The short days and unfriendly cold/wet/icy conditions of winter makes this season a tough time for pets accustomed to going outside regularly. That’s why I loved The Bark’s recent blog post about techniques for keeping your dog entertained inside, even when the weather outside is frightful. Here are a bunch of ideas, straight from the Bark.

Treat Search
Any parent-dog team can play “search.”

You’ll want to start the game with your dog in a sit or stay. Place a toy on the floor. When you release her, she’ll go to the toy. Reward this attention with a high-value treat. Do this a few more times, eventually introducing the name of the toy with your search cue.

Soon you’ll have an ever-growing list of searchable goodies in your dog’s repertoire.

Up the ante by placing the toy farther away or under things. Note that the higher you place something, the less easily she’ll be able to find it with her sense of smell.

Have a friend gently hold the dog while you go hide. Then *you* can be the prize (Ed. note: fun!).

Will Work for Food
Even if your dog doesn’t want to go out for a hike on a soggy Saturday, you can still keep her mentally stimulated. Instead of plopping her food down in a dog bowl, use a treat dispenser, such as the Tug-a-Jug, to make mealtime into playtime. These toys are often nearly indestructible, and they keep Stella engaged for hours. Literally.

Indoor Boot Camp
From a training perspective, reading on the couch is time wasted if you don’t seize the opportunity. Use this time in all kinds of creative ways to shore up your dog’s skills—lengthening the downstays your dog can handle, for example, or practicing this triad of super-important behavior cues: come, stay and leave it.

For even more playful ideas, check out JoAnna Lou’s Indoor Fun blog post or read up on Christina Sondermann’s Indoor Agility Exercises.

Via the Bark Blog

Image: Flicrk