HOUSTON – If you have a dog in your life, you certainly want to keep that tail wagging, but Houston’s intense heat and stormy weather are enough to make you keep the time outside short.
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While you certainly want to keep your dog physically and mentally stimulated, there are ways to keep your dog active and entertained, without necessarily having to have a backyard.
Experts at Nutrish, the high-quality dog and cat food company, offered the following tips for pet parents:
- Bathtub Swimming: This might sound insane at first glance, but let water-loving dogs splash or swim in the tub with supervision and water toys for a safe intro to swimming.
- Hide and Seek: Not just a kid’s activity! Hide in another room and call your dog to find you. It’s fun, stimulating, and a great bonding activity.
- Bubble Chasing: Blow dog-safe bubbles to give your pup a fun and unpredictable chase game (garage sounds like the perfect place to do this)
- Stair Fetch: Toss a toy down the stairs to give your dog a cardio workout as they retrieve it.
- Indoor Fetch: A hallway or open room is perfect for a short game of fetch that burns energy and reinforces commands like “drop it.”
- “Find It” Game: Hide treats or kibble around the house and encourage your dog to sniff them out for a tasty, brain-boosting challenge.
- Training Time: Teach your dog obedience commands or fun tricks to keep them mentally stimulated and reinforce good behavior.
- Puzzle Toys: Fill puzzle toys with treats or food to mentally engage your dog and slow down fast eaters.
- Tug of War: Use a durable tug toy for muscle-building play, but supervise if multiple dogs are involved.
- Indoor Obedience Classes: Sign up for an indoor training class to help your pup burn energy, learn new skills, and socialize.
- Obstacle Course: Create a simple agility course with tunnels or furniture to get your dog moving and thinking.
- Indoor Dog Parks: Look for nearby indoor dog play centers or daycares where your dog can socialize and burn energy.
- Chew Time: Offer long-lasting chews like Nutrish Soup Bones to keep your dog busy, satisfied, and out of trouble.