Boredom Busters: Indoor Enrichment for Dogs

Create a scavenger hunt for your dog

Dogs have an excellent sense of smell. Depending on your pup’s breed, their sense of smell is about 10,000 to 100,000 times better than yours. Pretty impressive! Encourage your furry friend to use this amazing superpower by creating a sniff-tastic scavenger hunt, hiding treats around your home for your dog to sniff out. Start with easy hiding places and gradually increase the difficulty level as your pup figures out the game.

Teach your dog a new trick

Give your dog’s brain a fun workout by teaching them a new trick. This also will strengthen the bond between you and your furry pal and is excellent indoor enrichment for dogs. Whether a classic move, such as “shake my hand,” or something more complicated, such as “play dead,” your pup will enjoy the challenge and the chance to make you proud. Keep sessions short—no longer than 5 to 10 minutes—to avoid frustration, and provide lots of treats, chin scratches, and belly rubs to reward your four-legged friend for their efforts.

Design an obstacle course for your dog

Get creative and design an agility course throughout your home for your canine friend. You can use common household items, such as chairs, couch pillows, broomsticks, and water bottles, for obstacles. Encourage your dog to step over low obstacles, weave around objects, or move through a safely supported tunnel. At the start, lead your dog through the course, so they understand what’s expected, and reward them with a treat or a belly rub when they master the trial. Set up the course on a nonslip surface, keep obstacles low and stable, and adjust the activity for your dog’s age, size, mobility, and fitness level.

Make a puzzle game for your dog

No need to buy a high-priced puzzle toy for your canine friend. Make your own! Here are some fun puzzle games for indoor enrichment for dogs:

• Muffin tin game — Place treats in several cups of a muffin tin and cover all the cups using tennis balls, soft toys, or crumpled paper. Let your dog sniff out and uncover the treat and be rewarded for their efforts.
• Snuffle mat — Sprinkle treats in a blanket or towel, fold the blanket several times, and let your dog use their nose to discover the yummy snacks.
• Foraging box — Fill one of the numerous large cardboard boxes delivered to your home with toys, balls, or scrunched up paper. Add a few treats to the mix, and let your dog use their natural sniffing and hunting instincts to find the hidden rewards.

Freeze a Food Toy for Your Dog

A frozen food toy can turn part of your dog’s meal into a longer-lasting indoor enrichment activity. Fill an appropriately sized rubber food toy with your dog’s canned food, soaked kibble, or another veterinarian-approved filling, and freeze it before offering it to your dog.

You can also pour low-sodium, dog-safe broth into a suitable puzzle toy or lick mat and freeze it. Check the ingredient list carefully to ensure the broth does not contain onion, garlic, or other ingredients that are unsafe for dogs.

Use part of your dog’s normal daily food whenever possible so the extra calories do not add up. Always choose a toy that is appropriate for your dog’s size and chewing style, and supervise them with a new enrichment item. AAHA specifically recommends freezing stuffed food toys to extend engagement and using correctly sized toys that cannot fit into the back of the dog’s mouth

Rotate Your Dog’s Toys

Instead of leaving every toy available all the time, divide them into small groups and rotate them every few days. Reintroducing a familiar toy after it has been put away can make it feel interesting again.

Offer a variety of safe textures and toy types, such as rubber toys, plush toys, chew toys, and treat-dispensing toys. Inspect toys regularly and discard anything damaged enough to create a choking or swallowing hazard.

Play hide and seek with your dog

Playing hide and seek with your pup is a great way to encourage their natural hunting instincts, because they will find you using their nose, ears, and problem-solving skills. Sneak away when your dog isn’t watching, hide in an easy spot, and call their name. When they find you, celebrate with praise and a high value treat. You can make your hiding spot more difficult as your four-legged friend gets better at the game.

Treat your dog to a spa day

For dogs who already enjoy gentle handling and grooming, a calm spa session can provide sensory enrichment and help them become more comfortable with routine care. Brush your dog, practice gentle paw and ear handling, or offer a brief bath if needed and well tolerated. Pair handling with treats and stop if your dog shows signs of fear or discomfort.

Indoor enrichment for dogs can be fun and helps strengthen your bond. If you need help cleaning your dog’s ears or trimming their nails, contact your AAHA-accredited veterinarian for advice.