Why enrichment matters at home
One key to a happy and healthy pet is regular enrichment: keeping their environments safe and exciting and allowing them to engage in innate behaviors such as sniffing and chewing in dogs. When everyone is spending more time at home, boredom can lead to destructive and undesirable behavior patterns for some pets.
In addition to physical exercise, there are many fun and free ways to give your dog a mental workout from the comfort of your home. Here are five essential ways to keep your dog active at home, based on guidance from the ASPCA and CDC.
1. Use food puzzles and snuffle mats
Use a snuffle mat to offer treats or dry food, or stuff a puzzle toy with yummy food like plain yogurt, peanut butter, or their meal. This creates a fun and delicious challenge that will keep your dog busy and mentally stimulated. Once your dog gets good at using a puzzle toy, you can even try freezing the stuffed toy so getting all the food out takes even more of your dog’s time.
2. Set up a scavenger hunt
Let your pup put their powerful nose to work. Hide treats around a room in partial view—or even inside cardboard boxes, empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls, cereal boxes, or egg cartons—for them to discover. If you have a yard, simply toss your dog’s kibble into the grass and let them search for their meal.
3. Make your own DIY puzzle toys
Don’t have a puzzle toy? Cardboard boxes of all sizes, paper towel rolls, PVC pipes with holes drilled into the sides, and plastic jugs can be used to create enrichment toys at home. These simple household items can provide a fun, engaging challenge for your dog.
4. Practice short training sessions
Engage your dog in short, empowering training exercises such as targeting your hand or a particular object, or learning “sit,” “down,” and “come.” If your pup already knows the basics, look for trick training books or videos to learn more advanced skills like “spin” or “roll over.” If you want help with training, many professional dog trainers are offering virtual coaching.
5. Prepare your dog for alone time
Even while you and your family are home, start to prepare your pet by designating time for them to spend alone, comfortably, throughout the day. Create a cozy, inviting place for your dog to nap away from household activity, and put on some soothing music. When giving your pet time away from you, offer tasty chews—such as bully sticks—or fill a puzzle toy with a tasty treat and freeze it. Practice leaving the house for short durations without your dog, and while you’re out, leave your dog a chew or their meal in a puzzle toy to keep them occupied.
Staying healthy while staying active
Pets come with many health benefits. They can increase opportunities to exercise, get outside, and socialize. Regular walking or playing with pets can decrease blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. However, pets can sometimes carry germs that can make people sick, even when the pet appears healthy. To stay healthy while enjoying your dog at home:
- Wash your hands after touching or playing with your pet, feeding your pet or handling pet food, and handling pet habitats or equipment such as cages, tanks, toys, and food and water dishes.
- Keep your pet healthy with regular veterinary visits and stay up to date on vaccines, deworming, and flea and tick control.
- Pick up and dispose of dog poop with a bag, both in your yard and in public places.
- Supervise children younger than 5 while they interact with animals, and teach children to wash their hands right after playing with animals or anything in the animal’s environment.
- Don’t let children kiss pets or put their hands or other objects in their mouths after handling animals.
Bottom line
Keeping your dog active at home doesn’t have to be complicated. With food puzzles, scavenger hunts, DIY toys, short training sessions, and a little practice at independent alone time, you can help your dog stay engaged, mentally stimulated, and on best buddy behavior. For more ideas, the ASPCA has a full list of DIY enrichment projects, and AARP has compiled 12 ways to entertain your dog indoors.