How do you entertain a bored dog?

To keep your dog happily entertained indoors, you can try simple ideas that can go a long way to keeping your dog happy and stimulated when the weather heats up. Give our enrichment ideas to keep boredom at bay a try, when it’s too hot for dog walking and games outside. According to experts, just 20 minutes of sniffing is as enriching for dogs as a one-hour walk - so games that involve your dog putting their nose to work are a great shout right now. You can build on this activity by filling a box with scrunched up paper and other noisy household materials and hiding a Clam filled with smelly treats at the bottom for our dog to seek out. To find the best enrichment activities for your dog, it helps to consider what your dog was bred for initially. Teach your dog a new trick From ‘high five’ to ‘sitting pretty’, use your time indoors to add a new trick to your repertoire. Don’t underestimate the benefits of a simple game of tug with your dog’s favourite Tug-E-Nuff toy. Treat your dog to a massage Dog massage has been proven to have benefits for you and your dog. Try interactive feeding toys To keep mealtimes interesting and enriching, try replacing some meals or snacks with food placed in interactive feeders or stuff toys with dog-safe peanut butter and freeze before offering to your dog.

Pound the pavements with your pooch to exert some excess energy and make sure they’re getting their steps in. Get into a routine. Make time for play. Schedule some quality time between meetings to play with your pooch. Why not get creative with some DIY dog toys made from household items? Providing your dog with a chew that’ll take some time to get through will help them feel comforted and reduce stress. Think bully-sticks, pigs-ears, wood/root chews and raw bones but check with your vet first to find out whether they’re suitable. Hide treats around the house or around the garden and send your pooch off on an adventure! You could also serve their food in a puzzle feeder which reduces bloating and works their brain too!