As the British Summer has a fair few rainy days. We’ve found some fun activities you can do when stuck inside with your dog because of the weather. Parents should always been on hand to watch for any signs of frustration on the dog’s part—and step in right away to help.
Hansel and Gretel Trails
Take a small bowl of treats and create a trail for your dog to follow. Keep your dog in another room whilst you make your trail, put a treat every 2 to 4 feet. When you’ve laid out the entire path, tell your dog to sit before releasing the dog to follow the trail. Then follow along behind cheering at each successful find.
Commando Crawl (for mid-sized dogs)
Lay a trail of treats running under your coffee table from one end to the other. Teach your dog to belly-crawl across the floor to get the treats.
Dog Bowling
Arrange empty plastic 2-litre bottles in a bowling triangle in the hall or sitting room and take turns calling the dog for a treat. Whoever gets the dog to topple the most pins as he races towards the treat wins.
Tiny Teeter-Totter
Lay a piece of plywood on the floor. Try to get your dog used to stepping on the board. Once he/she is not at all concerned about walking on the board, lay the board across a broom to make a 2-inch high teeter-totter. Keep rewarding the dog for walking over the board. Remember to keep your fingers away from the board while the dog is on it!
Rainy Day Call
If there’s more than one of you, each take a small cup of dog treats. One of you should “hide” in the kitchen and call the dog. While dog is trotting toward the kitchen, the other person should go to another room in the house.
When your dog finds you in the kitchen, get him or her to sit to get a treat, then whoever is in the other room can call the dog . . . whilst the dog is coming to the second person, you should make your way to a different room. When it’s your turn to call again, the dog will head for the kitchen only to find that you’re not there! While the dog looks for you, the other person chooses a new spot.
As your dog gets better at this game, you can make it more challenging by standing behind doors or sitting in unusual places. The game is over when you are out of treats.
Remember to use lots of treats to make these games as much fun for the dog as for you. As well as a game it’s a fun way to train your dog to come to you when you call.
Don’t Force It
Don’t ever push or pull your dog to get him to do something. If the dog seems confused or resistant, look for ways to make the challenges easier.
Peggylicious 