8 Ways to Keep Your Dog Busy While at Home with You
Your beloved dog is a member of your family. You do all you can to ensure he is happy and healthy, right? You provide quality, nutritious food and treats and all the necessary healthcare. But that’s just part of the equation. Your dog’s well-developed body and healthy brain need constant exercise to remain in tip-top shape. That’s why it’s critical to learn how to entertain your dog with playtime and activities. Even when the weather keeps you indoors, there are fun ways to interact with your dog to keep him active and engaged.
Benefits of Keeping Your Dog Entertained
When left at home, with nothing to do, dogs become bored. Dogs usually respond to boredom with illness, destruction, or often both. Bored dogs can become sad, anxious, and lonely and experience negative impacts on their health. And many dogs will find a way to keep themselves entertained in ways you will not appreciate, like endless barking, digging, and destroying your belongings.
These irritating and destructive behaviors are signs your dog is genuinely suffering. Boost his health and well-being with plenty of playtime and indoor dog activities. With this much-needed activity for his mind and body, he’ll no longer be drawn to destructive behaviors. Best of all, learning how to keep your dog busy and engaging him in these activities ensure your best friend will be truly happy.
How to Entertain Your Dog at Home
Some of these things to keep a dog busy are simple, and using them or enjoying them will come easily to him. But several will include training, which in itself is a wonderful way to keep your dog entertained. Remember to keep the training fun and rewarding. Use tasty treats, plenty of praise, and even your own laughter as rewards for the training sessions. Your dog loves you and is eager to please you.
Follow along for eight easy ways to keep your dog entertained:
- Provide Dog Chews
Dogs love to chew. Chewing exercises jaw muscles and provides mental stimulation as well. Provide your dog with a variety of safe chew toys and nutritious, edible chews. Tasty chews are such a hit with dogs that you can use them as rewards to reinforce training and encourage indoor dog activities.
- Rotate His Toys
Your dog will appreciate each of his indoor toys more if you keep them fresh with occasional breaks. If he has six different toys, give him access to just four of them on any day. Each day, offer a different set of his toys when he’s inside.
- Arrange Playdates with Other Dogs
Dogs are innately social beings who love to meet up with and play with other dogs. Why not team up with your friends and neighbors who have dogs? Invite another friendly dog over to visit and play. And plan reciprocal visits, too. Consider taking turns walking the dogs together, and be sure to include some sniffing and exploring time along with the brisk walk.
- Turn On the TV for Dogs
It may seem strange to be advocating for more screen time for a member of your family, but when you need to leave your dog home alone, try turning on a television show made especially for him. There are new dog-centric channels available, like DOGTV, and a growing number of programs on YouTube, Netflix, Amazon, and more, designed especially for dogs. He’ll see and hear other dogs filmed at the right vantage point for his enjoyment. Some programs are geared toward calming your dog, and others will get him jumping for joy.
- Use Treat-Stuffed Chew Toys
Whether you need to know how to keep a puppy busy or you want to enrich a mature dog’s life, a hollow chew toy stuffed with treats is sure to please. These toys let you conceal favorite treats like NutriChomps milk knots in a sturdy chew toy that dispenses the treats slowly. Use these toys to play fetch or let him chomp away. He’ll enjoy the mental stimulation as well as the treats.
- Teach Your Dog Some Tricks
Dogs love nothing better than spending time with you. And they love learning. Combine the two and teach your dog some tricks. Try essential obedience training or fun tricks like high-fiving, bringing his leash, and even putting his toys away. Teaching tricks is an ideal way to entertain a dog and keep him busy. Use plenty of praise and offer tasty treats like chicken and duck meat kabobs as you train to keep the entire process rewarding and fun.
- Play Tug
A game of tug with your dog is a fun, interactive way to boost your dog’s confidence, strengthen his muscles, and use up some excess energy. While this is not a good idea for an already aggressive dog, a good tug game does not teach a dog to become aggressive. Once your dog enjoys playing tug with you, consider getting a solo tug toy, so he can enjoy playing tug on his own. The solo tug is a fun way for your dog to entertain himself when he’s on his own.
- Consider Adopting a Sibling
Dogs don’t just love socializing; they need it. If your family has the time and energy for it, consider adopting a sibling for your dog. It’s vital to make a good connection between your dog and the new family member. Many reputable rescues allow you to foster before adopting, which is a great way to try the idea and the personality combination before making a lifetime commitment.
Your dog always loves spending time with you. These indoor dog activities are sure to keep him happy and entertained. He’ll repay your efforts with joy and good health. After all, you already have his undying devotion! Locate NutriChomps chews for training rewards and safe chews at Amazon, Chewy, or your local retailers today.
