7 Ways to Keep Your Pup Mentally Stimulated in Winter Weather

When I adopted Meeka my grandma bought me a Christmas ornament that held Meeka’s picture and said,

“Rescue is my favorite breed”

And I feel like this could not be more true. I love all kinds of dogs, but I’ve noticed that my strongest bonds have been with dogs we’ve rescued. It’s amazing how even after all they’ve been through, they are still willing to give their heart to their new family. And the joy and love you share is indescribable.

So, naturally, we decided to rescue another, although this time it was a pup. The thing is, we adopted in one of the coldest months of our lovely Canadian winter. Needless to say, there have been days where it is too cold to take Axel for walks, or we could only walk him around 2 blocks before we were on the verge of frostbite.

Therefore we had to get creative with ways to entertain him. If you’ve ever had a puppy, you have probably experienced how they behave like little sh*theads sometimes when they’ve been cooped up too long.

Here are 7 things that worked with Axel:

1. INTERACTIVE TOYS

We purchased this toy at pet planet and both of our dogs absolutely love it. It’s an experience level 2, so it took them a few days to get the hang of it, but they love rolling it around waiting for the treats to come out. Any toys that have mazes, hide treats, or get them thinking in some other way are great! We also enjoy hiding treats in their Kong and Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball.

2. UTILIZE YOUR BACKYARD

Sometimes in the winter it’s just too cold or too dark by the time we get home from work to take Axel for a walk. In that case, we chase him around our backyard. Playing fetch is always a good way to keep him entertained as well. Sometimes we even use our firepit and benches as obstacles for him to run around so he’s not running in the same boring pattern. Axel also enjoys when we hide from him then jump out and run so he can chase us.

We have a patio deck in our backyard, so when we shovel we create little hills. Having him run up them through the deep snow is a good way to tire him out. Apparently it’s also super fun to play catch with the snow; we throw a bunch of snow into the air and Axel jumps around trying to catch it. It’s quite amusing to watch!

3. MYSTERY CUP GAME

You know how at big sporting events they sometimes play the game where they hide something under a cup, then move them around really fast, and you have to guess which one the object is under? Well this can also be done with dogs! (Just make sure you mix them up a little slower.) Neither Axel nor Meeka were very good at this game, but they still had fun pushing over the cups to find the treat.

Important: chances are your pup will not be great at this right away either, so make sure after you play a couple of times you give them the chance to find the treat or you pick up the cup yourself to reveal which one it was under. They will lose interest if not given a chance to be rewarded.

4. DOGGY DAYCARE

Now this is an idea that is great for both you and your canine friend. Most daycares will allow you to drop your dog off for a full day, half day, or even for an hour! This is great for when you have some running around to do because it allows your pup some time to socialize while you get tasks done without feeling bad for leaving them bored in a kennel. And it doesn’t break the bank!

Entering your pup in obedience or agility classes is never a wrong move either. We plan to do this with Axel soon, but our previous dogs have loved these classes and they get so excited when they know it’s time to go!

Some highly rated doggy daycare centers in Calgary are PAWS Dog Daycare, Marda Loop, Central Bark, Back in the Pack, The Balanced Bark, Doggin-It, and Dogtopia.

5. ROVER

If you don’t have much free time or energy by the time your workday is done, Rover is a great resource to use! You can download the app and find people who live nearby to walk your dog a few times a day, take care of your dog at their residence (daycare), come to your house to take care of your pets, board your dogs overnight, etc. It is common to do a meet and greet ahead of time to make sure your dog and the individual/their pets are a good fit. I provide services on Rover as well, so feel free to look me up! https://www.rover.com/sit/arianr62540
Use this promo code to receive $20 off your service if you’re new to Rover!
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6. PLAY INSIDE

We rent a house that has a fairly open concept, so one -40 day we decided to play chase and fetch with Axel indoors. The thing is, dogs don’t really care about the space so much, as long as you’re giving them attention and exercise. We use tennis balls (you don’t want anything too hard) and we usually bounce them in different directions or so they bounce off a wall, etc. Axel loves this because he never knows where the ball is going to end up. It’s also entertaining on our behalf watching him stumble around and come to immediate sliding stops. He thoroughly enjoys when we run back and forth across the house as well, either chasing him or getting him to chase us. This is such a fun, simple game to him and we both get our exercise. Click here for a hilarious video of Axel face planting while playing inside.

7. WORK ON TRAINING

What dog doesn’t enjoy learning something new if it means treats are involved?! Use little training treats like Zoe tender bites so your pup is not indulging too much. Work on any tricks or obedience training and try teaching them something new. This will keep them engaged and thinking, which tires them out mentally so they’re not going stir crazy by the end of the day.

While all of these ideas are simple, they are also effective. Your pup will appreciate the new forms of entertainment. Please feel free to leave a comment below with other ideas or let me know which method was your dog’s favorite!

XoXo,

Ariana