During a pandemic when everyone is dying of boredom, there are chances your dog would also be getting so bored as there’s nothing to do inside the house. In this situation, you can do many activities for your dog to keep them entertained inside the home without spending money or making efforts by yourself and let the dog do everything.
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You can do these indoor activities for dogs even when the pandemic is over, and you’re somehow stuck to remain inside the house like heavy rain. Trying these indoor activities will not only keep your dog busy but will also improve their mental and physical health. So, let’s start with our five indoor activities for dogs to keep them entertained.
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1.Teach New Tricks
Dogs are very keen to learn tricks, and that is why you should always teach your dog new tricks, which is the perfect way to keep them entertained and energetic inside the home. During a pandemic, when everyone is stuck in the house, and you need to keep your dog inside the house as well, it can be the best time to teach new tricks.
Did you know, dogs are intelligent and learn new tricks fast, sometimes doing only once will help remember them forever. The best trick would be the one that comes with a positive outcome, and improving your dog’s behavior can be a great option; all you need is a dog training clicker.
Every time your dog does something good, you’ll click, which means he’s getting a treat. This way, you can improve your dog’s behavior which can be a new trick to follow inside the house.
2.Obstacle Course
You can give your dog different obstacles to pass, which can be one of the most entertaining indoor activities for dogs. Passing the obstacles does not only keep the dog busy but also makes them energetic when playing outside the home.
All you need to do is set different obstacles in the entire house and then let the dog go through those obstacles. If your dog doesn’t do it by himself, you can do the obstacles and then make your dog follow you. Once your dog knows what to do, you won’t need to do it yourself.
The obstacles can be a rope between two boxes, a rope attached to the door, many boxes placed together to make a heightened obstacle to pass by jumping, etc. You can give your dog treats after passing obstacles which will keep them motivated.
3.Tug of War
Dogs are very competitive and get aggressive when they come in competition with some dog or person. Being aggressive in physical sports is good for their health as it releases energy and makes them strong.
In that case, tug of war can be another entertaining indoor activity for dogs, which is quite easy to set up and doesn’t take much effort by you. You won’t need new tools; all you need to do is arrange toys, or you can also use rope, cloth, or any similar thing which is not harmful or doesn’t have sharp edges.
It will make the dog’s teeth strong but don’t put too much pressure if your dog is small or has weak teeth. You can play this game even inside your room as it doesn’t take much room and equipment.
4.Mind Games
Mind games test your dog’s intelligence and are helpful for a healthy brain. So, it can be one of the most performed indoor activities for dogs. The game is super easy to play as it doesn’t take more room, and you don’t have to buy expensive tools.
Yet you can buy brain games from a nearby store for your dog to avoid boredom from playing one game many times. Most played mind games include dog puzzles; all you need to do is arrange a dog puzzle toy. The puzzle is made of a plate having different portions contained treats. The treats are hidden inside each portion. You have to spin the puzzle and let the dog decide which one has the treat.
The game is very engaging as it involves finding a treat that dogs love to do. Besides getting the treat, the dog would have to guess the right portion of the toy that includes a treat. This way, it helps in improving the dog’s IQ, which is helpful for mental health.
5.Snuffle Mat Pet Dog Feeding Mat
The snuffle mats stimulate the pet’s foraging instinct and satisfy the sense of smell. Make your dog’s nose and brain work by mimicking the hunt for food. Hide your pet’s food and treats in the puzzle mat, encourage them to search it, to keep them busy.Â
You can mix kibble and hide a few treats to inspire the dog’s interest. A snuffle mat is a quick and easy way to keep your dog entertained and helps release stress.
Feeding mats are used for snuffle puzzle training and slowing down pets’ eating speed to protect their stomach. Dog feeding mat can also help your dog’s nose and brain training by mimicking the hunt for food in nature, encourages natural foraging skills.
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Final Thoughts
Your dog is not the only one who’s bored when you are stuck inside the house. So, you have to step up and turn your boredom into something energetic, physical, and entertaining. You can try various indoor activities for dogs, but the ones we have listed above are good for both physical and mental health besides giving both of you an activity to interact and get attached to.
You won’t need expensive tools, which are common in most indoor activities for dogs. But the ones we have gathered are super easy to perform, do not take more space, and come budget-friendly.