Ways to Exercise Your Dog Indoors When It’s Very Cold Outside

When cabin fever sets in, it doesn’t just apply to humans. Cats and dogs also feel the effects. While you can take a trip or find other creative ways to get your energy out, your pets only have the option of walking out the pet door in the hopes of getting some fresh air that doesn’t hurt their faces. The good news is that you can both get some sense of satisfaction by finding a few unique ways to give your dog some exercise inside the house.

Hide and Seek

Does your dog love treats? Of course he or she does! However, treats can cause your pup to put on weight when he or she doesn’t need to, especially during the winter months when exercise time is limited. For an indoor workout, try hiding the treats so your pup has to look for them. Dogs have such a heightened sense of smell that it won’t take long at all for your pup to find the treat, but they get a bit of exercise and mental stimulation as they look for it.

Agility Course

Part of the reason that living beings get so antsy in the wintertime is that they don’t have as much opportunity to stretch their legs. Create an agility course in your home that forces your dog not just to stretch, but to learn new tricks, as well.

For example, use a chair on its side to create an obstacle for your dog to crawl under. Use books to hold the chair up, lowering it as the dog gets better at crawling. This presents your dog with a challenge, but it is also a great way to teach your pup a new skill. Use a hand signal or voice command each time you want your dog to crawl under the obstacle. Soon enough, they will crawl without the chair in place.

You can also add other things to an agility course. Have the pup jump through hoops, climb steps, run around cones, or create other obstacles for him or her to maneuver around. You can even make a course that leads straight to the dog door, so that he or she gets some fresh air as soon as they get through the course.

Get Social

When you spend too much time with the same person or pet, they tend to get on your nerves. Take the time to help your pet (and yourself) be more social. Try going to a pet store to walk around. Ask a friend to bring their dog over to play. Just be sure to introduce the dog doors so that there are no accidents.

When a nice day does arrive, be sure to go for a walk outside or take a trip to the nearest dog park, even if you have a backyard. A change of scenery does you both good, but it also allows for more social opportunities.

Giving your dog more ways to exercise over the winter months is good for you and your pet. It changes up the routine and gives you both a bit of exercise. It may even spark some ideas for new things to do when the weather gets warmer.