Don’t have a garden, or the weather’s not pawtastic outside and you don’t know how to keep your kids and fur-kids active, entertained, and happy? Don’t worry! This post gives 5 indoor activities your kids and dogs can play together.
1. What’s popping?!
Bubbles are a family favourite and if you’ve got young kids, you’ve probably got a few bottles of bubble blowers in the cupboard. If not, simply mix:
- 1 cup of water
- 4 tablespoons of dishwashing liquid
- 2 tablespoons of glycerine
- (or find a recipe online that works for you – there are LOTS!)
Mix gently so as not to foam it up, then use pipe-cleaners or repurpose a wire coat-hanger to make a bubble wand.
Get your kids to blow bubbles and encourage the dog to catch the bubbles. For each bubble that the dog catches, the respective child gets a point. The child with the most points ‘wins’… but then each child, the dog and Mommy and Daddy all get a treat to enjoy together. Once your dog learns how to chase the bubbles, he will get a fantastic workout as he chases, jumps and catches the bubbles. Keep a towel handy to wipe down his face from time to time so the dish soap doesn’t irritate his eyes.
2. Find the treasure!
You’ll need a bit of sneaky preparation time to hide clues around the house without your kids seeing where, but send them on a treasure hunt with little notes and clues hidden under couch cushions, in pot plants, between the Tupperware, pegged to the washing line, and even under the dog’s bowl. Involve the dog by hiding some treats along with the clues, so either he helps the kids find the clues, or they feed him the treat when they find their next clue.
The final treasure can be a box of dog toys that they then proceed to play with, with the dog. Or a collection of human and dog treats that they get to enjoy together with the dog.
3. The cup game
Facilitate this game between your kids and dog. Show them how it works first and then let them play the game with the dog. You’ll need three identical plastic or polystyrene cups and a handful of dog kibble. It works best on a smooth, flat surface, so a tray or even a hard floor will work. Place a piece of kibble on the floor and cover it with an upturned cup. Place the other cups next to the one with the treat, then mix them up by sliding the upturned cups around. Encourage the dog to choose the cup under which the dog kibble is hiding. It might take a while for the dog to catch on, but with a bit of persistence this can be a really fun and engaging game.
4. Hide and seek
This one’s easy: your kids hide and your dog has to find them. This can be a fun one to record on video and send to Gran to show her what her younglings are up to!
5. Playing tag
This is a great way to retrain your dog’s recall while also teaching your kids how to train the dog with positive reinforcement. Each child (and you) stands in a different room with a treat or a few pieces of kibble. Take turns calling the dog. When he finds the right person calling his name, they feed him a treat or piece of kibble. If he goes to the wrong person, they must just ignore him while the caller keeps calling.
A note or two on treats
- The point of these exercises is to keep kids and dogs busy so that they use their pent-up energy. It will defeat the object if you give them high-energy treats. Most dogs love bits of carrot, cucumber or apple, which are low-calorie treats. If your dog is not a fan of fruit and veggies, then use his kibble, but factor in his daily feeding and don’t end up over-feeding him.
- Do not give your dog human treats. Chocolates, chips, biscuits and other sugary treats are not very good for dogs and should be avoided at all times. You don’t want to be running to the vet unnecessarily, so please be responsible when treating your dog.
