5 Indoor Winter Games Your Doggo Will Love

Wintertime means spending more time indoors. While you may have a number of things to keep you occupied until the snow goes away, you may be worried about how your pup will cope with being cooped up inside the house. But don’t fret! 

Outdoor adventures may be off the table for now, but there are plenty of indoor activities to keep your dog from bouncing off the walls. Here are five furbulous indoor winter games for dogs that your furbaby will love!

PupPod is an interactive dog game that’s designed to keep your pooch from getting bored when you’re at work. But it’s also great for keeping them active and entertained when you’re both stuck at home on heavy snow days! 

The three main components of this high-tech game are: the PupPod Rocker, a puzzle toy equipped with lights and sounds; the PupPod Feeder, a video-enabled treat dispenser that rewards your dog when they interact with the Rocker at the correct time; and the PupPod mobile app, which you use to control the game and keep an eye on your dog from anywhere. 

How to set up:

1. Place the Rocker on the floor in one part of the house.
2. Fill the Feeder with kibble and place it a few feet away from the Rocker to start. You can place it on the floor, on a table, or mount it on a wall. 
3. Start the game using the mobile app. At level one, the Rocker will make a sound to get your pup’s attention. When your dog touches the Rocker with their nose or paw, the Feeder will toss out treats as a reward.
4. As your dog learns, you can increase the difficulty by moving on to more challenging levels, as well as increasing the distance between the Rocker and the Feeder. Meanwhile, the app tracks your dog’s progress in real time with report cards and badges!

If you have a nice, open space in your home, then indoor fetch is a good way to help your pup blow off steam during the winter. Older dogs can enjoy this game too—just keep it low-impact by rolling the ball instead of throwing it. Fetch isn’t a skill that comes naturally to all canines, but you can definitely teach your dog how to do it.

How to set up: 

1. Make sure the play area is big enough for your dog. If possible, choose an area with a carpeted floor. 
2. Remove any breakable items or things your pup could crash into.
3. Throw the ball gently and at a short distance first to see how it goes.

Your dog can learn and practice “barkour” skills with an indoor obstacle course. For this game, you don’t need a lot of space and you can use everyday objects you already have around the house. Best of all, you can design the course to suit your pup’s skill level and preferences!

How to set up:

1. Gather your “equipment” and place them around a room to form a canine obstacle course. Some items you can use are pillows, cushions, cardboard boxes, chairs, stacks of books, footstools, rolled up blankets, broomsticks, and coffee tables. 
2. If your dog is not sure what to do, place rewards around the course or try to lure them with treats to encourage them to jump, climb, and navigate the course.

Hide-and-seek is a puptastic way to exercise your dog and bond with them at the same time. Ideally, they should already know how to sit, stay, and come. But you can also play this game with a dog who doesn’t have these commands down yet if you have an assistant.

How to play:

1. Ask your dog to sit and stay.
2. Leave the room and hide in another part of the house.
3. Call your pup’s name and encourage them to come find you.
4. Celebrate and make a big fuss when they’ve located you.
5. If your dog doesn’t understand the “stay” command, have someone hold them while you go hide. 
6. Incorporate nosework into the game by not calling your dog’s name while you’re hiding so that they’ll have to use their sense of smell to find you.

Being stuck indoors is the perfect time to do some winter cleaning. Make it more fun by getting your pooch to join you and turning it into a game! Teaching your four-legged friend to put away their toys not only makes for a tidier home, but it also keeps them mentally stimulated. To play this game, your dog must already know the “take it” and “drop it” commands.

How to play:

1. Grab one of your dog’s toys and ask them to take it.
2. Lead your dog to their toy basket. When they’re standing over the basket, ask them to drop the toy. 
3. Repeat until your pup has successfully put all of their toys away!

What are your dog’s favorite indoor winter games? Share them with us in the comments below and tag @wagwalking on Twitter for a chance to be featured!