It’s winter. Some of you live in an area that rains a lot. And sometimes it’s just too unpleasant to take your dog outside for his regular exercise. There are some games you can play indoor to keep your dog physically and mentally fit. And also wear him out so he gets a good night sleep. 🙂
Jaymi Heimbuch wrote an article in Mother Nature Network about 7 of these games you can play indoor with your dog.
A few of them are:
- Teach your dog to find treats that are hidden. This nose training is good for body AND mind.
- Hide and seek
- Teach him to help you clean up
- Obstacle course, made from things you have at home
Here’s an excerpt from Jaymi’s article:
If you have a stairwell, make it a game to run up it and burn some serious energy. To get the most exercise from this game with the least risk to your dog’s joints, start at the bottom of the stairs. Put your dog in a sit-stay and throw the toy up to the top landing. Make it more exciting by keeping your dog in a stay while creating a build up, such as saying “Reeeady…. ready….. GO!” and let your dog dash up the stairs as fast as he can to retrieve the toy. Let your dog come back down the stairs at his own pace, encouraging a slower return since it’s the downhill climb that risks injury. After 10 or so repetitions of this, most dogs will be totally tuckered out.
NOTE: This is only for dogs who are more than 1 year old, or after their joints have finished developing. You can cause long-term injury playing this game with younger dogs as their joints aren’t developed enough to take the impact.
You can read the entire article here.
Article source: Mother Nature Network
Image source: Super Star Mobile Grooming
