6 Ways to Keep Your Dog Entertained Indoors
The current shelter-in-place order doesn’t mean you can’t take your dog outside for walks. But, as the weather warms up, neighborhood sidewalks and park paths are becoming more crowded and making it difficult to observe social distancing. Plus, those of us working from home may find that our dogs’ need for attention has substantially increased. Try these indoor entertainment ideas for your dog.
Fetch
Fetch is a classic outdoor pastime, but it can be modified for indoor fun. If you have space and some softer toys that won’t damage your home, let your dog play the game inside. Just be mindful if you happen to have downstairs neighbors.
Try Out Homemade Treats
You can make treats from common kitchen staples, like peanut butter. Frozen peanut butter and yogurt treats are as easy as they sound. Mix yogurt and melted peanut butter, and pop the mix in an ice cube tray to freeze. Your dog will be delighted to try your new recipe. Just remember to check the ingredients on your peanut butter jar. Some brands include the sweetener xylitol, which is dangerous for dogs, according to the American Kennel Club.
Chew Toys
Chew toys are an ideal distraction for the times your dog needs something to do and you cannot directly provide the entertainment (conference calls are particularly fun with an energetic dog). Gather any bones or rubber chew toys you have (check under the couch and the bed) and let your dog expend some energy by gnawing. You might get some bonus quiet time if you can fit some of those frozen peanut butter treats inside one of the toys.
Hide and Seek
Hide and seek can provide your dog with some physical and mental exercise. Have your dog sit and stay while you find a suitable hiding place. Let the fun begin as they try to sniff you out. Handing out treats for successfully finding you can make the game even more fun for your dog.
Training Exercises
If you are running out of indoor entertainment ideas for your dog, go back to basics. Are there any areas for behavioral improvement? For example, some energetic dogs may still want to jump up to greet people. Spend some time each day working on basic training.
Consider a Second Dog
In some cases, a second dog can be just the trick to keeping your current pet happy and socialized. With so many people working from home right now, foster programs have been flooded with applications. Demand for furry companions has risen so much that every dog and cat from Chicago Animal Control was adopted in early April, according to Block Club Chicago. Check out other organizations like Chicago Canine Rescue, PAWS Chicago, and One Tail at a Time for pets available for adoption.
Written by Carrie Pallardy
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