Ten Things To Do With Your Dog At Home. Learn how in this article.
There is no cuter copilot than a canine — and for most people, no more amenable friend. After all, is there any person on the planet who thinks a road trip to the city dump is an adventure, or that breaking down cardboard boxes is the best thing ever?
Doing activities with your dog not only strengthens your bond but also provides physical and mental stimulation, which promotes overall good health.
To aid you in making memories (and treasured Instagram moments) that will last to infinity and beyond, we created this list of 10 fun things to do with your dog while being at home.
1 Make a puzzle for your dog to solve
Above is the Nina Ottosson Dog Twister Advanced Dog Puzzle Toy – Order here
Keep your dog mentally stimulated by giving them a puzzle to solve. There are a ton of dog puzzle toys available, as well as treat-dispensing toys.
There’s also a ton of great DIY toys out there you can make. We love the simple muffin tin game – if you have a muffin tin and some tennis balls you’re ready to play.
2 Teach them a new trick
7 Dog Tricks in 5 Minutes!
Old, young, no matter the age, dogs like to learn new things, so give them a challenge by teaching them awesome new ways to impress you (and your friends).
Tap into YouTube, grab some treats and start practicing some tricks. Your pup’s stunts will be the talk of your next house party.
3 Do an Instagram photoshoot
A graffitied wall, your favorite city fountain, a famous statue or a quiet park bench — pose your pooch at a spot with a little character, and you’re bound to get all the Instagram hearts. Don’t forget to reward your subject with treats!
4 Play find the treats
Nose work games are one of the easiest ways to tire out your dog. When you teach your dog some basic nose work games such as ‘find the treats’ you’re mentally tiring them out and helping them hone in on some of their natural skills (chopped up carrots are my favorite treat to use for this game).
Grab some treats and have your dog watch as you place them around the room.
Give your dog the cue to “find the treats” and encourage your dog to pick them up, remembering to praise them every time they find one.
After you’re confident that your dog understands what “find the treats” means you can make it a bit more challenging. Have them stay in another room as you hide the treats, and start hiding them in spots they have to sniff out such as under a rug.
5 Teach your dog to clean up his toys
If your dog’s toys are kept in a container you can teach them to put their toys away. I know it sounds weird to teach your dog to clean up after themselves, but it’s actually a lot of fun. Teaching your dog new skills boosts their confidence, and it’s a great way to give them more mental stimulation.
If your dog already knows “drop it” have them pick up a toy and give them their drop it commands once they’re standing over the container. Praise them like crazy, then rinse and repeat. Eventually, with consistency, you’ll have a dog that will be able to clean up after himself.
6 Play a game of tug of war
Playing a game of tug of war is one of the best ways to engage in meaningful play with our dogs.
It’s a great way to mentally and physically exercise your dog. And since it doesn’t require a ton of room you can play it indoors. Find some old rope around the house, or there are some great tug of war toys on Amazon you can find them here.
And contrary to what some people say playing tug will not make your dog aggressive, and letting them win will not make them dominant. Letting your dog win just makes the game more fun for your dog, and it will encourage them to play more.
Dogs that play tug with their owners have been found to be more obedient and have higher confidence. Tug is a great way to exercise your dog as long as you have your dog follow a few basic rules such as “the game stops if your teeth touch my hand.”
7 Learn the doggie massage
Learning how to give a dog massage is enriching for owner and dog alike. A nice massage can help soothe and relax nearly any dog. And dog massages are great for older dogs or those with arthritis, it helps soothe sore and achy joints.
Giving your dog a massage reduces anxiety, relieves stress, improves circulation, and creates a great bond between you and your dog.
8 Teach your dog to help with chores
Dogs love having a job to do, even if it’s something as simple as fetching your slippers. You can make them feel even more useful by teaching them the names of some items you wouldn’t mind having retrieved.
If you want to impress all of your friends teach your dog to fetch you something from the fridge.
When teaching your dog to open the fridge tie a towel around the handle so it’s easy for them to pull open the door. And if you’re feeling like a superstar you can teach your dog to help out with daily chores.
9 Give your dog a grooming session
Although your dog won’t find a grooming session as exciting as a game of tug it is something that needs to be done from time to time. Our dogs need to be brushed, bathed, have their teeth brushed, and have their nails trimmed when they start to get long.
Some dogs tolerate grooming better than others, and the more you practice using positive rewards the easier it will become. Don’t be afraid to hand out lots of treats during a grooming session – you want to ensure your dog will associate grooming habits with a positive experience.
Our recommended grooming products
- Mr. Peanut’s Hand Gloves Dog Grooming & Deshedding Aid
- Groom ‘N Fresh Odor Eliminating Dog Shampoo
- DOOG® Pop-Up Pup Pool
10 Teach your dog the name of their toys
Have you seen Chaser the Border Collie? She knows over 1,000 words and can pick out any given toy among 800 just by its name. We can’t all be overachievers like Chaser, but we can teach our dogs the names of their toys.
Start by playing with one specific toy and giving it a name while you do. After some practice & praise, your dog will assign that verbal name with the chosen toy. Once your dog has learned that specific toy’s name you can test their skills by seeing if they can pick it out among their other toys.
11 Create your own obstacle course for your dog
If you want to go crazy look at the stuff on Amazon you can have a full course in your garden. Find it here.
Create your own obstacle course inside your home. Have your dog jump over some towels, weave through his toys, and then lay down on a blanket. Use your imagination and come up with a set of obstacles for your dog to follow
Once your dog has learned how to jump over the towels you then move onto the toy weave. Building on prior tricks will keep your dog mentally stimulated and encourage focus.
I don’t know any games that I should play with my dog. Can you help?
One of our favorite games is the “which hand” game. If you’ve been thinking about teaching your dog some scent work games this is a great game to get you started.
The only thing you’ll need is some dog treats, and if you don’t any on hand you can use some chopped-up fruits & veggies or make your own homemade dog treats.
How to Play the Which Hand Game:
- Place a treat in one of your hands.
- Close your fists and hold them out in front of your dog.
- Let the dog choose which hand it’s in.
- When your dog sniffs or paws the correct hand open it up and give them the treat.
- If he chooses incorrectly don’t discourage him, it takes a few tries to catch on.
- A gentle “touch” command will be helpful.
Tip: Chopped-up carrots make excellent treats for scent work games and training. They’re low in calories, easy to prepare, and (most) dogs absolutely love them.
My dog is unenthusiastic around his toys. What can I do to bring back his excitement?
Studies have found that dogs get bored with their old toys. You can either buy your dog a new toy to get their enthusiasm going or you can rotate their toys. Instead of giving your dog access to all of their toys all the time give them a couple.
If you rotate one of their old toys back into the mix after a while they’ll have some of that original enthusiasm back. You can always make their toys more exciting by ensuring you’re engaging with them by playing fetch or tug. Toys take on a whole new value once you get involved and start playing with it as well.
There’s also a ton of DIY toys you can make from household items such as old t-shirts, towels, and denim.
