Entertaining an excitable dog indoors is no easy feat, but we’re here to help.
It’s easy to entertain a dog outside—all you need is a ball or a stick—but, when you’re limited to one walk a day, you have to get creative. Additionally, so many of us are now working from home now, and having a happy little dog whacking you with its tail and blinding you with puppy dog eyes 24/7 can be pretty distracting. These ideas have the added bonus of keeping you entertained too, so buckle up!
1. Build an indoor sandpit
This isn’t the most carpet-friendly activity but this dog looks like it’s having the time of its life. You could also fill it with plastic balls if you’re not too keen on finding sand everywhere for the next two weeks.
2. Make a flirt pole
If your dog is intent on destroying anything and everything around the house, this one is for you. This is perfect for use in a small garden but you can use it indoors (unless your dog is massive, of course).
3. Get some treat-dispensing puzzle toys
Obviously not all dogs are as patient as the one in this video. Some dogs will clearly just bite the toy until they find the treat (you will know already if this pertains to your dog). Either way, it’s pretty entertaining to watch, requires minimal space, and your dog gets to show you what a clever boy or girl they are.
4. Create an obstacle course in your front room
A cardboard obstacle course is legitimately one the nicest gifts you could ever give to your dog. The man in this video has really gone all-out, but using whatever you have around the house can be just as fun. Plus, look how happy those beagles are!
5. Teach them a trick or some dog-manners
We’re not seriously suggesting that you try and imitate the tricks in the video—unless you have some serious time on your hands and two genius dogs. However, if you’ve always been envious of those owners who can get their dogs to roll-over, you could always spend some time trying to make those dreams a reality.
6. Play hide and seek
Dogs are ridiculous, really. They have a more sensitive sense of smell than us, they can hear things that we can’t and they can run like the wind. What they can’t seem to do, however, is find a human when they’re standing behind a door. As long as you can outsmart your dog (most of the time), hide and seek can provide hours of dog-entertainment.
7. Massage your doggy
If you want to first confuse and then relax your dog, give them a doggy massage. If you really stick at it, you could become a master — and wouldn’t that be something to brag about? There are loads of tutorials online, all featuring adorable dogs.
8. Create a treat trail
The idea behind this one is simple — create a trail from treats that your dog can follow. If you can hide them around your house, knowing that your dog is going to find them, then that’s even better.
9. Get a bubble machine
How to entertain three dogs at once: a bubble machine. You can make dog-friendly bubbles with diluted washing up liquid and then watch them run around trying to catch the bubbles as though their lives depend on it.
10. Bake doggy treats
Baking is fun for all the family — humans and furries alike. This video recipe is for peanut butter dog treats and it’s so quarantine-friendly that you might already have all of the ingredients at home. Holding your dog in a pouch on your chest while you bake is obviously optional, but pretty cute nonetheless.