Indoor Activities to Try This Winter

Keep your antsy pup entertained with these indoor toys and games the next time you're snowed in!

When inclement weather has you and your pup stuck inside, it can be hard keeping them from getting a little bit of cabin fever. Getting thrown off their routine, plus all the chaos and unfamiliar sounds of storms can make their boredom and restless energy even more intense. If you get snowed in this winter, check out these fun indoor activities to burn off your dog’s energy and engage their brain. 

Tricky Treat Feeders

Nearly every dog always has one thing on their mind: food. There are loads of dog toys that take advantage of that to keep dogs engaged and interested, such as puzzle feeders, lick mats, and treat dispensing chew toys. You can make easy, DIY treat puzzlers at home too, with materials you might just throw away otherwise. Fill a paper towel tube with your dog’s favourite treats and some all-natural peanut butter, then seal up the ends with crumpled paper. Your dog will love ripping into the cardboard or sticking their nose far down the tube to fish out the treats. Just be prepared to clean up some slobbery cardboard when they’re done! 

Scent Sensations

Dogs know how to follow their nose. Smelling new smells and exploring the world around them is half of the appeal of walks! Try engaging your dog’s strongest sense with scent-based enrichment tools. Snuffle mats are a popular toy for keeping a dog’s attention locked in for a long time. Whether store bought or home-made, these mats encourage your dog to sniff around, digging through the flaps of fabric with their nose, looking for treats. While these make great slow-feeders, you can use them without the treats too. Try filling up the mat with household spices or scents that your dog might not encounter often, such as cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, rosemary, basil, mint, or chamomile. NEVER use essential oils, and check whether a spice is safe for your pup before introducing it. For example onion, garlic, cloves, and nutmeg are all toxic to dogs. 

Hide and Seek 

A good old fashioned game of hide and seek can get your dog running all over the house, tiring themself out in no time. You can get them to look for you, for their favourite toys, or for treats. Tell your dog to sit and stay–or you might have to wait until they are distracted, or in the middle of a nap–while you put everything into hiding places. If you’re the one who is hiding, just call your dog and see how long it takes for them to find you. If you’re hiding toys or treats, try ‘hiding’ one while they’re watching, it might give them a clue that there are more treasures to be found around the house! For this game, dogs will be engaging all of their senses, especially their sense of smell. You might be surprised at how well they can sniff out even the most difficult hiding places! 

Stair Case Run

High energy dogs will love this game, though it does require a little bit of care to play safely! You’ll need to have a staircase in your house, and make sure it’s clear of any trip or slip hazards before you start. I prefer standing at the bottom of the staircase, since your dog will usually have an easier time running full-tilt on the way up without taking a tumble. Just take a nice, heavy treat or a favourite soft toy and toss it to the top of the stairs, no doubt your dog will go running after it. Call them back down and do it again until they get tired out. This is a great way to burn off energy if you have the type of dog who is used to getting loads of exercise every day. Just keep an eye on your dog, give them chances to catch their breath, and stop the game if they start stumbling, drooling, or panting more than expected. This is a hard workout, and an exhausted pup might try to keep playing past their limits, which could increase the likelihood of injury. 

Train New Tricks

Training is a great way to engage your pups brain, and maybe teach them a useful command in the process! If you’re stuck inside unexpectedly, it’s a great opportunity to focus up and do some puppy homework. I recommend introducing new tricks using 15 minute intervals–this is long enough for your dog to figure out what you’re trying to teach them, but not so long that they get bored or frustrated. When introducing a new trick, use a combination of hand motions and vocal commands to indicate what you want them to do. You might need to ‘lead’ them into the right response with high-value treats, taking tiny steps towards the trick you want them to do. If it seems like they’re not getting it, take a break and come back later when you’re both refreshed. If your dog knows all the basics (Sit, Down, Come, and Stay) try introducing more complicated commands, like Spin (turn in a circle), Shake (put your paw in my hand), Up (put your front paws up, like for a hug) or Jump (hop over an obstacle). 

It can be a real bummer to get stuck inside, especially when you have a pup begging you to make the dreary weather go away so you can play! These games will help the time pass and give your dog something to look forward to this winter.