While dogs love to explore the great outdoors, rainy days or busy schedules can sometimes keep them cooped up inside. However, this lack of outdoor playtime doesn’t have to lead to a bored or restless pup. There are many creative ways to keep your dog busy indoors, providing mental and physical stimulation that will leave it happy and content.
What Are The 7 Ways To Keep Your Dog Busy Indoors?
Following are the seven ways to keep your dog busy indoors and make it fun for it as well:
1. Games
- Scent games:
Dogs love to explore and learn through scents, as this is their speciality. Keeping them busy exploring scents will keep them away from the thought of going out. Scent games include which hand has the treat, which muffin tin has treats or toys, which upside-down cup has the charms, and searching for the box with treats, etc.
- Tug of war:
Tug of War is a game you can play easily indoors without going outside. This game requires a lot of physical input, which is best for dogs as it is also tiring, which makes them super happy after a long day of fun.
- Fetch:
It is another game that requires physical involvement, and you cannot play it while sitting in one place. Instead, you can throw a softball or something light in weight towards an open area in your house where your dog will run and fetch it.
- Hide and seek:
Hide and Seek is another game that does not affect where you play it, but it is best played indoors, where you have many places to hide instead of in open areas like outdoor grounds. To play hide and seek, your dog must learn the commands “sit” and “stay.”
2. Teach Your Dog Tricks
Teaching your dog new ways to do things makes it super attractive for them because they will explore something new. For example, you teach them how to tidy things up by themselves. It involves both the mental and physical involvement of your dog.
You can tell your dog how to pick things up and drop them off where they have their place set. But first, do it yourself, step by step, guiding them, and then make your dog do it by scattering its toys everywhere in the room and putting them in the right place.
3. Train Your Dog
Training is crucial for dogs as it guides them in certain situations. Teach them to follow your commands and what each order means.
Do not only focus on teaching new commands all the time; instead, make sure they know what every previous command means and then begin to introduce new commands.
Giving your dog five to ten minutes daily to train is essential. This ensures your dog knows how to follow commands instead of just listening to them. Daily training will enable your dog to understand more quickly and strengthen its understanding of what every command means and how to follow it.
4. Toys
Toys that include puzzles will develop an interest in your dog, and these toys will keep it more involved in the game. In addition, it will help your dog to stay indoors without putting extra effort into doing it.
Dogs are like children. They want new toys and things to play with. Old toys become dull with time. New toys are always fun, but spending too much on toys could be better.
So, you can buy toys, and when your dog loses interest in them, put them away in some cupboard where your dog cannot find them.
Until then, give your dog new toys. When you see your dog losing interest in its new toys, exchange them for the ones in the cupboard. A dog will develop an interest in the old ones because they are unique. By repeating this technique, you can always make your dog value its toys.
5. Obstacle Course
An obstacle course is done outside, but you can teach your dog how to overcome obstacles quickly if you have enough space indoors. By putting boxes, a stack of books, or a blanket mountain, you can make your dog jump through these obstacles step by step. In this way, your dog will learn how to overcome the barriers and have a lot of fun.
6. Treats
Give your dog treats whenever it wishes to go outside. Treats distract your dog quickly from outdoors to indoors; they may even forget they were dying to go outside.
7. Space Next To The Window
Dogs love seeing people doing things in their routine, even if they are walking on the road with groceries. So, please create a place for your dog to sit next to the window, staring outside, and have fun of its own.
Dogs are living beings, and every living being requires special and physical activities to stay healthy and active. So, if you want to keep your dog indoors, providing something to release mental and physical energy is vital.
Otherwise, your dog will always want to go outside because so many things are fun and will release its energy. So, take ideas from the available options and make it so much fun that your dog stays indoors with its wish, not forcefully.
Conclusion
Incorporating indoor activities into your dog’s routine ensures they stay happy and healthy even when they can’t be outside. From engaging games and scent work to training exercises and stimulating toys, there are plenty of options to keep your dog busy indoors.
Remember, a tired dog is a good dog, and by providing them with these mental and physical outlets, you can create a harmonious indoor environment for you and your furry friend.
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