Keeping everyone entertained during bad winter weather. Being stuck inside is not always a bad thing for you or your pet during a winter storm. It’s a great time for bonding with your furiends and family while learning and playing interactive games. Here are a few ideas for entertaining games the whole family can enjoy.
Find the treats. Let’s keep their sniffers busy and utilize their natural skills to mentally stimulate them while indoors. Hiding treats and encourage them to seek them out for a reward.
The famous Shell Game. Hiding treats under cups, moving them around, and encourage them to find the treat is not only a great mental stimulation, but could make a great internet sensation video.
Clean up time. The simple task of picking up toys and placing them back in its storage container is a great trick to teach your pet on command.
Once they have the toys chore perfected, you can always move onto more chores around the house. Wink, wink.
Stuffed Kong. Keep your furry friends busy with a Kong stuffed with their favourite treat. Caution, keep the treats at a minimum to not upset their bellies.
Tug a war with your dog. A gentle game of tug a war with your dog is a great mental and physical stimulation and a great quality play time.
This is the appropriate time to take out a new toy to keep their minds busy for a bit.
Food puzzles. Interactive food bowls and other food dispensing toys are a great way for passing the time indoors.
Practice makes perfect. Practicing what you’ve learned in puppy class or simply new tricks, especially to impress all your fellow pet owners on social media.
Basic obedience tricks, clicker training, name association and fetch and new commands are just a few tricks we can all brush up on.
At home spa day. Bath, grooming, nail trim, teeth brushing and body massage. Although we can’t forget about the snuggles and naps, we can all enjoy during a stormy winter day.
People games. They can be fun for everyone. Hide and seek, obstacle course and a game of tag are just a couple games that pets can join.
Baking for our furiends. Gather the whole family, and bake healthy homemade treats our furiends can enjoy.
Written by Monica Blanchard, RVT
