It’s important to regularly exercise your dog but sometimes life gets in the way, the weather is particularly bad or you just can’t leave the house for a variety of reasons (baby’s sleeping, something’s on the stove, etc).
Don’t stress about not being able to take Fido to the park. Here’s how to keep your dog active without stepping foot outside the house…
While you might think that the day you spend watching movies and reading your book is a day well spent, your dog needs to be active in order to stay healthy. Just like people, dogs can get bored and boredom always strikes those who are idle. So why not take action to ensure your furry friend stays happy and active, even indoors?
Where’s the treat?
Your dog’s sense of smell is about 10,000 times better than ours, and you can use this wonderful ‘power’ of theirs to play games and have fun. Playing guessing games with pets is entertaining. Plus, it allows them to further develop their sense of smell as well as their cognitive abilities.
Start off slowly, first by hiding a treat in one hand but offering them both, and ask them to get the treat. Whenever they guess right, praise them and let them have the treat. When they get used to this game, try using three cups. Hide a treat under one cup then mix them and ask your dog to find it. Be patient, they might not always guess right, but they will love the game and slowly become very good at it.
Image source: Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
Hide-and-seek
Good old hide-and-seek is one of the best indoor games and a fantastic way to exercise your dog from the comfort of home.
Command your fur pal to stay in one of the rooms of your house, then go out and hide somewhere. Try to hide the best that you can – in the bathtub, wardrobe, behind the sofa, or behind the curtain; you get bonus points for being creative. Once you find your hiding place, call your dog and wait to be found. Whenever they do find you, reward them with treats and belly rubs.
Go for a run – seriously
Do you have a treadmill at home? Well, you’ll be glad to know that you’re not the only one who can benefit from it. Use the treadmill to exercise your dog and get rid of that extra energy that’s been building up. Still, you shouldn’t abuse the machine; whenever the weather permits it, take Fido outside for fresh air and a run.
Image source: Photo by Sebastian Coman Travel on Unsplash
Teach Fido new tricks
Just because you’re indoors, it doesn’t mean that you can’t exercise your dog and teach it new tricks. Start off slowly, play with one toy (for example a ball) and ask them to fetch it. After a while, hide the toy among other toys and ask the dog to bring the ball. When your dog learns the names of several toys, you can ask them to bring the toys one by one and arrange them in a special order. What is more, you can teach them to fetch their own leash, so next time you go outside they can help you get ready by finding and bringing their own leash.
Our furry friends keep us company and bring us happiness—they also remind us what love and devotion are. You don’t have to feel bad if sometimes you simply cannot take your dog for a walk; just remember that there are fun and easy ways to keep your four-legged pal healthy and active indoors.
What unique or unusual ways have you come up with to exercise your dog?
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