How to Keep Your Dog Fit Indoors: 3 Fun Games for Every Breed

There are many differing opinions on dog care out there. But one concept that is universally accepted is that dogs need some form of daily exercise to be happy and healthy. Ideally, your dog should have at least a half hour of outdoor play, not including his typical walk around the block. But realistically, you can’t always drop what you are doing and make a trip to the park, or you don’t have a fenced in yard or the weather won’t allow for your dog’s daily exercise needs.

I live in sunny California so weather is rarely an issue for me. However, because of global climate change (or the upcoming apocalypse predicted by the Mayans if you don’t believe in that global warming mumbo jumbo), there has been an unusual amount of rain this year. Since my dog Oliver will barely let me take him outside to do his business in a light drizzle, let alone a torrential downpour, taking him outside for a jog or a game of fetch are certainly out of the question. So, I’ve had to improvise and come up with fun indoor activities to keep him happy and fit.

Here are three indoor games Oliver loves, and I believe most dogs will as well. Your mileage may vary, depending on the breed and personality of your dog.

1. Soup-stacle Course For this exercise you will need:

• Various household items to act as “cones” (I use unopened soup cans. You can use dog food cans, cola cans, or larger items like pillows, chairs, etc, depending on the size of your dog and what you have around the house.)
• Treats

Start by placing four soup cans in a straight line, about two feet apart. Ask your dog to sit at the “starting line”, then show him the treat but don’t give it to him. Instead, use the treat to guide your dog, weaving between the obstacles. If he doesn’t follow the path at first, or take a short cut to the end, simply guide him back to the start and say in a pleasant tone, “Let’s try again”, and start from the beginning. When he reaches the finish line by following the course, praise him and give him the treat.

After he’s mastered that, you can up the difficulty in a number of ways… - Have him go from start to finish, then do the course in reverse back to the start before you reward him with a treat. - Add more cans and shorten the distance between them. - Change the course so it is not a straight line.

Hands-Free Fetch For this exercise you will need:

• Two to three balls, small enough so your dog can hold it in her mouth, but large enough that she can only carry one at a time. I use racquetballs, but again, it depends on the size of your pooch.

This one is really simple, but very effective. All you have to do is throw one ball to your dog, and once she retrieves it, throw her the other ball and nature should do the rest. If this game works with your dog, she will likely drop one ball to pick up the other. The other ball will start to roll away, capturing her attention, causing her to drop the ball in her mouth to pick up the one that is rolling away. Her interest will once again turn to the ball that is not in her mouth. Now your dog is playing fetch with herself, providing her with exercise and playtime, while you get to have your hands free to do something super fun, like fixing that wobbly table leg on the kitchen table or folding laundry.

Crate Tag For this exercise you will need:

• Your dog’s favorite toy
• Dog crate if you are crate training or dog bed or both
• Treats are optional, but recommended if you are trying to get your pup to enjoy his crate time.

Unlike hands-free fetch, this game is very interactive with you and your dog. Here’s how it works:

Throw your dog his favorite toy and when he grabs it, begin to chase him. Using a playful voice, say something like, “I’m gonna get ya.” The playful, sing-songy voice is important so your dog knows he’s not being punished, and you’re just playing.

As you chase him, try to corral him into his crate or dog bed. These areas are “home base”, and you are not allowed to take the toy away when your dog is in either of these areas. If you catch your dog before he gets to one of these areas, you are free to take the toy. From there, toss the toy back to him, and let the chase begin again.

For an advanced version, only give the toy back to your dog after he follows a command, like “sit”, “down”, or whatever you want him to do. Eventually, he will learn that sitting, lying down, etc. is how to “tag” you and get his toy back.

This game is not only a fun way to interact with your dog, but it also teaches him that his crate is a safe place where he can retreat to and enjoy, even when you are not playing tag.

So, now that you have some tools to turn a busy or rainy day into a fun day for you and your little one, what are you waiting for? Get out there, or in there is more like it, and get some serious puppy play time. And for goodness sake, fix that wobbly kitchen table leg already.