This post is all about indoor dog activities that will help tire your dog out on a rainy day or during the snowy season.
I've spent five cold winters with a high energy, short-haired dog who doesn't get along with most dogs. If there's an indoor dog activity I don't know about, I'd spend money on it! I've been through EVERYTHING. I had to get creative since weather would regularly fall into the single digits for long periods of time and I only have so many hours of tug-of-war in me on any given day.
This post will share some insight on games to play with your dog and activities they can play by themselves!
Indoor Dog Activities
Indoor Dog Activities at Home
1. Hide your dog's favorite toy in a blanket
Rolling your dogs favorite toy up in a blanket provides an engaging and interactive toy! Be sure to use a blanket you don't care too much about since it's likely to get a hole or two in it. You might have to start on an easy level with this game so your dog understands they have to find the toy in the blanket. These alpaca blankets have lasted ten years in a variety of different environments from camping to play time!
Related: 19 of the Best Cheap Blankets for Dogs That We've Ever Found Online
2. Indoor Dog Park
If you are lucky enough to have an indoor dog park near you and your dog does well with other dogs, this could be something to take advantage of!
3. Use the Pet Geek Treat Dispenser to feed your dog's meals.
This interactive toy will have your dog running around your house! Your dog can end up doing a mile or two in your own home since you can place the treat dispensing button up to 164 feet away from the treat dispenser.
This is a great interactive toy for dogs who need more activity! You can set the dispenser button up to 164 feet away- which allows for a lot of movement and fun from your dog!
Indoor Activities for Dogs on Rainy Days
4. Flirt Poles
Flirt poles are an excellent tool for any dog who has a prey drive. These flirt poles are just like cat toys, but much more durable. They allow a dog to exercise in a little bit more space to move about and chase their favorite toy!
You can also use a horse lunge whip and tie an existing favorite toy on the end of it- or even a leather rag.
Flirt Pole
Flirt Pole
5. Training
Going back to basics and teaching your dog sit, lay down, place, and heel in the house will help improve their obedience outside of the home.
Try adding in distractions, too. Try throwing treats on the ground and asking your dog to leave it. Or, invite your kids or other family members to get involved with adding distraction.
Related: Place Dog Command | The Most Under-Rated, Under-Taught Obedience Command
Training your dog will ask your dog to use their brain- which will tire them out!
Consider hiring a private dog trainer who can help customize your in-home training to match some of the lifestyle goals you have with your dog!
Outdoor Indoor Dog Activities
6. Play the Focus Game
The Focus Game is a game designed to improve your dog's connection with you no matter what is going on around them.
It's always easiest to start this game inside, but once they master Level 1 and Level 2 inside, you can take it outside, to the park, or to a home improvement store!
Your dog will be laser focused on you!
The Focus Game : Training Exercise to Decrease Your Dog's Distractability
7. Tug of War
Did you know that tug of war is a great way to practice your dog's drop command? (Or just any obedience?)
Your game of tug can be a bonding activity, but also help your dog with impulse control, trust and generally bonding with you! Make it easy on yourself and grab a tug toy with a handle or tough rope.
This is a crowd favorite (literally!) There's an arm (and a squeaker) for every dog to grab onto! We've had this toy for about 3 years now, and it still has one broken squeaker left in an arm!
This one is a tug favorite and easy for the human to hold onto.
This tug toy travels easy and has handles for the human! So you can use one or both hands when playing with your pup.
8. Get involved with a dog sport class
Your local kennel club may have classes or leads on who to talk to about starting your dog in dog sports. Not every dog will love every sport, but every dog will find something to love with the right trainer!
If you don't know what your dog might like, scent work is a great place to start
9. Laser
This is not a toy for most dogs.
Laser pointers are a tricky toy as they can create neurotic and obsessive tendencies with light and shadows ESPECIALLY for puppies. However, if you have a high energy dog who can detach from a laser quickly and move onto the next activity this is a good exercise to use sparingly. (No more than a couple times a month)
If you decide to use a laser pointer, you must figure out a way for the dog to catch it. The neurotic and obsessive behaviors stem from the idea that the dog can't physically catch the laser. The best way to teach your dog to catch the laser is in the snow, or in a shag blanket.
If you use a laser and your dog cannot stop obsessing over finding it, even after you've stopped playing, this is not an appropriate game for your dog.
Teach your dog to catch the laser:
Hide the treat in the blanket or in a pocket of snow and guide the laser over the treat. Turn it off or cover it as soon as your dog "catches" it. Praise your dog for catching the laser!
Dog Activity
10. Foster a Dog
Please be sure to think this one through thoroughly as it's not the right decision for everyone's lifestyle and not every dog wants to be part of a multi-dog household. Just because your dog has energy, doesn't mean that they want to play with a second dog.
However, if you find the perfect match for YOU and your dog, two dogs can be easier than one! Getting a second dog, even as a foster dog, can be so helpful in freeing up your time (and helping a dog become more adoptable) so you don't have to play tug of war for three hours.
Plus, some foster dogs have a lot of special needs medically or behaviorally. Talk to a local SPCA, dog trainer or veterinarian if you're considering adding a second dog to your life.
Related: How to Foster a Dog | A Guide From a Foster Dog Mom
11. Hide and Seek
Before you do this game you'll want to set up a camera. You'll have to be ready to stifle sincere, hard laughter as your dog searches for you in some of the most obvious places. Playing hide and seek with your dog is such a fun activity.
Try hiding in an obvious place at first and then find more hidden places to hide as your dog gets better.
How to play: Give your dog a sit command or a treat while you hide in another room. The hiding spot can be pretty obvious- behind a door, under a desk, under a blanket or in an open door closet. Call your dog and watch the excitement and suspense unfold!
Activities for an Active Dog
12. Treadmill train your dog
If you have a treadmill, it's time to treadmill train your dog! Even if you don't, buying a second hand treadmill for your dog on Facebook marketplace could pay for itself in your time!
Plus, many dogs LOVE the treadmill once they learn how fun it is! For dogs with leash reactivity or other behavioral issues, allowing them to get on a treadmill before a walk will help take the edge of their excitement once they're on a walk.
13. Get creative with a blanket
Getting creative with things you already have in your house like blankets, pillows, collapsable tables and cardboard boxes can make the the perfect interactive 3-D puzzle for your dog.
Hide treats, favorite toys, or yourself in the fort and let your dog's brain work! You can make these easier or harder depending on how you stack them. You'll be sure to have a tired pup after this activity.
Indoor Dog Activities at Home
14. Put food in a cardboard box
Boxes are quite possibly the best and most versatile tool when it comes to entertaining your dog. The wonderful thing about boxes is that they can be set to any level for the dog to stimulate their mind. Some dogs aren't at all intimidated by boxes and can handle bigger boxes with more flaps and obstacles like styrofoam, more cardboard and paper bags.
For more ideas on how to use interactive boxes, check out this Tiktok!
15. Interactive Toys
If you're looking to get some work done and need your dog to entertain themselves, interactive toys are a serious time saver.
When a dog uses their nose they tire much more quickly than any game of fetch or tug!
Food Ball
Snuffle Matt
Ninja Star
Indoor Activities for Dogs on Hot Days
16. Upgrade your stuffed kong
Level up your peanut butter stuffed kong with one of these recipes (and freeze it!) Or, allow your dog to work for their meals through a food ball or snuffle mat.
These are great activities for low physical energy expenditure, but high mental energy. In other words, you can still tire out your dog without playing a high intensity physical game.
Kong Interactive Toy
17. Give your dog something to chew
I'm not sure where we as a society started to believe that bones were dangerous for dogs. Dogs are designed to chew and gnaw on things for hours! What else are those back molars supposed to do?
Giving your dog a raw meaty bone can give your dog so many mental and physical benefits, IF you learn to feed the right bones to your dog.
These can get messy, so using a crate or blocked off area for your dog is essential. Usually we'll feed raw meaty bones from the grocery store outside in the summer months.
However, in the winter we give other chewable things that last a long time. The more natural, the better!
Our dogs love these- but despite what the packaging says, they are not odor free. So be mindful where you give these treats! There's also a 12" size (which is usually what I give my dogs since they last longer)
Tendons last just about as long as bully sticks- but without the odor! Any dog is guaranteed to love chewing on this!
How to Keep Your Dog Entertained While at Work
There's usually three reasons people look to keep there dog entertained while they are out of the house:
- Because the dog is energetic when the owner gets home
- The dog shows separation anxiety signals or is destructive when the owners are away
- Owner's feel bad for leaving their dog for so long.
First, know that dogs do not need to be entertained every second of the day. In fact, it's good for dogs to learn to relax and sleep whether you are there or not.
However, proper exercise is key to keeping your dog quiet and out of trouble while you're away. This is where it's important to know your dog's breed and personality in order to properly exercise them!
Especially when you have a young dog or new dog in the household, it is important to keep the event of leaving the house neutral. Kongs are a great tool to help train your dog to be calm while you're away though!
Related: Crate Training a Rescue Dog | 5 Tips for Teaching Your Dog to Love the Crate
If your dog seems to anticipate you leaving, prepare your kong, toss it in the crate and then close the crate door while you're still home. This allows your dog to see the kong, but not access it until it's time for you to leave. The last thing you do before leaving would be to ask the dog to go to their crate where they are able to happily enjoy their kong in your absence.
