If you asked me before I got my current dog, I’d tell you that short nosed dogs were a waste of time. Grizzly, my Boston terrier, quickly became my best friend and has stolen my heart since then. But, I’m not going to lie and say that I don’t have reservations about breeding short nosed dogs. One of the problems I’ve faced this summer is keeping him exercised but not overheating him. You see, because of how short his nose is, he, like all other short nosed dogs, gets hot fast. And with humidity up as well as the temperature, walks just can’t happen more than once a day.
So, for your benefit and my own, I’m going to list a few dog play time activities that you can do indoors to keep your pup exercised during the heat. Of course, these also all apply to any state where it gets too cold for extended outside play as well.
Hide and Seek
This is probably Grizzly’s favorite dog play time activity on the list, so I’ll put it first. It’s a simple enough concept, too, so I enjoy it as well. Find a high value treat or toy that your dog loves and hide it. Most pups love using their nose, and this exercise stimulates them both physically and mentally. You can also make it a training game, if you’d like. Give the pup a cue to pick up the hidden treat once it’s been unearthed, and after some practice annd you know that fido understands, you can make it a bit more challenging. You may even reach the point where the dog can wait outside of the room, and you call them in and then let them loose.
Treat Stuffed Toys
If you want a more hands off dog play time, but still want something similar to hide and seek, stuffed toys are a great approach. The most common brand that makes toys like these is probably Kong. So go down to your local pet store and pick one up when you have the time. A big benefit of these toys is the fact that they’re dishwasher safe and very hard to destroy. Make sure to clean it when your pup’s done to avoid bacteria growth!
When you’ve bought the toy, either grab some liquid treat from the store, or make some yourself. Things like frozen peanut butter or frozen meat broth can work as well. Then just sit back, relax, and watch your pup have the time of his life.
Tug-of-war
Tug of war is probably one of my favorite dog-and-person bonding exercises. And don’t believe the rumors when people say that tug of war makes your dog more aggresive, and letting them “win” makes them dominant. Your dog can get frustrated too, so don’t spend the whole time not giving them an inch. In fact, letting them have the rope a few times may lengthen your play time, as they’ll be more invested in the game itself.
This game is a great time to practice the “leave it” command as well.
Food Dispensing Toys
This one was a life saver for my other dog, taco. He’s a high energy Boston mix, and I bought him one of these for the hope that it would kill some of his energy. Ours was a bowl that was shaped like a dice with a single small hole in the side, so he’d have to roll it around to get the food to dispense. It would take him about thirty minutes to finish his meal, but he loved it! Make sure to buy a quality product, though, because ours shattered after about a month.
And finally, training
This one is pretty obvious to me. It’s less of a dog play time, but think of how exhausted you are by the end. Imagine how the pup must feel! Every so often when it’s blistering out, I get out Grizzly’s favorite treats (freeze dried boar) and try to teach him a trick. Even if it doesn’t work, I get to spend a good half hour bonding with my dog and engaging him physically and mentally. Having a content dog is more than just getting them pooped, but making sure they’re stimulated as well.
And if you do succeed, you and your pup have learned a fun new trick! If I could recommend a starting trick or two, “tall” and “sit pretty” always knock people’s socks off. Tall is just getting your pup to stand up high on command. Sit pretty is making them sit on just their hind legs with their paws tucked to their chest. Both of those tricks have plenty of online guides, so knock yourself out and make sure your pup is good and exercised!
