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When Your Dogs Can't Play Outside

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How to Keep Your Puppy Occupied When You Have to Stay Inside!


By Nancy Miller

January 29, 2025

Our Sailor during the 2021 Texas "Snowmageddon," "the Snowpocalypse"


Texas is not known for having four definite seasons. Our summers often begin early and go on endlessly, leaving little time for spring, fall, and winter to squeeze in their allotted days. But when we do have a winter, we can really have a doozy! Such was the winter of 2021, Snowmageddon.


Although this picture looks like a sprinkling of snow to our northern friends, this put our state into a standstill, shutting off electricity and water while also shutting down schools for days and even weeks in some places. If you owned an Australian Labradoodle, a "walking carpet" as our trainer puts it, your dog was probably in heaven. While they pant and drool during the majority of the year, they really hit their stride when it gets cold, BUT we have to watch for frostbite on the paws, and good luck getting booties on them!


Now's the time to stock up on toys and ideas to keep them entertained in the house because let's face it, our Texas heat makes staying indoors in air conditioning necessary for more months than any chance snowfall! Here are some of our favorite indoor activities for our furry friends:


BENEBONES:

Our dogs are aggressive chewers, but we also have a lot of puppies in the house, and Benebones cater to both types. These "bones" are safe, tough, and the dogs (and puppies) love them. Be sure to get the puppy bones for the little guys so they don't break their teeth on the harder, adult ones.


THE ORIGINAL HIMALAYAN DOG CHEW:

While you're on the Benebones page, look for this yak cheese, a great, long-lasting chew. Then, when your dog gets to the last small piece, you pop it into the microwave, for a cheesy, puff pastry. Dogs love it both ways.


TUNNELS

This has been one of the biggest hits of our puppy program, and the older dogs love it too. Get the smaller tunnels for tiny dogs and young puppies because they like the tighter, enclosed space. You may be surprised to find your dogs contentedly asleep in the tunnel after playing.

Toddler tunnel

Smaller tunnel (cat tunnel)


GIGGLE BALL

Most dogs love these, others not so much, but if your dog is one of the many who love these toys, they can keep your pooch entertained and you laughing for hours. This page offers a huge assortment.


UNSTUFFED TOYS

Unfortunately, we've had to give up on stuffed toys for our dogs because within a day of bringing them home, Sailor has the living room looking like it's snowed. But these unstuffed toys are just as much fun as long as they have that "crinkly" noise somewhere inside; squeakers usually get ripped out. These also make great tug-of-war toys!


FLIRT POLES

Rare is the dog or puppy who does not LOVE to play with these flirt poles, especially because their human is on the other end of the pole. Any toy that requires their human is always going to be a special one!


35 GAMES TO PLAY WITH YOUR DOG

These will always be your dog's favorite indoor activities since you get to partner with him. Click on this link to find 35 different games that you can play indoors with your dog to combat the boredom!


TRAINING SESSIONS

Stuck indoors with your bored dog? Now is the perfect time to throw in some long-forgotten training sessions. Maybe you need to dust off the "leave it" or "drop it" commands. (I'm talking to myself right now!) There are an infinite number of commands and tricks to teach your dog, who enjoy learning because not only does it give them a sense of accomplishment, but more importantly. they also get to do it with you.


I've given all Amazon links just because they're easy to find and quick to arrive, but you can find these various toys at Chewy's, many online shops, and your local pet stores.


Can you add to the list? Do you have some toys or games that will keep your dog occupied for any length of time? Send them to me, and I'll post them in upcoming newsletters. Thanks!







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