Are you stuck at home and need to keep your dog entertained? What’s there to do while stuck inside? I’ve compiled a list of 100 Things to Do when Stuck Inside with Dogs.
Are you wondering how to keep your dog safe and happy because you need to be home or you’re sick, someone else is sick?
Or you’re stuck inside with dogs to practice social distancing or self-quarantine due to a virus making its way around the world.
The good news is that this is the perfect time for quality cuddly time with your dogs.
What do I need when I’m stuck inside with dogs?
No matter if you’re having to stay home or preparing for an emergency, it’s always wise to have extra supplies on hand for your dogs. Especially when you have to be stuck inside with dogs.
Extra bag or two of dog food
Always keep an extra bag or two of dog food. I like to keep one bag ahead on my dog's food whenever I’m stuck home.
During times of quarantine or social distancing, its best to keep two bags ahead of dog food. We’ve noticed that dog food is sold out or delayed in shipment.
Having two bags guarantees that you’ll have time to order your dog's food or go out and find it in the stores.
Order extra medication
Keeping a month ahead during times of being stuck inside guarantees you’ll have what you need on hand in case of a shortage or not being able to get to the stores.
Buy a set of new toys
Keeping your dogs occupied with new sets of toys will help relieve boredom. By rotating toys, you can keep your dog excited about something new to play with during down times.
Extra treats or supplies
Either buy extra treats, maybe something you don’t normally buy? Or making your own dog treats you can work with training your dog while you have to be home. You can easily keep them occupied by chewing on something fun.
Extra leash and collars
I always keep a spare harness and leash for my dogs in my emergency bag or during times of being stuck at home. You never know when you may need that spare harness or leash.
We love the Sleepy Cotton Leashes. They are the only leashes that have held up over time. Are easily washed and feel good in our hands. Plus, you can get 10% off by using code: Rubydoodledog10.
Dog tags with your information
It’s best practice to keep your dog's information current and up to date. Have you updated your microchip information lately?
On your dog's name tags, does it have your name and number as well as an emergency contacts phone number? My dogs have lost their tags, so having a spare on hand always comes in handy.
What can I do with my dog to keep him occupied?
When you’re stuck at home with your dogs, they get less exercise than usual. During these times your dogs can get bored and become destructive while looking for their entertainment.
Like chewing up shoes? Or in my dogs case, she dug at the carpet and ate the carpet pad underneath! Yeah! The little stinker!
By playing with your dog a few times a day, you can stop them from becoming bored. Plus, it’s a great bonding experience for you and for your dog.
Play some Interactive Games with your dog
Teach your dog to "Find It"
My dogs think this game is great fun. Plus, it teaches them to search for that elusive treat.
Here's How to Play
1. Let your dog see you have a piece of food or a treat in your hand.
2. Tell your dog to “find it” - then throw the piece of food or treat across the floor.
3. When your dog finds the food or treat, say “Yes, good job” so they learn they’ve done the action you requested. Each time throw the treat further and further.
4. After a few days, try challenging your dog. Ask your dog to “stay” while you hide the treat behind some furniture. Then ask your dog to “find it.” Praise your dog when they find the treat.
Playing Tug of War with your Dog
I have a Labrador Retriever who loves playing tug. My Goldendoodle, not so much. But the Lab gets excited at seeing her rope toys.
1. Hold your rope toy and get your dog excited to grab the end.
2. Slowly pull back so it forces them to take it out of your hands.
This can be great fun for your dog and even exercise for you. Your dog will tire within 10 minutes of playing.
Have Fun with Toys
Want to teach your dog to grab a specific toy? Being stuck at home is a great time to teach them to bring back that one toy.
1. Start off by naming your dog's toys.
2. Once you have your dog toy name, begin playing with it by including its name. For example, if I throw my dogs “Lambie toy” I’ll say “Find Lambie” and treat her when she brings it back to me.
After some practice, your dog will learn its toys' names and bring back the exact toys. It’s a wonderful, mentally stimulating game for most dogs.
Work on Training your Dog
When you're stuck inside with your dog training them is a great way to keep them mentally stimulated.
It’s also a fantastic bonding experience for you and your dog. Just ten minutes of training can make the difference between your dog being bored or being entertained.
You can follow simple training ideas to teach them to come, sit, stay or go to their bed. Being home is the easiest time to work on dog training.
100 Things you can do as a Family when stuck inside with Dogs
1. Take your dogs outside and play ball with them. Try using a squeaker ball or a nerf ball launcher.
2. Sit on the couch and watch long movies with them. Most dogs love nothing more than to cuddle next to you or lay at your feet. Here are some of the best Hallmark movies to watch with Dogs.
3. Do you play a musical instrument? Serenade your dog with music. Some will even attempt to sing or howl back at you.
4. Meditate with your dog. You might be surprised if they try downward dog with you.
5. Look at puppy pictures on Instagram. My dogs have an Instagram account @ruby_doodle_dog and @callie_and_ruby.
6. Order a puppy puzzle. The more pieces, the better! Want to try something harder? How about a Rubik’s Cube? Or Crossword Puzzles.
7. Start a journal or a blog! Anything that interests you will do.
8. Text your friends cute puppy pictures. Is your puppy laying in a cute position? My Goldendoodle loves to lie on her back. Record them learning “Find it!”
9. Does your dog inspire you? Write some poetry or a book about your dog. How about a haiku for Easter or Mother's Day? Just try it. It might surprise you.
10. Take time to learn a foreign language. You can download apps to help, like Duolingo.
11. Read out loud to your dog. How about “Les Miserables” or “Infinite Jest?” How about having the kids read to your dog?
12. Soak in the tub? Give yourself a facial? More than likely your dog will follow you into the bathroom just to see what you’re doing.
13. Have some fun with your dogs kibble. Place small amounts of kibble on small plates. Include a bit of something fun, either homemade dog food toppers or a small can of dog food.
Space it around the house and watch your dog run from plate to plate, gobbling up the food as fast as they can.
14. Remember Rapunzel, who had an entire song about spending her days alone in a castle? She had activities like Ventriloquy, papier mâché, candle-making and even painting.
15. What a great time to write actual letters to family and friends. Be sure to include a signature or picture from your dog.
16. Learn how to draw your dog? Check out YouTube to learn how to draw.
17. Learn how to do calligraphy by checking our YouTube.
18. Play board games. This time read the long and sometimes boring rules. Your dog will love laying at the family's feet while you're playing.
19. Play a soap opera, with muting the sound, tell your dog the dialogue you’ve made up while playing with its toys.
20. Bake those puppy treats!
21. Catch up the magazines or newspapers lying around while your dog naps.
22. Need to clean out the tupperware cupboard? Those tupperware lids make for a lot of frisbees like fun while you’re cleaning.
23. Go through your closet and your dog's toy basket? Do they need washing, giving away or thrown away?
24. While in the kitchen, organize your junk drawer. Place all your dog's canned food lids, nail trimmers, or other goodies in one spot.
25. Watch Hallmark Dog Movies together.
26. Knit or crochet your dog a sweater? Or for yourself? Your family?
27. Use FaceTime to video chat with your friends or your doggie playmates.
28. Try to sketch your dog.
29. Take a bubble bath.
30. Try online aerobics or yoga videos with your dog.
31. When your done training your dog, make yourself a classic cocktail. Don’t forget the garnish!
32. Coloring books. How about one with dogs?
33. Take time to think about what you’d like to do with your dog once you are able to get out again?
34. Reflect on what you and your dog have accomplished in the past year? Set new goals for when you’re able to get out.
35. Write a story about your dog as if he or she were a person.
36. Check out some dog craft ideas. Complete a project.
37. Wash your dog's bedding.
38. Set up the living room as if your family and dog are going camping. Complete with blankets, popcorn, and scary movies.
39. Have your dog follow you while you fix those items that are broken and need fixing. Loose tiles? Broken door knobs? Repair scuffed up walls?
40. How about painting where your dog has slobbered or rubbed up against the wall?
41. Fold a piece of paper into a fortune teller and write in dog stuff. Act like your 13 again and play with the family. Have your dog touch its nose to the fortune teller and play along.
42. Teach yourself how to braid a fishtail or French braid using a family member or your dog’s long hair. See YouTube.
43. Clean out your makeup drawer. Throw away anything that’s older than six months old.
44. Go throw your phone’s pictures. Post the cutest pictures of your dogs. Save them on your computer and then delete off your phone to make room for more cute pictures.
45. Make a Gratitude list for you and your dog. What are you grateful for? What would your dog say it’s grateful for?
46. Interview your grandparents or kids and save the video. What have they learned? What are they grateful for? What’s their best, worst and silliest thing they remember? Include your dog in the video.
47. Try cooking some homemade dog food for toppers on your dog's kibble.
48. Work on some financial planning in case of emergency. Include your dog in the worst-case scenario. Go through ways to save money having a dog.
49. Make a special recipe from your Grandma.
50. Play an indoor scavenger hunt with kids and the dog?
51. Watch the entire Harry Potter series with your dog.
52. Write a short story with your family. Pick a character and each family member writes a chapter. Put it together and read it out loud to the dog.
53. Have a wine tasting for yourself with whatever bottles you have.
54. Have fun with simple things. Make yourself some coffee, but count how many beans you use, what types and how hot the water is? How long does it take to brew?
55. Go online and buy gift cards to your favorite local businesses, including pet stores.
56. Dye your hair a new color? No one needs to see it, except the dog.
57. Create a google document or things your doing, movies your watching and share it with your friends and family.
58. Watch your favorite Disney movies. Some even include dogs!
59. Play a game of scrabble using only words related to dogs. Make things up!
60. Make a viral “Staying at home with the Dog Tik Tok.
61. Rearrange the sock drawer. Play tug of war with your dog and the trashed socks.
62. Write a play starring everyone at home, including the dog. Act it out on video and post it.
63. Do your taxes and pet your doing when you get to the end. Especially if you owe!
64. Get baking in the kitchen. Pretend you will be on “The Great British Baking Show” and do it with ingredients already in your home.
65. Make a list of all the museums, sporting events, concerts, dog parks or hikes you’d like to visit once you're done being stuck at home with your dog.
66. Rearrange your furniture and your dog's bedding. Make it a new space.
67. Read comic books online. Or get a subscription to Marvel Unlimited.
68. Make a snuffle mat for your dog. Hide a treat in the snuffle mat and let your dog “Find it!”
69. Organize your spice rack alphabetically.
70. Teach your dog to shake by hand commands.
71. Order some IKEA furniture. Build some creative IKEA hacks for dogs.
72. Apply for a new job. Want to work with dogs?
73. Dance with your family and dog.
74. Practice shuffling cards like a Vegas dealer.
75. Play with Lego's while telling your dog what you’re building.
76. Memorize the periodic table. Just in case you’ll ever need it.
77. Try a free trial of a streaming tv service. Binge watch before the free trial expires.
78. Watch “Star Wars” movies with your dogs.
79. Skip shaving either beards or legs!
80. Try writing things or throwing toys with your non-dominant hand. Try writing, brushing your teeth, and even throwing the dog's toys. (Hint: Prepare for frustration).
81. Try an online typing test. You never know when you need to write that dog's story.
82. Learn dog origami.
83. Stretch out and work on your flexibility. Reach for the dog.
84. Walk around with your dog and talk to your plants. Your dog may look at you funny, but the plants will love it.
85. Learn the words to “Tung Twista" and rap them as fast at you can. You’ll impress everyone. Including your excited dog.
86. Need new glasses? Try on virtual frames at sites like GlassesUSA.com.
87. Speak to your dog in pig Latin.
88. While your dogs resting, use a deep conditioner on your hair. Paraffin wax on your hands?
89. Donate money to your local humane society.
90. Try fooling your dog and move around the house in slow motion.
91. Put a scarf on your dog or yourself. Only wear it one way. Watch YouTube for other ways to use a scarf.
92. Study the art of beat boxing with your dog.
93. Write a song to include your dog.
94. Try Old English words. Try them in sentences to your family and god. Wherefore not?
95. Take deep breaths, in through your nose and through your mouth a couple of times a day.
96. Bathe, blow dry and brush your dog.
97. Try on some new makeup and see how it looks. Practice new techniques.
98. Play puzzle games with your dogs.
99. Fill a Kong Treat and freeze it for your dogs.
100. Get lots of sleep with your puppies, no less.
What are you doing to keep busy while stuck inside with Dogs?
Please share your ideas and photos of what you're doing with the dogs while being stuck inside.
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