When the weather is miserable, and long, sniffy walks are off the table, it’s essential to ensure your dog still gets the mental and physical stimulation they need. Indoor enrichment is a fantastic way to keep them entertained and happy. These activities not only engage their natural instincts, such as sniffing and searching, but also provide opportunities to reinforce training cues in a fun and relaxed way.
Here are some simple yet effective ideas to enrich your dog’s day indoors.
1. Nose Work Games: Engage Their Sniffer
Dogs experience the world through their nose, and there are plenty of ways to tap into this natural skill indoors.
Try these activities:
• Scatter Feeding: Spread your dog’s kibble or treats around the room for them to find. Start with easy-to-spot locations and gradually make it more challenging.
• DIY Snuffle Mat: Use a snuffle mat or create your own with a towel by folding or rolling it with treats tucked inside.
• Scent Boxes: Hide treats or toys inside a cardboard box filled with scrunched paper or soft items. Encourage your dog to sniff and dig to find the hidden treasure.
• Find It Game: Hide kibble, a treat or a toy while your dog has to “wait” in another room, then release them with a cue like “find it!”
These games tire your dog out mentally and let them enjoy their favourite pastime—sniffing!
2. Training Sessions: Reinforce Cues Indoors
Bad weather days are an excellent opportunity to work on reinforcing dog training cues with your pooch. Short, focused sessions can help solidify what they already know and introduce new skills.
Ideas for indoor training:
• Work on Basics: Practise cues like “sit,” “stay,” “down,” and “come” with added distractions, such as other family members or toys.
• Impulse Control: Play games like “leave it” or “wait” using treats or toys to improve your dog’s patience.
• Target Training: Teach your dog to “touch” a target, such as the palm of your hand. This skill can be developed into an excellent recall cue for outdoors.
Keep sessions short – 5 to 10 minutes at a time – and end on a positive note with lots of praise and always reward progress. These are learning opportunities, so any steps towards the goal are still praise-worthy and a good outcome.
3. Puzzle Toys and Food Enrichment
Puzzle toys and food-based activities are excellent for keeping your dog mentally stimulated and engaged.
Options to try:
• Stuffed Toys: Use a Kong or similar toy filled with peanut butter, yoghurt, or mashed banana, and freeze it for a long-lasting treat. The time spent licking will tire your dog. Be mindful of overall food intake for the day though so don’t make the day wall-to-wall Kongs.
• Lick Mats: Spread something tasty like wet dog food or soft cheese onto a lick mat to keep them entertained while promoting calmness. A “down” cue to have them lay on a comfy surface (e.g. dog bed or similar) allows them to focus on the lick mat and relax.
• DIY Puzzles: Place treats inside muffin tins and cover them with tennis balls, or hide treats in a rolled-up strips of an old dish cloth for your dog to figure out.
• Interactive Toys: Invest in puzzle feeders or toys that require your dog to work for their food.
4. Indoor Playtime: Burn Off Energy
Playing games indoors is a great way to get your dog moving while staying dry.
Fun games to try:
• Tug-of-War: This classic game is great for building your bond and burning off energy.
• Fetch: Use a soft toy or ball and play fetch in a hallway or safe space.
• Hide and Seek: Have your dog wait in another room while you hide, then call them to find you. It’s great for practising recall too!
• Chase the Toy: Drag a flirt pole or long rope toy around for your dog to chase and catch.
With all the indoor games that are physical, be mindful of your dog’s joints and call time on the activity after a short period of time.
5. Massage and Relaxation
Indoor enrichment doesn’t always have to be high-energy. A relaxing massage can help your dog unwind and strengthen your bond. Use slow, gentle strokes to massage their shoulders, back, and legs. Combine this with soothing words and calm interactions. For dogs with joint issues, you should be slow, calm and look for signs of any distress when handling an area of discomfort such as hips in older dogs. If you see stress yawns, lip licking, looking away or flinching then stop the activity and give them an alternative to decompress and reset.
Tips for varied Indoor Enrichment Days
• Rotate Activities: Mix up different games and activities to keep things exciting.
• Stay Positive: Use positive reinforcement throughout, rewarding your dog for effort and engagement.
• Watch for Signs of Tiredness: Mental stimulation can be just as tiring as physical exercise, so give your dog breaks if they seem fatigued.
Rainy days don’t have to be dull for your dog. With these indoor enrichment ideas, you can keep your dog’s body and brain busy, while reinforcing important training cues along the way. And who knows? They might just be ready for a cosy nap after all the fun!
Have a favourite indoor activity your dog loves? Share it with us on doggofind!