Rainy Days

On days like today when the rain is continuous & the winds are gusty, you & your dog may both prefer to stay warm & dry inside. While a rainy day may mean more snuggles in bed, or couch time with a movie, it’s still important that both of you get in some exercise!

Here are some fun activities to get your dog moving & thinking to help drain some of that physical & mental energy.

1. Puppy Push-ups! Puppy push ups consist of having your dog sit, then lay down. That’s one puppy push up! For dogs new to these commands, puppy push ups helps to make them think and listen to what you are saying. It also is a fun little workout and burns a few calories too. For the more experienced dogs, you can mix up the commands or add in different ones like stand or shake a paw too.

2. Leave It/Take It: Similar to Red Light, Green Light, this game starts with your dog sitting. You then drop a treat or piece of kibble on the ground & tell your dog to Leave It. When they do & they look at you, tell them to Take It! Then it starts again. You can increase the difficulty & mental workout by dropping the treats closer & closer to your dog, or dropping more than one treat & having them sit & Focus on you between each one. Always remember to work within your dogs current ability to maintain the fun.

3. Find It! Do a little informal nose work by hiding a treat in an area of the house & having your dog find it. For dogs new to this activity, start very simple so they can get some ‘wins’ in and understand the game. This game can progress in tricky-ness by using less fragrant treats, or hiding in harder to sniff out areas.

These simple games can add some excitement to a rainy day for you & your dog 🙂

Enjoy!

Jamie @ The Joyful Dog