board the my dog used to shoot on everything I have to take her out on a walk or going now with this portaging I just playing with a ball and making her do a stuff because I don’t want her to get bored and destroy my home
These are some really good tips. I dont have a dog but I sure will share this with my friends who own a dog ?
Thanks for reading and sharing! I hope they find something new to try here – I know as a dog owner, I LOVE new suggestions when it comes to entertaining mine!
My girl is HIGH energy (despite being 12). When she was younger, she was definitely destructive if I didn’t keep her going… That being said, as long as she got the necessary mental and physical stimulation during the day, she’s always been an AMAZING dog.
Great ideas! I have a border collie, so keeping his mind busy is a full-time task. I will be trying out the busy bucket soon!
We have 7 really bored dogs right now. The worst one is an aging bassett with dementia. We have started taking her in long walks to calm her down otherwise she just stares at the walls barking. Glad summer is coming so they can play outside.
I hear you! My girl is 12 but she’s always been a super active dog, and that hasn’t changed… It was warm enough today to sit outside for a bit so I had her running the yard to burn off some steam lol
I dont have a dog anymore but yes I liked reading it.
Thank you for reading!
I have a yellow lab. She’s so full of energy! The only toy she hasn’t destroyed is her kong! She loves it! I fill it with treats
That’s like my German Shepherd mix Daviana – she’s a BALL of energy (still, at 12 years old). She tore apart the normal Kong but the black one seems to hold up (with supervision lol)
These are great activities for dogs. I don’t have a dog but if people have a dog, this is an amazing list?
Thank you for reading!
Some really useful tips here! It’s really important to know how to stimulate your pets when indoors for prolonged amounts of time. Some of these require a lot of energy but during these times, what better way to keep occupied and active indoors?!
Yes! I tried to include a combination of activities your dog could do while you’re busy (for those working at home, for example) as well as those that would provide some activity for both dog AND owner 🙂
These are some great tips for dog owners. I don’t have a dog but some of my relatives have one and I will definitely share this post with them.
Thank you both for reading and sharing! I hope they find something new to try 🙂
These are great suggestions! I love the idea of a ‘busy bucket’ – that sounds like so much fun! I’m wondering if I can do something similar with cat treats for my very playful kitten. Thanks for sharing Britt! <3 xx
Bexa | http://www.hellobexa.com
I would think you definitely could do a modified version! I used to hide treats randomly under a blanket and watch my cat search for them!
My dog is at the point in life where she sleeps most of the time. 🙁 These are great tips for when we get a puppy again!
My one dog SHOULD be there lol She’s 12 years old and has more energy than many people’s puppies lol
Love these ideas! I really like the “Busy Bucket” activity. My dog doesn’t seem to play with his toys very long and this sounds like a wonderful way to get him to work through them. So simple, yet, may tire him out a bit in the evenings when he has that crazy burst of energy. Thanks for the suggestions.
Daviana will play with toys for HOURS but Indiana, not so much… However, he is SUPER food driven so the busy bucket idea works great for him.
what wonderful ideas to entertain a dog! My kids have a dog at their dads’ house. When we go there we play hide and seek with the cute pup and everyone involved LOVE the time together playing that funny/amusing game!
I LOVE playing hide and seek with our pups lol They get SO excited when they find us!
Love this! I have three super playful furbabies and they absolutely enjoy hide and seek, tug of war, and fetch. Hide and seek tires them out the most, I think using their noses to sniff out yummy treats can be a pretty draining activity for pooches!
I have yet to meet a dog that can’t enjoy hide and seek! The bond between owners and their pups really adds to the fun for them, I believe.
Thanks for the tips, very well written as well
Thank you!
Love all of these Ideas! I have three dogs and these are some great ideas to keep them busy!
It’s hard sometimes to keep them busy when we’re stuck inside, but not impossible!
Wow those are some cool ideas! When the puppy is silent we come to know that it is upto something like chewing the shoes , laces and all lol. Looking forward to try some of these ideas on ours!
That’s usually the best sign! Mine are 8 years old and 12 years old, but I still worry when everything gets quiet lol
Great tips! Currently I don’t have a dog but my parents and brothers have. I need to share it with them. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you!
Loved this and the pics of the cute cute dogs. I don’t have an dog but I sent this link to my friends with fur babies
Thank you!
I love watching my dog get excited to play, and these are great new ideas I can’t wait to try with her.
There is something about watching the pups play that always brings a smile to my face.
Great tips! Will try with my dog 🙂
Thank you!
This is great, thank you! I have a VERY active dog (whippet hound mix – a common pig hunting breed here in Hawaii). She usually gets lots of outside play time, and hates the rain with a passion! Our go to rainy day activity is “stair ball” aka fetch up the stairs. But I’m going to try this busy bucket and hide and seek. What cute ideas! Thank you!
I understand that feeling ALL too well. Our girl Daviana is a giant ball of energy. If she had her way, she’d be running laps in our back yard all day lol! That being said, I have had to learn how to keep her busy if I’m inside working since I started working from home just over 3 years ago!
Which bread dog?
Great tips! My pup Harper absolutely loves her Kong!
Our pups love their Kongs too – Great way to keep them busy!
Hello Britt,
I’m dog lover. I have a dog, he is so pretty. It’s really amazing article for my and also all of dog lovers.
keep your good job.
Thank you!
These are some really great suggestions. Bored dogs definitely tend to wreck the house. Our dogs have toys to keep them entertained as well as us playing them and them playing outside. Thank you for these other suggestions.
They have to find a way to entertain themselves somehow, right? Unfortunately, that entertainment isn’t always something that we enjoy in our homes lol
These are great tips! I know my pup, Henry, LOVES training. I have to put a limit on it. Otherwise, he’d keep training or trying to learn something new all day. I get tired before he does without a doubt. He also enjoys his nightly wrestling. He doesn’t settle down unless he’s had a good wrestle. These are good tips to know, especially in the cold winter months. Thanks!
That’s like my girl Daviana. She LOVES training and learning new things. Such a smart pup and loves to be mentally challenged.