Rainy days are coming up! Here are 6 ideas for indoor enrichment:
- A classic—puzzle toys and snuffle mats! Using their brain and their nose to earn a reward is very fulfilling.
- Find it! Teach your dog to “find it” after you hide treats around the house like an Easter egg hunt. Engage their scavenging instincts!
- Frozen toys/treats keep them licking and chewing for a long stretch. Chewing has been linked to a calmer stress response, including lower cortisol, in studies of people and other animals.
- Busy box—fill a cardboard box with newspaper balls with treats and toys in the center. This can keep them busy for a while!
- Texture walks. Lay out safe and varied surfaces like yoga mats, bubble wrap, tinfoil, tissue paper, etc. to engage their tactile senses and desensitize them to unusual textures.
- Learn a new trick! Mental work can be incredibly enriching and use up extra energy.
Have fun!
Source
- Quinn, R., Masters, S., Starling, M., White, P. J., Mills, K., Raubenheimer, D., & McGreevy, P. (2025). Functional significance and welfare implications of chewing in dogs (Canis familiaris). Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 12. doi:10.3389/fvets.2025.1499933