First, there was Dudley, then Eunice and most recently Franklin - the storms have been coming thick and fast these last few weeks and they’ve caused their fair share of problems. Not only have we had to deal with blown away fences and fallen trees there have also been days where it has just not been safe to walk our dogs. For some pet families, this is an absolute nightmare - with stir-crazy canines kicking up their own storms whilst confined to their homes.

Were you struggling for ideas to keep your stir-crazy canines from kicking up their own storms whilst confined to home? Well, we have put our heads together and come up with some stormy day activities and enrichment for when it’s just not possible to walk your dog.

It’s easier than you think! Here are our top tips 😊

Enrichment

Easy to do just you just need food, your dog and a little creativity.

Think about how your dog is fed. Does your dog just hoover their kibble out of a bowl twice a day or do you make their mealtimes an eating experience? Try using part of their daily food as follows:

· Use kibble rolled up in a towel so they have to forage and sniff out each piece.

· Muffin tins with kibble in them with tennis balls on top.

· Food dispensing toys such as Kongs, West Paw Toppls, Kong Wobblers and puzzle toys. Check out the Kong website for recipe ideas HERE

· Healthy treats and chews you can give your dog which will keep them occupied such as carrots, broccoli, blueberries, dried beef tendons, fish skins and so much more. Chewing is very satisfying and calming for most dogs.

Training and tricks

This is a fantastic way to tire out that all-important brain as well as the body as well as building on that all-important relationship.

To teach a new trick simply grab a handful of treats and your clicker (or use a verbal marker) and make a start

• Build on established training. Ask your dog for some behaviours they know. Think about the 3 ‘D’s’ Duration, Distance, Distraction. Gradually move into different rooms in the house ‘proofing’ their tricks as you practice them in each room. Can they sit if you ask them whilst sitting down yourself? Or even whilst you lie on the floor or stand on a chair? Use the opportunity to really test out your cues and how well your dog understands them.

• Hide and seek isn’t just for children! Teaching your dog to find treasure using its nose is a great game for your dog’s body and mind. Ask your dog for a “sit” or “stay”, and hide a treat or favourite toy somewhere obvious. Then give them the cue “find it!” and release them to find the item or snack. Start off easy with your dog watching you hide the item. Once your dog understands the game, you can make it more difficult by hiding the treat or toy in another room, or in baskets and boxes, under furniture or sofa cushions. You can also play hide and seek with people - one person gently holds the dog while another runs and hides before going to find the hider together!

• Tug is my dog’s favourite game rain or shine! You don’t need a lot of space and a simple fleece or rope toy (our favourites are the bungee toys from Tug-E-Nuff discount code is BARK-OLOGY!). Imagine your toy is a squirrel darting in front of your dog until your dog starts to play with you. You can improve your tug game by teaching your dog the rules of engagement such as dropping the toy when you ask, which is a great way to build impulse control and polite manners in your dog.

• Indoor obstacle courses can be great fun for you and your dog. Whilst we don’t recommend building jumps, especially on slippery floors, you can have great fun building things for your dog to climb through, weave through, and offer tricks on. For example, could your dog weave through a course of bottles and offer you paws up on a chair, followed by rushing over to their mat to offer you a sit or a down.

The Shell or Three Cups Game is a simple problem-solving game. Take three cups or bowls and let your dog watch you place a treat under one of them. Shuffle the cups around before encouraging your dog to find the treat. Not only is this a fun little game for you, but it's also incredibly mentally stimulating for your dog and helps them with their problem-solving skills.

Hopefully, this is the end of the storms and we have long sunny days to come. However, this gives you some ideas of things to do with your dog if taking them outside is just not an option, for whatever reason. If you have any other ideas or photos of you keeping your dogs occupied in the storms, please share them with us on our Facebook page or in our Bark-Ology training group. Stay safe and have fun!

Karen & Elle

Bark-ology

info@bark-ology.co.uk