Winter is here and beach trips are cancelled, the dog park is full of mud…basically, it’s your pet’s worst nightmare. But here at PG, we put our foot down because we hate seeing our furbabies sad! After hitting the drawing board rigorously, here are our top 5 ways to keep your
pet entertained indoors.

If you aren’t going to be home…

1. Invest in a treat toy or make your own. We love Kongs because you can stuff just about anything in there and your dog will have to patiently get it out. Puzzle toys are another great option, and if you’re in the mood for some DIY goodness, check out this awesome list from Barkpost.com. It’s packed with ideas!

2. Schedule play dates or walks. This one is simple but if you have a friend or neighbor that works opposite hours than you, why not ask them to take Fido for a stroll? If you don’t have that luxury, you can schedule a dog walker to pop on over to your home with sites like Rover!

3. Leave the TV on and give them a piece of your clothing. This trick will depend on your pet but with the rise of digital TV, pets can actually see the screen now and as such, be entertained by it! There’s no end to what you can choose from but Animal Planet is our fav. Also, leaving an item with them that has your scent on it can help to reduce anxiety and comfort them while your away.

If you are home….

4. Teach an old dog (or cat!) new tricks. Pets love to be needed or have a job, especially dogs. When you teach them tricks it satisfies this need which then aids in overall health, behavior and self control. You’ll be spending quality time with them, and helping them become a better member of paw-ciety!

5. Create an indoor obstacle course. Grab pillows, old hula hoops, anything you can find, and get your pet moving! Check out what Cesar Milan has to say about exercising your pet indoors, here. And hey, cat lovers…no excuses! We’ve seen cats do some pretty intense obstacle runs!

Have any tips that work for you? Let us know using the #petsguidemagazine!