Spending quality time with your dog is essential. Go on long walks, play some games, or teach them tricks, there are so many fun things that you can do to bond with your furry friends. If you’re looking for fun indoor and outdoor activities to do with your canine companion, then here’s the perfect list for you.
1. Agility for Dogs
It’s like parkour but ten times more adorable! Agility lessons are a great way to help your dog release energy, stay in shape, and gain confidence. In these lessons, handlers guide dogs through a series of obstacles that consist of hurdles, tunnels, balance beams, and more. Agility training and other dog sports can also be used for competitions or you can just do it for fun. Overall, agility training is a great activity for your dogs to enjoy.
2. Play With Puzzle Toys
Sometimes the best activity for your dog is a mental exercise. Puzzle toys are simple, easy, and great to keep your dog busy and entertained for some time. These toys are great for mental stimulation because it gives them a chance to use their natural problem-solving abilities and helps them focus. Interactive toys are also great for keeping your dog engaged to tire them out mentally, which means this is a great activity to do indoors when going outside isn’t possible.
3. Nose Work Games
Dogs have evolved to be one of the best tracking animals in the world, however, domestic dogs don’t have a good reason to use their natural hunting abilities in their daily lives. This is why having your dog use their noses to find things is a simple way to help them hone their natural tracking skills. It’s also a great mental exercise for your dog and encourages them to use their sense of smell to find things, rather than relying on visuals.
4. Movies and Cuddle Time
This one is for people who don’t want to get out of bed and dogs with low energy. Pull up your favorite blanket, put on some comfy pajamas, and watch your favorite movie or these dog movies alongside your furry best friend. While your dog might not understand what’s happening, they’re going to love the chance to spend some quality quiet time with their favorite person. Besides, sometimes the best activity you and your dog can do together is by being comfortable together. Not every activity has to be a high-energy physical bonding exercise.
5. Let Your Dog Walk You
Going for walks is one of the most exciting parts of a dog’s day but you can always change things up and give your dog the chance to explore different sights. Next time you’re going for a walk, let your dog sniff around some more and walk with them on some new mystery route. Letting your dog take the lead down a different route can be refreshing and mentally stimulating for the dog. This also helps them release any pent-up energy because they’ll be excited to explore new areas, see new sights, and smell new scents.
6. Go Swimming
Some dogs can be very energetic and explorative so why not go swimming? Swimming can be a fun and physically enriching activity for your dog and it can be more fun for them when their favorite person hops in the water with them. Spend a day exploring and swimming with your dog on these dog-friendly beaches in the US or lakes. Just make sure you’re going to a dog-friendly place and that your dog is physically capable of swimming (because some dog breeds can’t swim). Lastly, make sure you have a doggy life vest just to be safe.
7. Socialize at Dog-Friendly Places
Dogs are social creatures and seeing new people and other dogs can be a fun experience for them. With that in mind going to various dog-friendly places might be a fun activity for both you and your dog. You can go shopping with your dog, go to a dog-friendly restaurant, stay at a pet-friendly hotel, or do something as simple as going to the dog park. While you’re there you might even meet new friends that share your interests or find a playdate for your dog.
8. Playing Hide and Seek
So, it’s just you and your dog in the house? Time for a fun game of hiding and seek. Ideally, you need two people to teach your dog how to play hide and seek. You can do this by having one person stay with the dog while the other person hides before calling them. Playing hide and seek can be a fun indoor activity, just make sure you’re hiding in places where your dog can reasonably find you. You don’t want to encourage your dog to jump on top of things or scratch doors to find you. Once they do find you remember to give them treats.
9. Obedience Training
Obedience training is an important exercise for all dogs, especially high-energy breeds that need a lot of mental stimulation. It is completely up to you whether you want to train your dog for simple cues or train for serious obedience. Regardless of your training style, obedience training is a great way to form a closer bond with your dog and improve your communication with them. These training routines can be a fun activity for both of you while allowing you to get rid of your dog’s bad habits.
10. Enroll in a Dog Activity Group
If you look around on social media there are a lot of dog groups out there for you to join. Each of these communities has different dog activities you could get involved in from doggy play dates to group walking sessions. Joining group activities can be great training for your dog both physically and socially. This will allow your dog to interact with other dogs or find a future playdate. The best part about joining groups is that you might have a different activity every time! Whether you’ll be going on long walks, dog meet-ups, or even doga, you and your dog are bound to have a good time.
