Five Fun and Easy Indoor Play Ideas for Dogs

The Great British weather can often be unpredictable, and there are times when we need to get creative indoors in order to entertain our dogs, and help them burn off some energy. Our four legged friends often rely on us to provide entertainment, and keeping them amused is also a good way to keep them happy, healthy and mentally stimulated! If you’re looking for inspiration to keep your dog entertained inside, here are our top five indoor activities to try with your favourite pooch pal.

1. Hide and seek

A time honoured classic, hide and seek is a good way to keep dogs entertained as well as mentally stimulated. This game works best if there’s two humans to take part, but can also work with one if your dog is good at staying put! 

One person holds the dog in a room, while the other takes a treat and hides with it somewhere in the house. Once you’ve hidden, make a noise to your fellow human, who will then release your pup so that they can come and find you. Make it easy the first couple of times round until your dog has got the hang of it and then increase the difficulty.

2. Doggy pamper

A truly luxurious way to spoil your pooch, this pamper session will require a little advanced preparation.

Start a couple of hours before by making your dog an ice cream with 3 spoons of fat free yoghurt, half a banana, a few strawberries, a small handful of oats, and a spoonful of peanut butter (make sure it’s dog safe!) whizzed or mashed together and frozen in a tub. Once ready, lay out a blanket and some cushions and put on some calming music. Brush your dog and give them a full body massage, focusing on the areas they love (perhaps a scratch behind the ears, or a tickle under the chin). Finish off by giving them the ice cream. Aaaaaaaaaaand relax.

3. Teach your dog a new trick

Teaching your dog a new trick is a brilliant bonding exercise and requires mental stimulation, so it can be a great replacement for a walk. It’s a proud moment for any human when our pets can sit, rollover and give paw on command, especially to show off in front of someone else – right?! Getting to that stage can often feel like a challenge, but by using the right techniques and a little patience, you can teach your dog all kinds of tricks. 

There are great videos out there for learning; to get started, you could try tricks such as give a paw, roll over, kisses on command, sit up on hind legs, spin, or fetch. Pawfect!

4. Scavenger hunt

One for the scavengers amongst our dogs – and let’s face it, how many dogs don’t love food or toys! For this game, you’ll need to shut your dog in another room for a couple of minutes while you go around a room, or the whole house, hiding food or toys – as many as you like. Make a couple super easy for them to find, and say ‘find it’; once they’ve got the first two or three, continue to say find it and point to another. If you need to lead your dogs to a few until they’ve got the hang of it then that’s absolutely fine.

5. Puzzle toys

Whether it’s filling a Kong with your dog’s favourite treats, hiding biscuits in a snuffle mat, or playing with a hide and slide, there are some truly brilliant puzzle toys out there that challenge your dog and provide endless moments of entertainment!