Keep Your Pup Entertained at Home With This Dog Mom's Enrichment Games
There's nothing a dog loves more than to play with their humans outdoors and in the sunshine. While it's fun to run around in the warmth, not every dog can be outside all the time. Whether you have a short-nosed breed that doesn't do well in the heat or you're experiencing inclement weather, there are tons of reasons why we can't always spend time outdoors with our pups.
Despite this, it's still important for our furry friends to get daily physical and mental stimulation. Thankfully, this dog mom came up with four entertaining enrichment games you can play with your dogs indoors to keep them active and alert. No matter if it's raining, a heatwave, or you don't want to go outside, these games will keep your dogs busy for hours while still providing them plenty of exercise along the way.
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Keep Your Dogs Entertained Indoors for Hours
No matter the reason, keeping your dogs indoors doesn't mean they have to lose out on the fun. With tips from @mimithepoodle, your pup can enjoy four enrichment games with just a few household items for hours.
The first of the four involves threading your dog's favorite treats through a sturdy string. Hanging between two posts (like chairs or walls), your dog is then tasked with figuring out how to get their treats off the string. At first, you'll want to show them how to play the game before letting them figure it out on their own.
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The next game is a wonderful solution if your dog is no longer interested in their current snuffle mats. Simply place treats in a small towel, then fold it up and loosely tie it. You want to be careful not to tie it too hard, as they will need to get it unraveled. After setting up their treat towel, let your pup sniff the towel to get a scent of the treats inside.
For pet parents who enjoy a little game with their pups, another fun way to get involved in their mental stimulation is with a quick match of tic-tac-toe. Simply draw a regular tic-tac-toe grid and place treats in each square. Let your dogs choose one of the treats and draw an X or an O. As comical as it may look at first, this game will help them learn skills like patience and self-control.
Although it might not be the case for every pet parent, the final enrichment game involves letting your dog enjoy some pool time. Especially during the summer, the pool is a great place for dogs to tire themselves out while still staying cool. You can even add in balls for a game of fetch in the water.
Regardless of which game you pick, all four enrichment tricks are great for pups when taking walks isn't an option, or you want to mix up your dog's everyday routine.
Related: This Pittie Conquered Her Fear of the Pool, and We Are So Proud
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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 6:20 AM.