During the cold season with its snowy conditions and freezing temperatures, it’s crucial to find fun activities for both your dog and yourself to avoid being bored. Regardless of whether you prefer going out or staying inside, we have numerous indoor and outdoor winter activities for dogs to offer you.
Outdoor Winter Activities for Dogs
One of the best remedies for feeling trapped indoors is going outside with your dog to get some exercise and fresh air! Regardless of whether or not there’s snow on the ground, spending time together out of the house will be a delightful experience for both of you.
PUT THEIR SNOUT TO THE TEST
Engaging in nose work exercises with your dog can keep them physically and mentally stimulated by prompting them to use their sense of smell to locate a specific scent. This task becomes more challenging but ultimately gratifying during winter, as the snow and wind can affect the flow of a scent, and the cold and arid air makes it more challenging to detect smells. For scent training that involves the use of treats as a reward, we suggest utilizing our Crav’n Bac’n Bites that are chewy, soft, and come with only 3 calories per treat. This way, you and your furry friend can keep practicing nose work for an extended period of time.
PLAY FETCH
Playing fetch is a favorite activity for many dogs, even during the winter months. Snow-covered ground shouldn’t stop you, but it’s best to choose a lighter item, such as a disc or Nerf dog football, to avoid losing it in a snowdrift. Some discs come with LEDs to help visibility in low light conditions. As the snow makes the task more challenging for your furry friend, it’s advisable to throw the object a shorter distance. Avoid playing in icy areas to prevent your dog from slipping.
GIVE SKIJORING A GO
If your dog enjoys running and you love skiing, skijoring could be your new winter activity. Skijoring, which means ‘ski driving’ in Norwegian, only involves you, your dog, and a pair of skis to experience the thrill. Once you put your dog in harness, connect a long line that is attached to its harness, and place the dog in front of you to pull you on skis. Although it might take some time to understand, many dogs naturally enjoy pulling their owners. Skijoring is perfect for dogs of all sizes, but be careful to move at a comfortable pace for your dog’s comfort. Do not attempt skijoring with puppies or young dogs, only with fully grown, healthy adult dogs.
Play With Your Dog in the Snow
Experiment with your dog during winter if they enjoy being outside. Interact with them by playing in the snow and observing their response. You may create a path around your yard by shoveling or stomping on the snow for your dog to chase you or run. In case your puppy enjoys digging outside, you can inspire them to dig in the snow by displaying a treat and covering it lightly with snow, gradually placing the treat a little deeper each time until they understand the idea. Some dogs may even show interest in sledging down a hill, akin to children; however, never force them to do so if they appear to be scared.
Even the task of clearing your driveway can become more enjoyable with the presence of dogs, as many of them enjoy chasing snow that’s thrown from a snowblower or shovel.
KEEP THINGS INDOORS
If venturing out into the chilly climate doesn’t appeal to you, ponder experimenting with indoor winter pastimes alongside your dog.
BAKE WITH YOUR BUDDY
Winter and baking are a perfect match, so why not attempt it with your furry friend? By taking the necessary steps and using the appropriate ingredients, you can bake mouth-watering treats that are safe for your pet. To get some ideas, browse through these effortless recipes for homemade dog biscuits and treats. It’s crucial to keep your dog away from hot stovetops and ovens because those enticing smells may lead to unfortunate accidents if you’re not vigilant.
Play Indoor Games
There are several games you can engage in with your dog to keep them active and expend their energy, contingent upon the amount of space accessible in your home.
- Tug of war
- Obstacle or agility courses
- Hide and seek
- Indoor fetch
- Fetch and seek
If your dog comprehends ‘stay’ and ‘come’, you can play hide and seek with one person or two. You can also play by incorporating treats. Furthermore, fetch and seek can add to the fun – you can throw a ball and then run to a hiding location while your dog goes after it.
BRING OUT YOUR PUP’S CREATIVE SIDE
Exercise your creativity with washable paints that are safe for dogs! Before you start, take measures to secure your floors by laying a tarp on them. Then, place a poster board, canvas, or sheet of paper on the tarp surface and dip your canine’s paws in the dog-friendly paint. Press their painted paws onto the designated surface or allow them to walk on it. If it becomes too messy, you can dampen a sponge with paint to cover your dog’s paws. Initially, give your dog time to adjust to the new material and anticipate that you may need to wash their paws (or bathe them in full).
Dive into Dog Enrichment
In winter, when dogs may experience boredom due to isolation, it’s crucial to prioritize dog enrichment. Activities such as indoor scent work, food puzzles, and snuffle mats are effective in providing mental stimulation and allowing dogs to engage in natural behaviors.
By rotating the toys that are available to your dog intentionally, you can make them appear novel and enthralling when you reintroduce them later!
NOTHING BEATS A GOOD MOVIE
In case of any other unsuccessful attempts or when you simply want to have a laid-back day, snuggle up with your furry friend and indulge in watching a movie that you both love. You can choose from a range of popular dog-friendly films like the Air Bud series, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, or Marley & Me.
Make a Play Date
Arrange an indoor visit for your dog to play with its nearby friends. It can be a convenient way of pet sitting if you or your acquaintance need to go somewhere! These indoor playdates during winter can be an excellent way of socializing your dog, which is crucial for its optimal health and happiness.
Teach Your Dog New Tricks
Teaching your dog new skills during cold weather can enhance their confidence level and offer an excellent opportunity. A skill that may be beneficial throughout the year is teaching your dog to keep their toys. To have a fruitful outcome, the training of a new trick should be the focus, and positive motivation should be used. Online dog training classes are also readily available to explore.
BONUS: Dog training 101 — How to set realistic goals and where to get started
According to Journey Dog Training owner and certified dog behavior consultant Kayla Fratt, a fundamental objective for all dogs is to make them feel at ease both in their own skin and in the lifestyle they share with their owners.
Training can benefit dogs in every stage of their lives, regardless of whether you just acquired a puppy from a breeder or have owned your dog for many years.
Wondering where to start the process? If you’ve looked up “dog trainers near me” on the internet lately, you may have been swamped with options, certifications, and terminology, making it challenging to make a decision. The internet is brimming with information! That’s why we sought guidance from some professionals on how to begin. Here’s their advice:
Identify your training goals
There exist two main categories of training for dogs. One category focuses on skill development, including basic obedience commands like sit, stay, and lie down, and is overseen by a dog trainer. The other category is geared towards behavioral challenges such as anxiety, fear or aggression; in such cases, a dog behavioral consultant like Brianna Dick from Pack Leader Help is typically sought out.
“The way that I approach dog training is behavioral psychology based,” says Dick, who is a member of the International Association of Canine Professionals. “We’re not looking at just the physical behaviors of dogs. We’re looking at their emotions and the relationship they have with their humans.”
If you require training for both skills and behavior, it’s advisable to commence with the trickier one, which is behavior training. A dog behavior expert will possess knowledge in teaching your dog how to sit, but a dog trainer may not have enough expertise to assist your dog in managing separation anxiety.
Be realistic.
Fratt believes that not all dogs will ever enjoy going to the dog park, just as not all humans will ever love attending raves.
Kim Brophey, who owns The Dog Door Behavior Center, is an applied ethologist and family dog mediator. She authored the book “Meet Your Dog: The Game Changing Guide To Understanding Your Dog’s Behavior.” Brophey utilizes L.E.G.S (learning, environment, genetics, self) to illustrate dog behavior. If your guests are being barked at by your dog, for instance.
“That might be a breed of dog that was selected for hundreds of years to defend against people walking in your front door,” says Brophey. Since you can’t train away a German shepherd’s genetic impulse to defend its territory, you may need to change your expectations, instead.
Decide how you’d like to train your dog.
There are several training methods available, including group classes, individual training, board and train, day training, and self-led training. While group classes cost less, they lack personalization. Board and train facilities are pricier and come with more risks, according to Fratt.
“If the trainer spends all this time training the dog in this really specific context and then basically just hands you the leash, takes your check and walks away, there’s a very good chance you’re not actually going to be able to implement those new strategies and skills … successfully in your home.”
Your decision will be based on both what you can afford and what you want to achieve with your training. To illustrate, if your canine is exhibiting hostile behavior towards another dog within your residence, it is unlikely that training conducted away from your home will be effective.
Keep in mind that you will need to participate in your dog’s training, but it doesn’t have to consume a significant portion of your day. Fratt indicates that she dedicates roughly five minutes daily to training. Additionally, many of the exercises assigned by trainers can be enjoyable and seamlessly integrated into your daily routine.
According to our experts, if you’re looking for affordable dog training options, you can explore these online resources that are either low-cost or completely free.
- Kikopup on Youtube and Instagram
- Fenzi Dog Sports Academy
- K9 of Mine
Understand the methodologies.
The field of dog training is not subject to regulation, allowing anyone with a website, Instagram page, or storefront to assert themselves as a dog trainer. Consequently, there is no authoritative guide for which techniques to employ during dog training, resulting in contradictory opinions among trainers. Nevertheless, most trainers can be categorized into two general groups.
Positive reinforcement trainers, such as Fratt, use a method of rewarding dogs with treats or other pleasant experiences when they exhibit desirable behavior in order to encourage them to continue this behavior. Alternatively, by associating something that the dog perceives as scary with a positive experience, the trainer can help the dog overcome its fears.
Another type of trainer that exists is the balanced trainer, exemplified by Brianna Dick, who implements both positive reinforcement techniques and corrective measures such as e-collars in their training approach.
According to Dick, E-collar training utilizes a remote-controlled collar worn by the dog that produces a corrective signal, such as a shock, sound, or citronella spray, on their neck. This type of training is controversial among the dog training community, particularly those that emit a shock.
Dick advises to be cautious of trainers who use e-collars on every dog. According to her, this approach is too generic and will not produce satisfactory outcomes. Instead, she suggests finding a trainer who will take the time to understand your individual needs, including your relationship with your dog and your way of life.
Find a good trainer.
A good starting point for finding positive reinforcement or balanced trainers in your area is to refer to lists created by different professional associations.
