As dog lovers, we want what’s best for our dogs. We know it’s important to provide regular exercise to engage them both physically and mentally. Long walks and adventures to the dog park are great solutions!
However, there are some cold, gloomy winter days here in the great Pacific Northwest where we just want to stay inside.
What’s a Seattle dog owner to do? Fear not! I’ve put together 5 indoor exercises to keep our four legged friends happy.
Dog Tag
A fun way to get both you and your dog’s blood pumping is to start a game of tag! Start by “tagging” your dog and let her chase you around the house. Once she gets you, start chasing her! The game goes on and on.
Hide and Seek
You’ll want your dog to come and find you so there are a couple ways to get started. If your Seattle dog knows how to stay or down-stay, give her that command and then leave the room and hide. If she doesn’t yet know those commands, you can begin by throwing a treat to distract her and hiding in another room.
When she finds you, make a big celebration and reward her with a treat. Progressively increase the difficulty by hiding in more challenging spots/hiding completely out of view.
The ASPCA has a great detailed guide here.
Indoor Agility Course
There are lots of possibilities in creating your own home agility course! Think about covering up chairs or small tables with a blanket to create a tunnel and using chairs as obstacles to weave in and out of.
Rolled up towels, blankets or a broom handle can be used as jump obstacles.
Start your dog at one end of the obstacle(s) and call her over to you—you can use treats as motivators and rewards for a job well done!
Tug-of-War
An indoor (or outdoor) game of tug-of-war is a great way to exercise your dog and allow an outlet for her natural want to grab and pull with her mouth.
There are lots of tug toys available; many people prefer something soft and easy to hold. Check out the ASPCA’s tug-of-war walkthrough here.
Fetch
An oldie but a goodie. Make space available in a long hallway or in stairway for a game of fetch. Change it up by racing your dog to the toy!
