Whooowheee! If you have ever spent a Summer in Philly, then you are very familiar with the “stuck on a subway platform inhaling a stranger’s breath” kind of heat that August can bring. You may also be familiar with all the physical stress this can place on animals, as well as recommendations to keep your furry friends indoors as the risk of heat exhaustion/stroke and singed paw pads are high. And like me, some of you may also have a high energy and high drive dog that goes absolutely insane when they are forced to stay inside all day. But fear not, We’ve got some tips, tricks, and activities that we keep in our back pocket for those scorchers.
Play an indoor “Search game”
This is a great activity for any prey driven dogs or super sniffers. The learning process is pretty easy, and I know plenty of dogs that are totally pooped after about 15 minutes of playing. Here’s how we do it:
Prepare by letting your dog watch you place a stinky or high value treat in a small toy like this lotus ball.
Place your dog in a stay on a mat, or behind a baby gate
Let your dog watch you place a treat or a baited toy (like a lotus ball) on the ground 6-8 feet from them.
Walk back to your dog and release them to “search.”
When they find the treat/toy, praise and feed them a few treats one at a time in the spot where they found the toy.
Repeat steps 1 thru 5 until your dog understands the format of the game.
Increase difficulty by adding distance, starting to place the item around a corner, out of view or at different heights. As long as your dog is actively searching/scenting for the item, you do not need to do anything. If your dog comes back to you or looks confused you can give hints by walking closer to the item and repeating the “search” cue.
Create an Indoor agility course
Agility work is an awesome activity for dogs with both brains and brawn as it can be physically challenging as well as mentally stimulating. See below for some ideas on how to set up a little course in your home- just remember to check in with your vet before asking your dog to do any jumps (this is a no no for puppies whose growth plates haven’t closed!) and make sure equipment is set up on a non-slip surface to avoid injury.
Place a broom handle across two boxes or two chairs.
Make a tunnel out of cardboard boxes or you can buy a tunnel here.
Use the couch as a pause table or ramp (if that is cool with you!).
Use a hula hoop for a tire jump.
Cardio steps like this one to work on contacts.
Set up water enrichment activities
Set up a dog friendly baby pool or splash pad outside. Some dogs will jump right in if you throw a favorite toy or treats into the pool - others may need a little more convincing. If your dog is hesitant to jump in, try luring them into the pool without any water in it at first - reinforce them for hopping in and then invite them out with a treat toss away from the pool before they jump out on their own. If that is going well, you can try placing a wet towel in the bottom of the pool and repeating the process- and THEN you can add an inch or two of water at a time.
Freeze those treats (and meals!)
We love feeding our dogs their meals in frozen form- especially in the summer. Not only does this make the activity last longer, it can also help cool your dog down! Here are some of our faves:
Gear that can help your dog stay comfortable in the heat
In addition to keeping walks brief, you can help your dog stay comfortable and avoid heat exhaustion by trying out some cooling gear:
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