You always walk your dog every day, but now we are facing a severe pandemic; walking the dog outside every day seems unsafe. Because of the quarantine and social distancing, maintaining dogs’ daily exercise becomes a problem. Dogs need daily exercise so that they can release themselves both mentally and physically.
How to exercise your dog at home during this pandemic? Here I would like to introduce five popular games for dogs at home to entertain and exercise your dogs. If you are working from home, or in quarantine at home, these interesting dog games are useful for exercising and training your dog at home. These tips are also suitable for ordinary times, like the rainy days, cold weather, or the days when you do not want to go outside.
1. Use the Stairs
Home dog exercise is to make full use of your home space and equipment, as well as add some fun dog games. The first thing you can make full use of is the stairs. According to the dog’s body and age, you can choose long stairs or short distances.
Climbing stairs is a great way to get your dog some exercise and entertainment. Unlike the flat road, these steps add difficulty and challenge to the dog’s exercise and training.
Climbing stairs allows dogs to exercise all their muscles, but simply climbing stairs is boring and dogs may resist. Therefore, you can add some fun.
Like this, you stand at the top of the stairs and throw your dog’s favorite ball down. When your dog grabs the ball, call his/her name and ask him/her to bring it to you. But there is one thing you need to consider, this game is suitable for adult dogs, big dogs, or long-legged dogs. For a baby puppy, he/she might need to learn how to climb the stairs successfully.
2. Hide and Seek (with two versions)
Hide-and-seek is another interesting dog game, and I really like it. There are two versions I often play with my furry kid. The first one is you hide and let your puppy go seek you out.
You can hide upstairs while he is unprepared, and call out his name to see if he can find you. This will keep you both engaged in the game and strengthen your relationship.
Another version is to hide its favorite snacks. Hide your dog’s favorite treats in different hidden places and teach your furry kid to find them. You can give the dog clues at the beginning. You can also change the hiding places every few days to keep the game interesting. They are very clever; if the treats are always hidden in the same place, and easy to find, they will be tired of playing this hide-and-seek.
3. Play Fetch
A long hallway or a spacious living room is a good place, and you can play fetch with your furry boy. Just throw a toy and let your puppy bring it back. If your dog is not familiar with this fetch game at the beginning, you can teach him/her. Every time the dog brings the ball back successfully, you may give your furry kid some snack as a reward.
Playing fetch is a great indoor dog game, but indoor space is limited. I recommend playing this game in your yard or garden, where it has more space outside. Preferably, it has a dog playpen(more information you can find at Yaheetech), so that you have a safe boundary and don’t need to worry about your dog running too far. Especially under this pandemic situation, a safe playpen fence is necessary.
4. Work out on the Treadmill
I believe most owners like to work out on the treadmill at home. You can use this equipment to exercise your dog, too. First, your dog should not be afraid of the treadmill; this is basic. The second is how to exercise them on the treadmill.
Put your dog on the treadmill and set the pace on the slowest so that your dog can get used to the speed. If your dog is learning this, your company is very important. Occasionally rewarding the dog with a treat will be nice. After a period of training, you can suitably increase the speed or duration as they get used to it.
5. Swim at Home
In addition to the above training and exercise, there is a fun way to entertain your dogs indoors. Let your dog swim, and of course, you need a swimming pool first. If not, a folding pet swimming pool is an ideal choice.
For big adult dogs, make sure the dog swimming pool you bought is big enough for them to move around and feel comfortable inside. Fill the pet pool with water, and some balls, and other small toys will also be nice. I’m sure your dog will have a fun afternoon at home or in the backyard in this fun pool.
When it is unsuitable or unsafe to walk your dog outdoor, knowing how to exercise your dog at home or learning some indoor dog games is important. The amount of daily exercise varies due to a dog’s breed, age, and health condition.
Generally, adult dogs can exercise longer than senior and baby dogs. Remember that since the dogs are doing exercise indoors, so you need to control the amount and time. Regular and moderate exercise is good and safe.
