Things to Do With Your Dogs In Winter
Posted by Rhonda Jewel on Nov 24, 2020
Bored dogs can be very mischievous when left to their own devices. Their human parents and family are their main source of entertainment, so if we don’t give them stuff to do they’ll come up with activities of their own — and that’s when we end up with chewed up belongings that don't belong to them.
Dogs need extra love and spoiling at times when outdoor activities slow down. Also they need an authority figure to keep them on their best behavior and minding their P's & Q's.
Our cute little pooches as sweet as they are, are also pack animals. It is actually a requirement for dogs to have a social, hierarchical structure.
If the dog does not see their 'human parent' or guide as an authority in their pack, as their leader, your dog doesn't feel the necessity to listen and obey your rules of the household. As much as they need love and cuddling, they are also in need of rules and hierarchy as all pack animals need to understand their place in their social structure.
If their human's requirements of them and their routine behaviors are not always consistent, your canines behavior will also be inconsistent. That is why having a regular planned play/exercise routine even during the cold rainy days of winter is so important.
Play is a very important part of raising a happy healthy dog. Dogs love a routine as they love to have something to do on a regular routine type schedule. Of course the type of fun and the frequency of the playtime really make a difference in the dog’s quality of life.
While it’s easy for us to hibernate ourselves indoors, reading a book or watching netflix until the weather is decent again,( especially during this time of covid) most dogs don't see it the same as we do and don't really mind that much about getting wet or cold and want to do something, even if it is training and learning something new. ( although some would rather stay inside and do their play thing)
Dogs have a lot of energy that they need to work off on a daily basis, no matter the size or breed. Which is just going to turn into something destructive if they are made to stay indoors during the winter, bored out of their minds.
Our cute little furkids need to keep their minds active as well as their bodies.
So, to keep your furkids active and entertained throughout the cold winter months, here are a few ways to keep your dog entertained this winter.
Things to Do With Your Dogs In Winter
- Take them places if just a ride in the car or to visit a doggie friend for a playdate
- Go to an Indoor Dog Park or any safe dog park that is not too muddy or wet for a fun outing
- Do 'Downward Dog' and other Yoga poses With Your Little yoga buddy
- Play fetch in the snow-or in the rain. Wear rain gear and bring a towel
- Road Trip to a store - Home Depot, PetSmart, Lowes are a few that allow dogs... there are many stores that let you bring your dogs including all the big pet stores.
- Watch a fun dog movie together and snuggle on the couch. Make this just doggie time and enjoy the fun together
- Practice some new and fun training techniques - youtube has tons of training videos
- Bake some paw print doggie treats with the help of your furry friend - get them involved in what you are doing, they love that!
- Stuff a Kong with raw meat and freeze or get some raw meaty bones to share with your canine pal to entertain themselves for a while if you are busy
- Get some puzzle toys and help your pooch learn how to think about how to solve them
- Play “Find it” around the house by hiding toys or treats
- Play “Hide-n-Seek”, but you might need another person to help with that game
- Try K9 Nose work again lots of videos on youtube.
- Find an indoor agility class or if you know anyone with an indoor horse arena that you use during an offtime .
