Severe weather events, poor air quality, temperature extremes and other unforeseen situations can keep you and your dog cooped up indoors. But you both still need physical and mental activities to stay healthy and avoid weight gain \u2014 and to keep from going stir crazy. That means you\u2019ll have to get creative.<\/p>\n
When you and your dog are stuck indoors, there are steps you can take to keep your dog active and any potential extra weight at bay. Read on to learn more.<\/p>\n
Maintaining a healthy or consistent weight is a balancing act of calories in and calories out \u2014 in other words, food and activity. The single greatest tool you can use to help your canine companion avoid weight gain is a measuring cup<\/a> or kitchen scale. By carefully measuring the amount of food fed, you\u2019ll know how much your dog is eating and whether you need to make adjustments based on your dog\u2019s body condition<\/a>.<\/p>\n When it comes to treats, many pet parents aren\u2019t aware how many calories can be packed into a tiny tidbit. Yet rewarding our dogs with a treat or two is an important part of the bond we share with our pets. If your dog isn\u2019t getting as much exercise as usual because the two of you are stuck indoors, consider decreasing the number of treats you give or switch to a lower-calorie option. Remember the rule of thumb: treats should provide no more than 10 percent of a dog\u2019s daily calories.<\/p>\n Regardless of your home\u2019s size, find 15 minutes twice a day (or 10 minutes three times a day) to walk at a decent pace around your house or apartment with your dog. It will get you and your dog moving.<\/p>\n If weather permits and you have a terrace, lanai or backyard, you and your dog can get some fresh air as you purposefully walk around the area. You can up the activity\u2019s intensity by adding intervals of jogging, sprinting or jumping jacks.<\/p>\n Does your home or apartment building have stairs? Walking your dog up and down the stairs twice a day for about 5 to 10 minutes each time gives you both an excellent cardio workout while engaging different muscles compared to walking on a flat surface. A \u201cstaircase workout\u201d also can help burn off some of your dog\u2019s energy. There\u2019s just one caveat. If your dog has joint or balance issues, going up and down stairs isn\u2019t recommended.<\/p>\n When playing and walking outdoors isn\u2019t an option, you need to get creative with indoor play. Some dogs need extra playtime when they\u2019re stuck inside. Consider these ideas to get your dog moving:<\/p>\n You can also stand at either the bottom or top of your home\u2019s staircase and toss a toy for your dog to fetch.<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve ever wondered if your dog might enjoy agility, here\u2019s a chance to find out while also getting your dog active. You can set up an obstacle course in your living room, basement or multiple rooms of your home (or your backyard when you can go outside). You can set up a low hurdle using a broom stick across boxes or laundry baskets, tunnels made from large cardboard boxes (or buy one from a pet retailer) and a slalom course made from plastic cups or training cones set about 3 feet apart. Then it\u2019s a matter of walking, trotting and running your dog through the course. Your dog will enjoy both the physical and mental exercise from the change-up provided by the obstacles.<\/p>\n Being stuck inside is a good time to work on training, whether your dog needs practice on basic commands or you want to teach more advanced ones. Even if your dog knows commands well, a training session can still be fun and a great exercise for both mind and body.<\/p>\n If you want to step up your dog\u2019s tricks, work on teaching fun and helpful tricks like how to pick up his or her own toys. Remember, too, dogs can recognize more than 150 words, so try teaching your dog the names of toys, then send your dog to retrieve them.<\/p>\n Much like a scavenger hunt, a treat hunt allows your dog to do two of his or her favorite things \u2014 sniffing and eating. While your dog is out of sight in another room or in a crate, strategically hide some great-smelling treats that your dog loves around the house in places where they can find them. Try hiding treats behind the door, next to furniture, under pillows or in room corners. You can also hide treats among your dog\u2019s toys.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve hidden the goodies, let your dog loose to start searching. You may need to guide them initially to areas where treats are hidden and encourage him or her to search. Then again, if you hide fragrant treats, your dog may not need any help locating the goodies.<\/p>\n As much as you and your dog enjoy your time together, there will be times when you (or your dog) needs a break. You can keep your canine companion mentally occupied and entertained if you invest in some puzzle toys.<\/p>\n Puzzle toys are interactive toys that usually involve hidden treats in an object. Your dog will need to figure out how the toy works to get the treats, which will require some skill. You\u2019ll just want to make sure the reward is worth the effort!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Avoiding weight gain and even cabin fever can be challenging when you need to stay inside for an extended period of time, regardless of the reason why. But with a little creativity and minor changes to your dog\u2019s activities, you can make it more tolerable \u2014 even enjoyable \u2014 for both you and your dog.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nGo for a \u201cwalk\u201d<\/h3>\n
Become stair masters<\/h3>\n
Play, play and play some more<\/h3>\n
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Create an obstacle course<\/h3>\n
Practice training, then teach some new tricks<\/h3>\n
Set up a treat hunt<\/h3>\n
Provide hands-off mental stimulation<\/h3>\n