Staying at home for a long period of time may eventually lead to boredom for both owners and pets.
In “Great Indoor Games to Play With Your Dog” in the Americal Kennel Club website, Jordan Upmalis, noted that “Being stuck at home, for any reason, can be a bummer for both you and your pup.”
However, Upmalis stressed that owners and pets can engage in meaningful activities that can keep one’s pet stimulated mentally and physically.
Here are some activities and games to keep your dog on his/her toes.
Hidden Treasure
“Dogs have a remarkable sense of smell. Did you know that they have approximately 45 times more scent receptors than humans? And what better way to exercise that sense of smell than by making a game that uses it?” Upmalis said.
1. Look for bowls of boxes and arrange them upside down on the floor or table.
2. Put a prize inside. The prize can be your dog’s favorite treat or toy under one or two boxes of bowls.
3. Encourage your dog to look for the toy or treat and to start sniffing around.
4. When your dog finds the toy or treat, congratulate the dog and reward him or her with the hidden treasure.
“You can also use a snuffle mat to engage your dog’s sense of smell and curiosity. There are multiple pockets to hide treats in and different puzzles with adjustable difficulty. Help mentally stimulate your dog and work on their nose work skills!” Upmalis suggested.
Hide-and-Seek
If you enjoyed this game when you were a kid, your dog will surely enjoy this too.
1. Train your dog or review basic commands such as sit, stay, and come.
2. Lead your dog to a room and ask him/her to stay.
3. Leave the room.
4. Hide in a different place.
5. Call your dog to look for you.
6. Celebrate his/her accomplishment when he/she finds you by giving him/her a treat.
Obedience Training
Speaking of basic commands, you can take advantage of the time you are at home with your dog during this lockdown by teaching him basic commands. This is the best way to stay occupied, Upmalis noted.
You can be resourceful and teach your dog the basic commands like sit and stay, and add other commands, by repetition and rewards. You can also look for tutorials on Youtube or google instructions.
Play-Wild Sits
1. While your dog is on a leash, can him or her as excited as possible. Run around cheering your dog to jump up and down.
2 In the middle of playing around, instruct your dog to sit.
“This may take some practice, depending on how hyperactive your dog is, but after a few tries, your dog should be able to go from a state of excitement to sitting patiently on command,” Upmalis said.
Obstacle Course
You can use common household objects and design an obstacle course. You can make simple or difficult depending on what you want.
“You could use broken-down boxes for your dog to crawl through, place chairs down for them to navigate through, and even stack books for him to jump over,” Upmalis said.
“You can make an easy DIY dog jump made from household items, or you can also use a set of cones to create your own training and obstacle course,” Upmalis added.
Cardio Twist
This is known in the sport of agility as weave poles.
“..this is a training game you can play with your dog, regardless of whether or not you’re training for the competition ring. You can set up ‘poles’ using household objects, like chairs or even friends or family members, and instruct your dog to heel alongside you as you weave between them. You can change your pace from fast to slow, which will encourage your dog to concentrate on following you as you change direction. This is an awesome way to work on coordination, while also getting a cardio workout — for both of you,” Upmalis said.
There are a lot of things you can do inside your house with your dog.
Consider this lockdown as a time to bond with your dog and a time to develop his /her mental and physical skills.
Note from AKC who now helps dog owners adapt to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic: Find answers to all your coronavirus concerns, plus at-home activity ideas, training tips, educational resources, and more at our ‘Coping With Coronavirus COVID-19′ hub.
