Indoor Activities for Your Pup

The recent fires have left many families and their best four-legged friends locked up indoors because of the heavy layer of smoke affecting the city’s air supply. In fact, the air quality in many major cities can reach unhealthy heights at any point during the year for several reasons, and many times pet parents and their pooches are forced indoors. On other occasions, rain, snow, thunderstorms and even allergies can leave your pet sequestered to his fluffy nap pillow.

We humans might enjoy cozying up on the couch and drinking a cup of cocoa on days like these, but our wet-nosed pup pal might be wondering why the heck the big, dark fluffy clouds outdoors are keeping him from his much anticipated run around the block. Get ready for a good scolding from your dog because his natural instincts tell him that he needs at least 30 minutes of daily exercise to get all the wiggly energy out of his system, and guess what? He knows it’s your job to give him that exercise.
Maybe you’re thinking, But, but, but it’s not my fault that we can’t get out of the house! Can’t we just cuddle for the day and take a walk when the air’s cleared up? Sure, you can try to wrestle your pup down into a cuddle session on the couch, but you’ll soon find Fido staring out that window, his pouting mouth holding his leash up high, anxiously awaiting his daily run through the park.
Ultimately, whether or not you want to pull the covers up over your head, ensuring your pet’s physical and emotional health on a daily basis is still very important, no matter the conditions outside. So instead of moping around the house, give your pup his own rainy-day treat and make your home an exciting maze of activities that get the heart pumping and the tail thumping!
Whether small or large, apartment or mansion, any home can become the setting of a full-fledged doggie amusement park. Indoor activities can be as simple as playing fetch, or as elaborate as creating an extensive mini-agility course in your living room. Games like hide and seek, retrieve the toy and even a hula hoop can give your pup all the exercise he needs.
You can find activities that exhaust your dog with physical exertion, or activities that work him out by testing his mind (like having him muscle some treats out of a Kong or a puzzle toy). While keeping safety in mind, you can find many ways to bring the happy puppy workout indoors.
For more information, and to take a look at some of i Love Dogs’ favorite indoor activities, visit our blog. Perk up – hazy days have gone to the dogs!