Five Indoor Activities to Keep your Pooch Entertained

Sometimes you just want the calm, soothing fireside ambiance, but your dog won’t just lie on the rug like a good dog should. The pup just wants to play. There are about a million ways to keep your dog entertained, here are 5 of our favorites.

1. Teach Your Dog to Put His Toys Away

Training your dog to put his toys back where they belong can leave you with cleaner and less toy-strewn living quarters, and your pooch with new skills that he finds rewarding and fun. To do so, your dog must know or learn the 'take it' and 'drop it' cues, which are easily learned. After that it's a simple exercise to train your pooch to pick up his toys and bring them to their home, a basket by his bed, for example.

2. Tug of War

Ah, the classic game. There's nothing like grabbing your dog's favorite rope toy and pulling to and fro. For some reason no matter how many times you play, dogs never tire of this seemingly simple and inane game. But, dogs can occasionally be a little single-minded, can’t they?

3. Puzzle Toys

These toys are great for giving your dog some great mental stimulation with a rewarding, time-consuming game. Most of these toys involve a slow-release of a treat or food. One of our favorites is the Kong, a chewy, dishwasher-safe treat dispenser. Give your dog one of these and fill it with peanut butter or some healthy leftovers and you'll be providing your best friend with plenty of entertainment.

4. Teach Your Dog New Tricks!

Our favorite is the weaving-through-our-legs trick. The weave trick takes some work with your pup, but is quite simple as it's a very specific activity and easily connected to a reward. Other tricks too, like turning off the light switch or closing the door, can be learned with a little practice. Your pup can be better than an Amazon Alexa or a Google Home!

5. Master the Fine Art of Dog-Massaging

There's no doubt about it: your pooch loves scratches. And it’s a great bonding activity - pups of all ages need physical affection and it can be pretty therapeutic for owners too.