When it's -5°, nobody wants to stick their nose outside... Not you, not even your dog .
The only downside: while you can comfortably lie under the blanket, this is not necessarily the case for your dog, who needs to expend energy .
As a responsible owner, you take your dog out daily . But with the cold weather, long walks are impossible! So how can you allow your dog to expend energy, even indoors?
Discover all our tips for the best indoor games to play with your dog, whether in an apartment or a house. 7 game ideas for all dog breeds !
1 - Hide-and-seek with a dog: a timeless classic
Hide-and-seek is a must-have. Especially during long winter days, when you need to keep the children and the dog occupied.
To start a game of hide-and-seek, ask your four-legged companion to sit still or get into a position without moving, while you hide in another room.
Once settled, call him. Your dog will use his sense of smell and perception to find you, which is an excellent way to stimulate his sensory abilities.
Beyond the fun, this game strengthens the bond and trust between you. Moreover, just like with a child, you can vary the hiding places and gradually increase the difficulty by choosing less obvious spots, thus maintaining the challenge for your partner!
🐶 BFPetfood's good advice:
You may have seen it on social media, but there's an alternative to hide-and-seek with your dog: it's called " magic tricks." Have your dog sit in the center of a room, and stand facing him near a hallway or another room in the house.
Next, hold a large sheet in front of you to completely cover you: just before dropping the sheet, disappear into the other room or the hallway. Your dog, surprised to no longer see you behind the sheet that hid you just seconds before, will start searching for you all over the house !
2 - Stimulate his sense of smell and intelligence with a treasure hunt
To take it a step further, transform your living room into a real treasure hunt by hiding kibble , treats or your dog's favorite toys.
This game, which combines search and reward, is perfect for stimulating your pet's sense of smell and curiosity. Choose scented treats and hide them in accessible places, then encourage your dog to use their nose to find them.
Treasure hunting is particularly beneficial for mentally stimulating your dog, which is really great for breeds that need to be challenged, such as Malinois and Australian Shepherds.
This game also promotes obedience and patience . While waiting for the reward, your dog learns to focus on the task at hand, thus strengthening its ability to manage its energy indoors. It's a great way to turn a rainy day into a captivating adventure for your loyal companion!
3 - Improvise an obstacle course!
If your dog needs to burn off energy rather than think, transform your home into an obstacle course ! This requires a bit of space: a German Shepherd 's obstacle course in a 9m² living room is likely to lead to some damage…
If you have a room of about 15 square meters, that's perfect. With a little imagination and a few everyday objects, you can create a fun obstacle course that will allow your child to run, jump, and work on their coordination. For example, arrange cushions , chairs , or even brooms to create obstacles to go around or jump over.
The aim of this indoor game with your dog is to stimulate both their body and mind . By jumping over a cushion or going under a table, your companion develops their motor skills. Golden Retriever, terrier, French bulldog … all breeds love to run!
And for an even greater challenge ( if you are teaching your dog tricks ), you can also incorporate command elements, such as "go under" or "jump over".
4 - Why not try food puzzles?
To keep your dog occupied while exercising its thinking skills, nothing beats brain games and food puzzles.
These very specific games involve hiding treats in toys specially designed to stimulate canine intelligence. By manipulating these objects, your dog must think to figure out how to access its reward.
These activities are especially suitable for winter days when physical exercise is limited. They help channel your dog's mental energy while encouraging slower, more controlled eating. A great way to help your dog burn off energy while being mindful of how you feed them during the winter!
5 - A short training session with treats as a reward
So far, we've only discussed the possibility of incorporating tricks and commands into a game with your dog. But winter is also the perfect time for regular training sessions!
For example, ask your dog to sit or lie down, and reward him with a treat. He will be stimulated by learning new behaviors and very excited about all the treats.
This is a great solution to strengthen the bond you share with your dog, while also helping him expend his boundless energy.
🐶 BFPetfood's good advice:
Has your dog just learned a tricky one, and you'd like to reward him in a different way? Excellent idea: give him a cute dog toy ! Soft and cuddly, this bone-shaped dog toy will become his favorite plush toy in no time.
6 - Rope: an essential item both outdoors and indoors
Whether at home or in a park, there's nothing more fun for a dog than playing with a rope . He grabs one end with his teeth, you hold the other, and each pulls on their own end.
If you're lucky enough to have two dogs, they can even have a tug-of-war with each other. In any case, it's a good exercise to strengthen their jaws while stimulating their protective instincts. And when you have a small apartment, it's a great way to prevent damage! The tug-of-war game stays within a perimeter you can control.
Just be sure to invest in an ultra-strong dog rope , to prevent it from being crushed under your companion's jaws.
7 - Adapt the ball game indoors
Finally, although the ball is often associated with outdoor games, it is perfectly possible to adapt it for indoor use.
To do this, choose a soft or small ball to avoid accidents. Gently toss it in a hallway or open room, and encourage your dog to fetch it. If you live in an apartment and care about your lamps, just be sure not to throw the ball too high. Instead, focus on the bounces on the floor to stimulate your dog without risking breaking anything!
Fetch is a true classic that dogs never tire of. This activity is very effective for developing your dog's speed and coordination . It also allows them to channel their energy in a fun and controlled way, all while staying warm indoors.
If you don't have a ball or are worried about it bouncing and breaking, you can easily offer the same activity with squeaky plush toys . These very durable educational toys can be thrown and are designed to withstand your dog's sharp jaws. A great game to play with your dog indoors, while keeping your furniture safe!
To find the best games to play with your dog indoors, be creative!
Even if it's cold, your dog needs exercise. Of course, you can't let him run around your living room as freely as you would in a park. But that doesn't mean you can't keep things interesting. And with all these ideas for indoor games to play with your dog, you have no excuse!
Furthermore, don't hesitate to use your imagination: you now have several sources of inspiration , it's up to you to adapt them to your dog's preferences and the space you have available.
Take advantage of winter to explore, invent and share those moments of happiness that make life with an animal an exceptional adventure!
