Cold Day Alternatives to Walks

It's s bit chilly out there today! If your dog is awkwardly lifting their paws off the snow then it's time to get them back inside! Winter boots can be an option, but the nice ones are expensive and dogs don't always love wearing them. If you haven't yet trained a good association to putting boots on your dogs, it may be a bit too late to use them this weekend. Our top tip here is to put a jacket on your dog and do multiple short walks throughout the day when you can.

That might get them out for their bathroom breaks but it doesn't help you tire them out. Read on for top tips on indoor activities for your active pooch!

Puzzles
Instead of a walk to tire out your pup, consider a food puzzle for each meal. Something as simple as a pop bottle with some holes in it to let the kibble fall out of is all you need. Or get out all your recycling and use boxes and paper to hide your dogs kibble in a snuffle box. You can also Google DIY puzzle toys for more ideas. - get them sniffing and problem solving inside.

Nosework
There are various studies out there and a lot of anecdotal evidence that shows that dogs using their brain to search out and find a scent is very enriching and mentally stimulating. As a result a few nose work games can tire your dog out just as much as a 1 hour off leash walk. Nose work is great for these periods of time when we might be keeping our dogs indoors.

Polly and Dave will definitely be working on some good nosework games this weekend. Here's an quick read article on some scent games you can play with your dog: https://moderndogmagazine.com/.../8-fun-scent-games.../80052

Trick Training
Teach your pups some fun tricks this weekend. There are so many great Youtube, Instagram and TikTok videos that can help you with teaching your dog new tricks. One of our favourite YouTube trainers is KikoPup. This weekend Tigg will be working on perfecting his jump through my arms trick and learning a new trick - jumping over my arms posted by Instagrammer the.trick.team
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cvcfn8fgOl6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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What will you be doing this weekend to keep your dog sane?