Going outside for a game of fetch or a walk is something you and your pet want nothing do to with, and who can blame you when it’s 115 degrees outside?
Lounging around the house may keep you and your pet cool, but boredom can make for a restless pet when they’re use to being active.
Here are a few fun games you can play indoors that will keep your pet entertained during these scorching summer months.
Hide and Seek
If your pet is a pro with the ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ commands then this game is for you. Ask your pet to sit and stay in a spot of the house while you find a hiding spot. Use your release command to let your pet know you’re ready to be found. Keep calling your pet and once they find you, reward them with a treat. This is a great game to keep their mind stimulated while practicing their learned skills.
Name the Toy
Your pet can learn specific names to specific toys, and this game is a great way to teach them. Start by picking one toy and naming it. Call the toy by its name whenever your pup plays with it. Once your dog knows the names of specific toys you can challenge them further by placing all the toys in a bin and ask them to pick out certain toys. Reward with a treat whenever they pick out the right toy.
Find the Treat
If you have a muffin tin, 12 tennis balls and treats you’re good to go! Place a treat randomly in the bottom of the muffin tin and use the tennis balls to cover them up. Then ask your pet to find the treat. They have to figure out how to get the tennis ball out of the muffin tin to be rewarded, if they’ve chosen the right tennis ball to remove. This game also helps with mental stimulation, which is a great activity to keep pets busy.
Tag, You’re It
This game requires two people. Each of you find a different spot on opposite ends of a room. One at a time ask your dog to come to you, rewarding them with a treat when the do. This game is a great way to practice the ‘come to me’ command that is important for every dog to know, and what’s great about this game is it tests your dog’s listening ability when they’re distracted.
Get an Interactive Toy
Kong makes fun and interactive toys for pets. One toy is the Pawzzle. It’s a toy you fill with treats, and your dog has to roll it around to get the treats to fall out of the holes. This is another great toy for dogs who require mental stimulation to help fight boredom.
Although the summer heat forces you and your pet to cancel outside plans, you both can still have fun while staying cool. Happy playing!
