Dear Miss Behavin’:
With colder weather upon us, I am looking for ways to keep my pup busy on the days we can’t exercise him as much as we normally do. Do you have any suggestions on great indoor games or types of exercise?
This is a great question and many owners struggle with trying to get enough exercise for their pups on those rainy cold days. Here are a few ways to look at making indoor training fun.
You can make an indoor agility course using items already in your home such as chairs, tables and broom handles or purchase some pieces online. You can have your pup going over or under many objects in the home as well as weaving between things.
You can play a game of tug to get some of that extra energy out of your pup but remember there are rules. You start the game; you end the game and no teeth are to ever be on human skin.
You can teach your pup to use their nose and play a fun game of find it. This game has many variations and can accommodate the beginner to the advanced level pup. You can start with placing a few treats in plain sight and cue your pup to find it. Make a fuss of how brilliant they are when they find them. Once your pup gets the game make it harder.
You can play 101 things to do with a box. You can teach your pup to find a treat in a box, put a foot in the box, sit in the box, stand on the box or move the box with their nose. As you can see there are many things your pup can do with the box.
You can teach your pup some fun tricks like shake, spin or crawl to name a few.
Whatever route you take be sure to have fun and encourage your pup along the way. This is a great way to bond with your dog and build on your relationship too.