Games to Play with Dogs Inside

It is a classic tale, your dog looks at you with those sad eyes as you glance outside and see nothing but pouring down rain. Our dogs always need exercise outside but sometimes mother nature isn't always on our side. You know if your dog doesn't get his daily walk, cabin fever is going to set in quick. Do not fret, for there are ways to help entertain and exercise your pooch while being trapped inside. Here are a few indoor activities and games to mentally and physically challenge your dog. 

Hide and go seek

is one of the best games you can play with your dog. It takes little effort from you and tires them out mentally and physically pretty fast! How you start teaching this game is very simple. First you take a treat and show it to your dog. Once he has gotten the smell and is tempted by the food, tell the dog to “sit”, and “stay” while they see where you “hide” the treat. then give them the command “go find it” and you will see them rush over to the food. Praise your dog as soon as he finds the treat. Once your dog has done this exercise a few times, it is time to increase the difficulty. Have the dog wait in another room where they do not see where you hide the treat. Call them into the room and ask them to “go find it” and watch your dog start sniffing feverishly around the room until he finds the treat! Once the dog has gotten idea of the game you can start substituting the food for either toys or people to find. If you want to add people to the game, first you have someone hide with a treat  or you hide while your dog is in the other room. Next you call to your dog and say, “go find ___person’s name____” or “ come find me”.  Your dog will search all around the room until they find the person or you. When they find what they are looking for, give them a lot of praise and the treat. Eventually you can phase out the treat once the dog understands the rules of the game. You will see how much they love to play it and will get better and better the more you play. Hide and Go Seek encourages the dog to use his problem solving skills and nose to get the job done. It also encourages your dog to look for you and is a fun way to teach them to love coming back to you. Once the weather is good again increase the difficulty and start playing this game outside. This could be the start of learning search and rescue.

Muffin Tin Game

This game is a puzzle and a mentally exhausting game rather than physically tiring. First you need a muffin tin and 12 tennis balls. next you put a tasty treat in the bottom of each muffin slots then you put the tennis balls in each muffin slot. You call your dog to “go find it” and watch how your dog uses his brain to figure out the puzzle to get the tasting treat. He will realize that taking the ball out of the tin will get him the treat. make it harder each time by not putting a treat in every muffin slot.

Tug of War

A lot of people may not like to play tug of war with their dog because they believe it encourages aggression. This is a common misconception. Not only is it a great indoor game to play, but it is physically and mentally tiring.  Dogs love to play tug because it allows them an outlet for their primal instincts. The best way to teach and play tug is to set limits. When you teach rules with  the game, they will learn to have self control and to listen to your directions. start the game of tug and after a few minutes of playing, stop pulling and just hold it showing no interest. Your dog will realize you stopped playing the game and the fun is over and will drop the toy.  As soon as he drops the toy out of his mouth, you praise him and start playing the game again. After practicing this technique a few times, start adding the cue word “drop it”. He will soon learn the command word which will make the game a lot easier and more fun to play. If you got a strong puller and do not like playing too rough, stop the game when he starts to pull stronger than you like. Then resume when he calms down or drops the toy. It is ok to let your dog win the game it can build confidence. You will start to see him bringing the toy back to you in order to keep playing. Once you are ready to end the game, give the cue word “all done” and stop the game completely. Even if your dog is begging you to keep playing, you need to ignore and not engage. This will teach your dog their are limits to every game. Your dog will respect this rule if you are consistent. Teaching these limits and skills with tug of war can lead to teaching your dog helpful skills, such as opening doors, protection work, or bringing you objects.  

These games are a great supplement for being trapped inside all day, but it should never be a complete substitute for daily exercise outside.