“EEGADS it’s raining!! We can’t go outside we may DIE” – Strega & Henry
That seems to be the tone for all dogs this morning.
So I wanted to share with you some things we do in our home to manage the cabin fever on really rainy days.
- For potty walks, grab that umbrella and go outside with them. I know it sounds like a simple fix, but mine won’t even step foot outside if there’s rain. They’ll go with me if I bring the umbrella though. *funny note….they don’t ever stand under the umbrella with me. They just want company i supose.
- Grab a muffin tin and some tennis balls. Put a treat in one or two of the tins and then cover them up with the tennis balls. The search for the treat will be fun as well as mentally exhausting.
- Stuff a Kong with some Kibble and let them push it around the room as a treat dispenser. When they’ve gotten really good at that you can put a little peanut butter for them to have to lick off.
- Train something fun. Grab a cardboard box and start clicking and treating for any interaction with the box! This shaping exercise doesn’t have to have a final behavior! It’s just something fun to do with your pup as you wait for that sunny rainbow.
- Set up a little obstacle course! Your broom handle held up by some chairs, a sheet held up by the couch making a tunnel, a step stool for them to jump onto….ANYTHING that could be seen as a fun obstacle course.these are just a few ideas that you can try as we wait for the rivers to subside. I hope these tips get you through our rainy day! If you have any success stories about entertaining your housebound pup, please share them with us! I know I’d love to hear them.
Train happy- Shanthi