8-ways-exercise-dogs-indoors

Most dogs and puppies need a healthy dose of exercises every day. The challenge is, often the weather outside doesn’t allow you to conduct your usual dog walks or out plays. Depending on where you live, it could be rainstorms, frigid temperatures, heat waves- or all together. So, know more about how to exercise your dog indoors is really important.

This kind of weather can make exercising your dog outside precarious. Unfortunately, you have to exercise your dog either rain or sunshine.

So what should you do? You need to come up with creative ways to get them to exercise when stuck indoors. Before we discuss some of the ways you can exercise your dog indoors, let’s talk some essential guidelines for enriching your pet’s health and life through exercises.

 

Why Exercising Your Dog or Puppy Makes Sense

Young or old, big or small, dogs need a daily dose of exercise. While some breeds might be active than others, and age also affects their activity levels, dogs need to take part in some physical activities every day.

Without exercises, your dog will become frustrated, bored, and unhealthy. Exercises help its metabolic system to function optimally, tones the muscles, and engages the mind. Any dog owner who has had a pet that suffers from lack of mental stimulation and exercises will tell you that they will often pick up destructive behaviors.

If not exercised, dogs will become obese since they are not allowed to burn off the calories they take in. It becomes more noticeable in dogs that get a lot of treats from their owners.

 

So, How Long Should You Exercise Your Dog Indoors Every Day?

Though exercise needs depend on a dog’s breed, size, age, and its overall health, it should spend between 30 minutes and two hours on physical activity every day. Breeds meant for hunting or working will need more and rigorous exercises.

There is no rule of thumb as to the number of exercises you should subject your dog too because their needs are different based on their breeds and other factors. Pay attention to your dog’s signals; if they start showing signs of fatigue during an exercise change the activity or allow them to rest. However, sometimes they fatigue easily because of achy muscles or too much weight. You need to understand the reason behind them slowing down quickly.

If you aren’t sure whether or not your dog can handle a particular indoor exercise, you can talk to your veterinarian. You don’t want to subject your dog to strenuous workouts as this could end up causing more significant problems. If you have not been exercising your dog, start slow and gradually increase the duration and physicality of the exercises.

 

Teaching Your Dog How to Exercises and Be a Gamer

Dogs delight in a fun exercise or game. With a little preparation, you will have an easier and exciting time playing together.

So, how should you get them prepared? Think of a team of football. Without instructions, they will run and kick the ball around without any aim, and generally, the whole thing will create chaos and won’t be fun. Players have to be taught positioning and rules. It holds right for dogs and puppies as well.

You and your dog will enjoy exercising together once it learns how to play them. Here are 3 tips to make your dog learn the rules easily;

  • Teach him the ‘find it’ command
  • Use a step-by-step method to introduce exercises and games
  • Praise and reward them throughout the training process to encourage them and reinforce your instructions

With that in mind, we can now discuss indoor physical activity you can engage your dog in. Here are 8 ideas you can try out;

 

1. Tug of War

Need a great game to give your dog a fantastic solid workout? The tug of war offers your dog a great workout regarding neck, jaw, and legs. To do it, you can get a dog rope or toy, but if your dog has a soft spot for a particular blanket, it also works well. To begin with, choose an area with little but enough space. It’s wise to avoid areas spaces with tables or small children during this physical game.

Hold the rope by hand and stand over your dog. Since you want Fido to respond, dangle it, so it gently brushes his face. It encourages your dog to mouth the toy or blanket, eventually holding it in their mouth. If you notice that your dog is less bothered, you can use an exciting tone with words to encourage the dog to join in.

Once the dog hangs on, start by gently pulling the rope, smiling and always using a happy tone so that your dog knows you want to play. It prompts the dog to pull a little harder as you do likewise. Ensure that you pull with caution and don’t shake the rope too much as this may result in injuries.

 

2. Tracking the Toy

Also referred to as “Track the Treat,” the fun-to-play game can help your dog stay alert. The game encourages your dog to use their sense of smell which plays a useful role in stimulating their minds and keeping the sense of smell on point.

You require some cardboard boxes or even Tupperware containers – you can start with two. Leave your dog in a room and put containers on the floor facing upside down. It’s inside one of the containers that you’ll place your dog’s favorite treat or toy. It’s essential to ensure that your dog doesn’t see which box or container contains the treat.

Having done this, encourage your dog to smell each container and if they notice the container the treat is in, congratulate them. Go ahead and reveal the prize encouraging them to play with it so that they can enjoy.

After practicing the exercise, your dog will learn the there is a treat for finding the correct box. To make the game even more interesting, add a few more boxes or containers to make it more difficult for your pet. After a few rewards for the right pick, your dog will learn how to use the sense of smell more precisely. This game can be played for even as little as 10 minutes but can go on until your friend gets tired.

 

3. Hide and Seek

Having played hide and seek as a child, this was probably everyone’s favorite game. Your dog is no different. All dogs like to search and track although breeds like Beagles, German Shepherds and bloodhounds are more inclined in this way. With a little bit of entertaining training, your dog will fall in love with hide-and-seek.

Not only will the exercise engage their minds but it will also stimulate their cardiovascular system. Hide and seek goes well with older dogs who find it difficult to go out and about. A majority of owners have a line command which means “go find it.” If you’re yet to establish one, your dog will quickly learn it.

Begin by taking your dog in a room and close the door as you leave. Now go and find a place, perhaps not too far or high and hide your dog’s favorite treat or toy. Keep in mind that you don’t place it in your favorite shoe or vase as this may lead to a disaster. Then, go back and release the dog into the rest of the house and prompt him with vocal cues like “find it.”

To boost their motivation, encourage them when they get near the target, keeping them aware when they are getting further away with words or sounds.

 

4. Tennis Ball Fetch

I’m sure you know what this is all about. Some dog breeds are better at chase instinct than others, but regardless most dogs will fetch and bring items to their owners with simple instructions and encouragement. The best part with dogs is that once they understand how the game is played, they will be doing it as you sit somewhere throwing tennis balls in different locations.

To play this game indoors, choose something to throw away, which your dog needs to fetch and bring to you. It could be a toy or a small ball, but make sure it is not hard enough to smash your TV screen, your favorite TV show is on later, and I don’t think you would want to miss that.

For people with hallways or bigger sitting rooms, that would be best. Start by rubbing the item you intend to throw against your dog’s mouth. Psyche your dog up with some vocal tone to encourage a playful mood before throwing the ball/toy down. Once they fetch, reward them with a treat. Now, encourage them to pick and give it to you.

Keep doing that until it forms a routine. Now place the item further away from your dog and reward them if they pick it up and bring to you. You then go on increasing the distance and reward your dog every time they return the item until they perfect this skill.

 

5. Running Up and Down the Stairs

It is a great way for dogs to exercise their core muscles that are rarely exercised during regular runs and games. The added step size and elevation gives your dog a great challenge, and it feels satisfying when you are watching him/her climb up and down the stairs. You can either run with them to form a partner’s workout or stand on top of stairs and throw a toy down the stairs for him to fetch and bring it back to you.

 

6. Hallway Chase

You can still make runs with your dog in the house, even if you don’t have a stairway. Merely chase your dog around your hallway. Make those funny noises and encouragement phrases while running him, but don’t overdo it. If you have laminate floor or dog-proofed hardwood floor, watch as your dog tries to make runs quickly only to end up making zigzag runs trying to maintain balance. It will be fun for both of you.

 

7. Laser Pointer Attack

It is a classic game. Just like cats, some dogs enjoy chasing red hot dot around the house. However, you need to cautious to avoid your dog from running into things and destroying the paintings on your walls while trying to chase the red dot. Also, avoid shining the light on anyone, especially if your dog is chasing it as it might bite or scratch someone with its paw nails. As funny as it may seem, it is rude to have a dog jump on a person’s belongings or an innocent bystander because you directed the laser on them.

When done right, this is another fun way of exercising your dog.

 

8. Using a Playpen

Dog and puppy playpens can be used for multiple purposes including containment and potty training. They offer a great way to let your dog run around and play without giving them their usual freedom to explore your whole house.

Like any other item, there are of various types, and you need to consider a couple of factors before choosing the best dog playpen for your pet. Some of the things you need to consider include how you plan on using your pen and dog breed you have.

Dog playpens are of different types including;

  • Plastic playpens- these are the most popular option because they are relatively affordable, durable, and can be used both inside and outside the house. They are also lightweight, and therefore less likely to damage your floors. Besides, they never rust. However, one downside of these playpens is that they can be chewed through over time.
  • Metallic Playpens- metal playpens are relatively more expensive than their plastic counterparts, but they are more durable. These pens are suitable for indoor usage, but they can scratch your flooring, and thus you should be careful about where you are placing them. Also, make sure they have no pointing parts that can hurt your dog.
  • Mesh Playpens- these are the least expensive among the three, but they also have the least durability. They are not an ideal option for overly active dogs and those with destructive behaviors. Besides, they are not great at containing larger dog breeds. However, they are portable and lightweight

Understanding the types of playpens will help you know the best one for your dog. Consider the size of your dog and its behaviors before playing these playing tools. They offer a great way to keep your dog active and contained.

 

Bottom Line

There you have it! Practical ways to keep your dog physically active and fit. Of course, not all of these exercises and games will work on your dog. Experiment with all of them to know which games and exercises will work for your dog. Good luck!

 

You May Also Interested In: