Things to do with your dog when its too hot to want to take a walk.
Its hot outside and only going to get hotter over the next couple of days here. This summer has already seen deadly heat in the US and Europe and we haven't finished the "dog days of summer" yet!
Here are a few suggestions of ways to engage your dog without being outside in the hottest parts of the day.
#1 - Set up a Boredom Busting Station
Give your pup an area to explore by creating a variety of experiences in a small footprint. Using things like step stools, overturned containers, rubber mats, food engagement objects and more you can create a variety of heights, textures and experiences for your dog to enjoy. One object should be something like a lick mat (they are available at most pet retailers, but you can also easily make your own) or a snuffle mat.
Snuffle mats are great ways to allow your dog to hunt for food or treats. If you buy one, look for one that has a heavier backing so it doesn't move as much as a lightweight, all fabric one. You can also DIY one if you have the time and patience.
Here's an example of a station using things I found around our house. There's a silicone mat with some of Fisher's regular canned food smeared on it and a tupperware lid with cream cheese on it. Peanut Butter- make sure it does not have Xylitol (Sometimes called Birch Sugar) in it- can also be used, but Fisher isn't a fan.
There's a chew stick in the overturned box lid, and the bin with toys in it has treats sprinkled in it. Its important to have water nearby too. All that hunting and exploring can make a dog very thirsty.
#2 - Do Scentwork in your Home
Doing Scentwork with your dog allows them to harness their natural ability to use their nose. It's great for letting off some steam, and also has been shown to have benefits for a dog's emotional health. Scentwork can be as easy or complex as you want it to be. You can teach your dog to "hunt" for a favorite toy or a favorite treat by first making it easy. Show it to your dog, then put it behind something while your dog watches. Allow your dog to go get it. Make it slightly more difficult over the next sessions. Soon you will be able to do something like hide a food-filled KONG toy and have them hunt for their food.
You can also teach your dog to hunt for a particular odor, which is what the sport of Canine Nosework is all about. This is more complicated and requires more upfront training than just hiding toys or treats for your dog to find, but it is a fantastic activity to do with your dog. Dogs love it! It teaches problem solving, can strengthen the relationship between dog and handler and as an added bonus, can really burn off some energy without taxing the body.
"Allowing dogs to spent more time using their olfaction through a regular nosework activity makes them more optimistic." - Duranton & Horowitz, Applied Animal Behavior Science, February 2019
#3 - Do Some Trick Training
The reality is that while people tend to think that tricks are very different than basic obedience skills, there isn't that much difference to your dog. What is different is that we human beings tend to take trick training less seriously, and conversely this often helps our dogs learn the tricks faster. The other difference is that you can often be far more creative when you think about training a trick, and build one thing into other tricks. For example- a paw target (teaching your dog to touch their paw to something specific like a margarine tub lid) is a trick. And then you can use that to teach things like shake or high-five, pushing a door closed, putting paws up on something, backing up, standing with paws on your feet, the list goes on...
If you get into teaching tricks, you can earn Trick titles with your dog too! Want some ideas? Check out Do More With Your Dog for tricks and title information.
#4 - Play with Puzzles
Dog puzzles typically engage a dog's nose and their brain. A simple DIY puzzle is the Muffin Tin Game. Get a muffin tin, treats (if you feed kibble and your dog likes it, you can use that too) and some toys that you can put on top of the muffin cups.
Start off by putting the tin down and just putting treats in the cups, uncovered, for your dog to eat. Once your dog seems comfortable with that, choose something easy for your dog to move and put it over the cups after you put the treats in. Gradually put toys that fit into the cups so it is harder for your dog to get them out. Of course, one way your dog can solve the game is to pick the tin up and dump it over, which was Fisher's response to the game getting harder.
You can also purchase a wide variety of dog puzzle toys. Look for ones without sharp edges or little pieces that can be easily swallowed if you want to buy one. Make sure that you either purchase some rated as "easy" or that has a range of difficulty levels, starting with "easy" if your dog hasn't done puzzle toys before.
#5 - Take a Field Trip
If you live in an area where there are indoor places that welcome dogs and you have a dog that is comfortable with that type of setting, then taking a field trip is a great way to get some "social" exercise. Most pet stores will welcome your leashed and well mannered dog, but in many areas places such as home improvement stores, bookstores and some clothing stores will allow your dog to come in and join you. Depending on the local regulations, coffee shops, breweries and wineries may be options as well. Just make sure you check before taking your dog that your dog is allowed inside as many only allow dogs on a patio. And, be careful of the pavement temperature in parking lots. Look for shade and lighter colored concrete, or mulch, grass or dirt for your dog to walk in.
No matter how much you love your dog, please don't use this option if your dog isn't comfortable being around a lot of people in an enclosed area. And, of course, don't take your dog if dogs aren't allowed unless your dog is a true service dog.
You Have Options!
Hopefully this short list of things you can do with your dog to release some energy gives you ideas to do with your dog. Of course this list isn't comprehensive and there are certainly other options available, but most of this list should be relatively easy to put into place without a lot of planning or money. Enjoy and keep cool!
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