When it’s raining outside, you might be at a loss for how to keep your pup entertained, engaged and exercised. Don’t worry – here are some fun ideas.
Dogs thrive on exercise that provides both mental and physical stimulation, and tug of war is a great example of this type of exercise. All you need is a tough rope and some ground rules, like ending the game when her teeth touch your hand.
Experts say dogs that play tug of war increases dogs’ confidence and also makes them more obedient. You can make your own tug toy by tying together strips of fabric or old T-shirts.
This is a fun game of fetch and again engages your dog in both a physical and mental way. You can start by giving your pooch a specific toy and saying its name while you do. She will learn to assign that name to the given toy.
Remember to reinforce this association with plenty of praise and practice. Now you can test your pooch’s skills to see if she can pick out the toy among the others. See how many she can remember.
There are few things that inspire dogs to action like treats. For this exercise, you’ll hide treats around your home and send your dog on a scavenger hunt. As she gets used to the game, you can increase the difficulty by hiding the treats in harder to find places.
Use a couch or regular pillows to create an obstacle course in your living room or hallway. Use a treat as encouragement for your pup to finish the obstacle course as quickly as possible. She’ll have fun jumping over the obstacles and you can even create a tunnel for her to crawl through.
If you have stairs in your house, these are perfect for exercising your dog. Stand at the top of the stairs and call your pup, who will run up to be with you, then head back to the bottom and call her again. Alternatively, if you have a long hallway, you can have her run the length of it. She’ll soon get rid of her excess energy.
If you have any other questions about keeping your furry friend occupied when it’s raining, we’re just a phone call away. Feel free to call us on: 09 448 2227.