For all the dogs who've touched our hearts

Easy ideas to entertain your dog…

Sick or stuck at home? Here are some ideas to entertain your dog using things that are simple to make or buy.

...When you're sick or stuck at home

This week I’ve come down with a nasty case of flu. I’ve been so sick that it’s a challenge to exercise Bonnie and Merlin. To keep them happy, and give me peace, I’ve come up with some easy ideas to entertain dogs which I thought I’d share.

Mine is a regular, annoying flu, but if you’re worried about COVID19 please read this blog by Dr. Zazie Todd: COVID 19 and Planning for Your Pet. There are some excellent, common-sense suggestions.

Thanks to everyone who answered my Facebook plea for ideas, they're included below.

Please note: increase difficulty gradually and always supervise your dog.

Play with your food!

When you’re stuck at home, ignore the old saying “don’t play with your food”; food provides easy ideas to entertain our dogs.

Shop-bought puzzles

Let your dog work for her meals by using food puzzles; this will keep her busy, satisfied and happy. There are a huge number of food puzzles available with something to suit every dog. My timeless favourite is the Kong. Check out their website for ideas and watch this great video for instructions on teaching a dog to use it.

Easy homemade puzzle ideas

Little boxes

Dogs love boxes! Even empty ones are great to shred, toss and tug with but put some food inside – instant homemade food puzzle. There are many ways to make puzzles out of boxes, use your imagination and go wild: just make sure the dog is not getting frustrated. (Note: these games are MESSY!) Here are some ideas:

Scrunch some paper into balls; partly fill a box with the paper balls and sprinkle in dried dog food. (Thanks to Sally)
Loosely stack different sized boxes inside each other and place food beneath each layer – see if your dog can work this out.
Put food inside a box and wrap the box in some paper – just like Christmas!
Place a box upside down with food underneath it, enjoy watching how he solves this

Cardboard rolls

Oh the joy of the cardboard roll! Stuff them with food and fold over the ends; hide them around the house for an extra shreddy treasure hunt. Fill a box with rolls standing end on end and pop in food. Put them in paper bags inside boxes for extra layers of sniffy, shredding goodness. (Thanks to Tracey from Emmabella and friends)

Empty bottles

For a really easy idea to entertain your dog, wash out an old plastic milk bottle and let your dog play with it. They're great to bite, toss and bat around. Likewise, empty plastic water bottles make a delightful crackle when squashed between happy jaws.

Years ago, my son “invented” a dog toy he called a “Sockem”: a plastic bottle, tennis ball and scrunched up paper stuffed in a sock. Our fussy Rumble loved them. They last forever because when a bottle is crushed completely, simply replace it. (Thanks to Lachlan) Another simple and easy idea is to put food in a bottle and enjoy observing how your dog works it out. Merlin throws the bottle in the air while Bonnie bats it with her paws, I could watch them for ages – we need entertaining too when we are sick and stuck at home!

Muffin trays and tennis balls

This game is a great way of entertaining yourself and your dog when you are sick or stuck at home. He gets to use his brain and you get to see how smart he is.

You need

A muffin tray
Balls, ideally of different weights and sizes
Smelly, yummy food

Here’s how:

Easy ideas for all things sniffy

Engaging the nose may be the easiest idea to entertain your dog of all!

A dog’s sense of smell is 100,000 times better than a human’s. They can smell in 3D and have a special organ dedicated to scent. Employing their sense of smell honours their ‘dogginess’ and is one of the best ways to calm and tire them out.

Snuffle mats

Snuffle mats are tonnes of fun and easy to make. If you are interested in making one yourself, you can find a tutorial HERE. Snuffle mats are available for purchase in a variety of places, but I recommend buying locally or checking out Etsy. (Thanks to Tracey)

Here is a video explaining how to use a snuffle mat:

Easy dog treasure hunt ideas

Treasure hunts are one of my all-time favourite food puzzlesand a great way of entertaining a dog when you are stuck at home. My dogs get half their breakfast outside in the grass every day. Simply take a portion of food, scatter it randomly and let their noses do the work. (Thanks to Jennifer of Paw Behaviour)

For a bit of inside fun, lock the dogs in another room and hide food around the house, making sure to put it in some challenging places.

If you are sick or busy, scatter the food and leave the dogs to find it, but for a more interactive game, join in the hunt. (This one is courtesy of Kay Laurence of Learning About Dogs)

Here’s how:

Take some tasty, slightly smelly food that will be hard to see on the ground
Scatter the food allowing the dog to watch as you throw. Keep some in your hand or pocket out of sight
Let the dog find all the food. Wait until they begin hunting for stray, missed pieces
Join the hunt – bend over, stare at the grass while walking slowly
Point at the ground and say “Oh look!”, letting a piece of food fall from your fingers to the ground
Quietly celebrate with them when the dog runs over to eat the food
Continue wandering, searching and dropping food, making sure your dogs don’t see you, they will think you are the BEST HUNTER EVER!

Rumble (background), Merlin (centre) and Bonnie (butt in foreground) all love treasure hunting

Edible and easy: tasty ideas for your dog

Long-lasting chews are another terrific way of keeping dogs entertained when you are stuck at home. Bones, split antlers, stuffed cow hooves, kangaroo tendons, pig and cow ears are good options. Make sure you supervise and be aware that occasionally dogs can break their teeth. If you dog is healthy and has strong teeth this should not be a problem, but talk to your veterinarian if you have any concerns.

"Pup-sicles"

I loved Teisha’s idea to make frozen popsicles or “Pup-sicles”! They are easy to make, delicious and healthy and can keep your dog entertained for ages if you make them big enough.

Here’s a recipe, but vary it according to your dog’s needs and preferences.

You need

Water
Home-made low salt broth and/or meat juice
Some kind of left-over meat
Dried dog biscuits (kibble)

Combine the ingredients and divide them into popsicle moulds or large ice cube trays and freeze. For added crunch, pop in a large dog biscuit as the pole.

(This is a lovely blog, with the cutest pictures on how to make frozen treats for your pup Make Icy Poles for Your Pup)

Easy ideas for entertaining dog play

Playing inside games is an easy way entertain your dog when you are sick or stuck at home. You don’t need to play until the dog is huffing and puffing, short, regular games can be just as satisfying.

Here’s something I play when my energy is low, it has been a favourite of all my dogs.

Sit on the floor with a couple of toys. Make one of the toys become “live” by racing it from side to side. Allow your dog to chase and catch the ‘live’ toy, then release it and watch as she enjoys her success.

Produce the second toy and bring it to life, the dog should release the ‘dead’ toy to chase the new ‘live’ one. Keep playing, swapping toys as the dog captures the ‘live’ toy.

Once the game is flowing smoothly:

Hide the toy behind your back and mirror your dog’s stillness as he waits for it to reappear. Make it pop out on the side not being watched then either toss it a short distance or let him grab it (watch your fingers!). Finish with a brief, gentle game of tug.

Work with your dog seeing what she enjoys; vary the catch, chase, toss and build the game together.

If your dog is overly excited, bitey or you don’t feel safe, do not play in this way.

Training: easy for you challenging for the dog

Training is one of the best ways to connect with and tire out your dog. If you are sick, I suggest going over things your dog knows well: refresh cues, ask for a variety of well-known behaviours to get the dog thinking. Practise husbandry, handling and massage, keep the essential basics strong. Keep it easy for you but more challenging for them.

If your head is clear try teaching something new. Check out my YouTube channel for ideas, more videos coming soon.

Ask for help

It can be tough caring for a dog when you are sick, especially if she is young and energetic. Reach out and ask for help or hire a dog walker. Likewise if you know someone’s unwell, take their dog for a walk or a play date.

The easiest idea of all!

Perhaps the easiest and most appealing idea for entertaining your dog comes from Yvonne Kartner “Cuddling up in bed with you. It will make you feel good too.”

I’m off to do that one right now!

I’d love to hear your easy ideas for entertaining your dogs, please let me know in the comments below!

Link to blog - Life lessons from my extra special dog

Link to blog - Play rules!! What’s it all about?

Resources, references and people mentioned in the article

Not mentioned in this blog, but suggested by Amanda, is the Canine Enrichment Facebook Group – if you are short of ideas, check them out!

Paw Behaviour Dog Training: Excellent positive reinforcement puppy classes to give your dog the best start in life. Located in Carrum Victoria Australia

Emmabella and Friends: follow the exploits of super Samoyeds and their friends on Instagram

Check out the cutest Finnish Lapphund around at Asgard Adventures

For advanced training and thinking: Learning About Dogs, Kay Laurence

COVID 19 and Planning for your Pet, Dr. Zazie Todd, Psychology Today

5 Dog Nose Facts you Probably Didn’t Know, Aly Semigran, PetMd