Your dog’s health is in your hands. Daily mental and physical stimulation may contribute to their overall health. Engaging with your pup can help them stay active, happy, and healthy! Dogs, being social creatures, may benefit from varied activities, especially when indoors. [3,4,5]
Here are six suggestions to keep your dog occupied when you're away or stuck inside:
6 Easy Ways to Keep Your Dog Busy Inside The House
1. Stuff a Kong Toy
Kongs are great ways to keep your dog busy for a prolonged period and to provide them with plenty of extra mental stimulation to tucker them out. Here are a few starter ideas for some simple Kong stuffer treats:
- Freeze plain yoghurt inside the Kong and serve once solid.
- Freeze dog-safe peanut butter inside the Kong and serve once solid.
- Toss your dog’s kibble in a Kong and make your dog work for the treats inside.
- The night before work, freeze a Kong treat and serve in the morning.
- Put your extra leftovers to good use—leftover chicken broth, green beans, or other healthy foods you have saved. Stuff the Kong, freeze and serve.
- Combine applesauce and blueberries in your dog’s Kong for an extra yummy treat.
2. Encourage Natural Behaviors
Dogs are natural scavengers and love to work for food. Working for their food is hardwired into their brain—it’s normal and mentally stimulating for them. [6]
Ask your dog to perform some tricks before serving their dinner or breakfast, use a food-dispensing toy to give them rewards, kibbles, and treats, or you can even do a “guess which hand” game (one palm is holding the treat, the other is empty, your dog has to guess which has the treat).
3. Puzzles for Mental Stimulation
Puzzle toys, such as treat-dispensing devices, may offer mental stimulation for your pup. These toys often require dogs to figure out how to access treats hidden inside, which could engage their problem-solving skills. The classic Kong toy is a popular example of canine entertainment and mental exercise.
DIY Enrichment Activities
You can create simple puzzles at home using everyday items:
- Muffin Tin Game: Place treats in a muffin tin and cover with tennis balls
- Lick Mats: Spread dog-safe foods like yoghurt on a textured mat and freeze
These activities may encourage natural behaviours like sniffing, licking, and exploring.
Choosing Appropriate Activities
When selecting enrichment activities:
- Consider your dog's age, size, and preferences
- Supervise play to ensure safety
- Rotate toys to maintain interest
4. Teach New Tricks
Dogs can learn new tricks, regardless of age. Teaching your dog fun things like shaking paws, rolling over, or ringing a bell for attention may help them stay mentally sharp. Here's a basic trick to get started:
How to Teach Your Dog to Speak
What You Need:
- Training treats
- A barking stimulus (doorbell, knocking, etc.)
Steps:
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First, teach your dog to be quiet using a simple command like "quiet." When they bark, hold a treat until they stop and reward them.
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Once they understand the quiet command, you can introduce the "speak" command when they bark naturally, rewarding them when they respond appropriately.
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Practise until your dog reliably responds to both commands.
5. Indoor Fetch
Teaching fetch can be a fun way to keep your dog active indoors, especially if you have some extra space, like a long hallway. You can also play catch if your dog enjoys retrieving lightweight toys or is simply tennis-ball obsessed.
How to Teach Your Dog to Play Fetch
What You Need:
- Training treats
- Various toy options
Steps:
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Teach your dog to “hold” the toy first. Once they’re comfortable, slowly increase the distance between the toy and your dog.
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Gradually introduce the “fetch” command, rewarding your dog when they successfully retrieve the toy.
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6. Homemade Treats
Making homemade treats could provide a fun activity and extra training rewards to save for later! Try this fun frozen recipe for your pup (makes approximately 40 small-sized treats):
Ingredients:
- 240ml plain yoghurt
- 425g of plain pumpkin puree
- 5ml organic honey
- 1 banana (approximately 120-150g, depending on the size)
Directions:
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Blend the banana into a smooth paste.
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Mix the yoghurt, pumpkin puree, banana, and honey in a bowl until combined.
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Spoon the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze overnight.
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Use as treats when solid!
Remember, every dog is unique. It's advisable to consult with a veterinarian about the best activities and diet for your specific pet's needs.
We'd love to hear your favourite ways to keep your dog occupied indoors. Share your experiences with the Pupgrade community!
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Resources:
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Kampa N, Kaenkangploo D, Jitpean S, Srithunyarat T, Seesupa S, Hoisang S, Yongvanit K, Kamlangchai P, Tuchpramuk P, Lascelles BDX. Study of the effectiveness of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, marine-based fatty acid compounds (PCSO-524 and EAB-277), and carprofen for the treatment of dogs with hip osteoarthritis: A prospective, block-randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Front Vet Sci. 2023 Feb 1;10:1033188. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1033188. Erratum in: Front Vet Sci. 2023 Aug 02;10:1252778. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1252778. PMID: 36816197; PMCID: PMC9929184.
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Hielm-Björkman A, Roine J, Elo K, Lappalainen A, Junnila J, Laitinen-Vapaavuori O. An un-commissioned randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind study to test the effect of deep sea fish oil as a pain reliever for dogs suffering from canine OA. BMC Vet Res. 2012 Sep 6;8:157. doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-8-157. PMID: 22950577; PMCID: PMC3514349.
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Wallis LJ, Range F, Kubinyi E, Chapagain D, Serra J, Huber L. Utilising dog-computer interactions to provide mental stimulation in dogs especially during ageing. ACI 2017 Improv Relat (2017). 2017;2017:1. doi: 10.1145/3152130.3152146. PMID: 30283918; PMCID: PMC6166787.
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Lavan RP, Tahir M, O'Donnell C, et al. Development and Validation of a Canine Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire and a Human-Canine Bond Questionnaire for Use in Veterinary Practice. Animals: an Open Access Journal From MDPI. 2023 Oct;13(20):3255. DOI: 10.3390/ani13203255. PMID: 37893979; PMCID: PMC10603719.
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SPCA Montreal, Quebec. 2024. Provide your dog with some mental stimulation. https://www.spca.com/en/canine-stimulation/#:~:text=Since%20they%20generally%20have%20lots%20of%20energy%2C,mental%20challenges%20to%20their%20dog's%20daily%20life.
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Robert J. Losey et al. , The evolution of dog diet and foraging: Insights from archaeological canids in Siberia.Sci. Adv.8,eabo6493(2022).DOI:10.1126/sciadv.abo6493
