3 Indoor Games and Activities to Play with Your Dog on a Rainy Day

You see rain in the forecast, and then glance over at your dog. You’re wondering just how much of a little demon they will become if they aren’t able to go on their daily walk! They’re already wild enough even on days they do go outside…

Dogs need at least 30 minutes of exercise a day, with some breeds needing over 2 hours! When the sun is out, going for a walk or stopping by the dog park can ensure that your dog will get the stimulation and exercise they need to let their inner good doggo shine for the rest of the day. But on those rainy days, it takes some creativity to let the energy out when they’re stuck inside.

Chances are that your dog likes to play fetch or tug of war. 30 minutes of those games can be a great way to get your dog’s daily exercise, but if your dog (or you) get bored after just 10 minutes then it’s time to add something more. Fortunately, those mini games can be the greatest reward for some of the games and activities mentioned here! Tug of war and fetch help your dog to shake off and let loose from the mental focus they had to use to complete the game, while being enjoyable and highly rewarding at the same time.

How do you decide which game or activity to do? Try a few to find out what your dog enjoys! Not every dog will enjoy each of these activities the same, so you may need to test out a couple to find what works best for you and your dog. Remember that these games are meant to be fun, so don’t hesitate to take a step back to tug of war or fetch if your dog is starting to get overwhelmed with learning something new.

There are a couple variations of this game, but all of them put your dog’s greatest ability – their nose – to use! The mental stimulation that comes from sniffing and searching is a great way to tire your dog out, even on a rainy day. Start by simply hiding a treat in one closed hand. Then, with your two closed hands facing your dog, prompt them to sniff and find the treat with a command like “find it!”. Give them the treat and lots of praise when they do!

To make Sniff and Seek a bit harder, gather 2 or more cups or bowls. Hide the treat (or a toy) under one cup, and then shuffle them all around. Prompt your dog to find the treat with the same command (“find it!”), and again give them lots of praise when they do. This is also a great time to throw in some tug of war or fetch as a reward.

Once your dog is familiar with the “find it!” command, you can start making the game even harder by hiding treats or toys around the house. Start by hiding the toy or treat near to you. Use the “find it!” command, and as always praise them for being such a good doggo! Then, start increasing the difficulty by hiding the toy or treat in other rooms, hidden under blankets or beds, and anywhere else they can find.

The key here is to not progress too quickly. It’s important to keep your dog’s confidence high by giving them hide and seek challenges that they can accomplish. If your dog is struggling to find an item, either help direct them to it, or take a step back and hide the treat in a spot they’ve already found. Don’t hesitate to go back to hiding the treat in your hand if it’s needed! It may be a few days or even weeks before your dog is able to sniff out a toy hidden in another room, but just be patient and remember that the goal is to have fun.

An indoor agility course is all you need to both mentally and physically stimulate your dog inside on a rainy day! A good indoor agility course can usually be found for around $100, and includes things like a high jump, jump ring, weave poles, and a tunnel. if you don’t want to purchase an agility course just yet, you can start with props from around your home, such as box-tunnels, book-jumps, and chair-weaves.

Before your dog starts jumping and running through the course like a pro, start by just setting up the props in an open indoor space and watch how your dog reacts to them. If they are curious and confident, you can jump straight into the activities! But if they’re acting timid or uncertain, then give your dog some time to get used to it all. Give your dog praise when they go near these strange objects!

Once your dog feels comfortable with the props, you can start training this activity. Begin with just one prop and lure your dog over/through with their favorite toy or treat. Use a command like “over!” or “through!”. Heavily reward them when they do. It takes confidence for a dog to walk through or jump over things, and they just accomplished it! Then take your dog over or through that same object a few more times to strengthen the learning build their confidence. After your dog has learned how to use each prop individually, you can start stringing together 2, 3,4, or more objects and obstacles to thoroughly poop out your pup!

As with the Sniff and Seek Game, the key to having a fun time is to not progress too quickly. Don’t hesitate to slow things down or go back to a prop they know how to do. And remember that sometimes tug of war or fetch can be the greatest reward of all!

Even if your pup can’t walk or run around outside, just getting out of the house can be a great way to mentally stimulate and tire them out. Smelling and seeing new things is highly engaging for dogs and jumping in the car for a ride is one of the best ways to stimulate their senses. Try turning off the circulate air button in the car and turn on the fan or heater. This creates constant stream of fresh air filled with new scents flowing by your dog’s nose!

For even more stimulation, make a stop at a pet-friendly store such as Petco, Home Depot, many bookstores, or even the mall. With all the sights and sounds and smells, your dog will surely come home ready for a nice long nap! And while you’re at it, being in a busy store is a great time to practice loose-leash walking.