6 tips for keeping your dog active
Updated: Dec 18, 2020
On a daily basis, dogs require mental and physical stimulation to remain active.
However, dogs living indoors do not get as much exercise as outdoor dogs do.
You can play several different games without leaving the house in order to keep your dog active. It's also necessary to play with both people and pets, so expose your dog to different playmates. However both dogs require active exercise. You should find activities that will suit your lifestyle, even if your dog lives indoors.
1. Each day, train your dog. It will help to keep his mind active by training your dog everyday and it is a perfect way to bond with your dog and have fun together. To focus on commands, such as sit, come, heel, and lower it, aim for two 5 to 10 minute training sessions daily.
Be sure to reward your dog for his hard work with treats, petting, and a lot of praise.
2. Toss some soft toys. As long as you are using soft toys instead of rough or bouncy balls, you can play fetch with your dog indoors. Find a toy like an animal that is
stuffed, a squeaky toy, or a felt ball. Toss it a couple of feet away. When you toss, say "fetch" or go get it". The canine should pick up the toy and bring it to you again. Toss it up again before you or the dog are tired. You should not aim it at something delicate or expensive, even with a soft toy.
3. Place your food in the puzzle toys. Puzzle toys keep your dog physically and mentally active. Put within a treat or some kibble. Watch your dog try to make it out of here. Hide the food puzzles around the house for an extra challenge. Your dog is going to be able to smell the treats inside, and they're going to dig around to find them. Many puzzle toys are plastic containers with buttons and a treat drawer. Your dog will paw and push the buttons before the compartment is opened.
4. Give them chew toys. Chew toys relieve your dog’s urge to chew.[4] If your dog is left home alone, a chew toy can keep them engaged while they are alone. Good chew toys include: Chew ropes, Squeaky toys, Plastic bones, Teething sticks, Rubber balls,
5. Make a playdate with another dog. Many dogs enjoy playing, chasing, and wrestling with each other. If you have a friend with a dog, you might want to schedule a date when they can bring their dog over to play with yours.
Introduce the dogs slowly, and supervise them when they first start playing with each other.
6. Walk your dog. Dogs need to go outside to eliminate and exercise. You should aim to walk your dog for at least thirty minutes a day. This can be broken up into two fifteen minute sessions, one in the morning and one in the evening.
If you cannot walk your dog during the day, you may want to hire a professional dog walker.
TIPS
Even indoor dogs need to go outside to eliminate. Make sure that your dog has the ability to go outside multiple times a day.
Dogs need to be walked every day for exercise, stimulation, and socialization. If you cannot walk your dog consistently, you may want to look into hiring a dog sitter or taking them to a daycare so that they can receive this attention.
If you have multiple people in your household, you may want to assign each a different day to exercise and play with the dog. This will ensure that the dog receives a certain amount of exercise a day.
Certain breeds, such as Labrador retrievers or border collies, are very energetic and require more exercise. Other dogs, like bulldogs, may not do well with excessive exercise.