8 Ways to Exercise my Dog Indoors
There are many instances in a week where dog owners get too busy, too tired or just a little lazy to walk their dogs. What if it is raining? What if it is raining for a few days in a row, during your scheduled dog walking time? If you are injured or have walking issues, walking may not be something you want to do either… How to exercise my dog without walking it?
Yes you can still exercise your dog at home, without going on for a walk in such situations! Indoor exercises cannot replace actual walks; you have to make efforts to walk your dog outside or have someone else do it, so that your pups get to use all their senses (smell, sight etc), engage their minds and use up any excess energies. Exercise and boredom are two different issues! Here we compile replacements for outdoor exercise.
Here is a list of some ways on how to exercise your dog inside/indoors, see which ones work for you! Hopefully your pups will play simple games with you in lieu of their daily walk J
Simple and Affordable Ways
- Fetch
This classic game has always been a simple and does not cost very much. All you need is a dog toy or item safe for throwing and retrieving, and you toss it away from you! Some pups need to be trained to play this simple fetch game, but sometimes, they will just retrieve the item for you in order to please you (their owner). Dogs who enjoy this game would be able to get their exercise indoors, and the best part – you can do it anytime of the day!
- Chasing Toys/Treats
Tie a toy or treat (or treat inside a toy) to a string by itself, or to a string and a stick, and let your pup chase it! You can even do this while seated in front of the tv. Or you can try and play football with some breeds of dogs (herding dogs), it might be quite instinctive to them!
- Indoor Obstacle Course
Have cushions, boxes, pillows and toys? You can consider making your own obstacle course for your pup at home! Go big on the ideas – make a network of tunnels, or just a simple one with cushions. If you change the layout, your pup will be very excited as it would seem like a new ‘game’ to it!
- Stimulate their Sense of Smell
Try to hide their meal or treats inside a treat dispensing toy, hiding places or in a box, and let them try to get the food out of it.
- Hide and Seek
Hide their favourite toy and let them find it, or hide yourself and let them find you!
Other Ideas
- Stair climbing
If you have a stairway at home, you can engage you dog in exercise by playing fetch on the stairs. For example, you could wait at the top of the staircase, throw the toy down and let your dog chase after it – then call it by its name and let it bring the toy back to you… and you can repeat it a few times!
- Treadmills
Dogs can utilize a treadmill too, in a similar way that we humans would use it. Set a moderate pace and keep your eye on your pup all the time, for safety reasons! There are also dog treadmills in the market… if you have the space for any treadmill at home!
- Training Time
You could use the opportunity to train your pup something new, or reinforce any learnt tricks and commands.
Not Recommended:
- Laser Pointers – May drive your dog into too much excitement and lead to problems such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), neuroticism (madness) or paranoia. They might keep on looking for the laser even after you have stopped the game. Also runs the risk of the laser on the eyes, which is potentially harmful to the retina of both your and your dog’s eyes.
- Tug-of-War – Unless your dog will respond to you asking it to drop the rope on command, it is not a good idea to play this game. It can go wrong when the dog gets too excited and the tugging brings out the aggression in your dog.
Remember, taking walks with your pup outdoors are great for both of you. Even if you don’t have the time for a nice slow walk, you can probably afford 15 minutes every day. Otherwise, engage our professional team on a regular, fixed schedule basis for a peace of mind! Routines are good for dogs! Do note that we do pet sitting at the comfort of your own home too.
Important Note
As with all dogs and pets, please ensure that your fur kid is in good health with regular check ups and monitoring of their health status. Any unusual behaviour or appearances should be investigated further. Do not begin a new exercise routine your dog without consulting your vet. Do not exercise a sick, injured or recovering dog; it is not recommended to exercise some dogs vigorously right after meals. Do keep them hydrated and well rested. If unsure or in doubt, please check with a professional or your vet. Do your research on the activity that you wish to partake with your dogs before starting on it.