Indoor activities to keep your pets busy this winter!

Treat dispensing toys for dogs:

The Kong: Mix the dog’s kibble with some small treats and something sticky, like plain canned pumpkin, mashed banana, peanut butter, or canned dog food. Fill the Kong completely with this mixture and place it in the freezer. Frozen is more difficult for the dog to get out and it is less messy for your floors. Some dogs will lick at the Kong until it is empty; other dogs will learn to toss it around so bits of food fall out. The average dog takes about 20-30 minutes to empty a Kong. The Kong can be cleaned in the dishwasher (no detergent is necessary).

The Buster Cube: Only kibble and similar sized hard treats should be used in the Buster Cube and its mimics. The dog rolls the Cube around the floor, as the food falls out. The Cube is quite noisy, especially when the dog bangs it into furniture and walls, but it has a nice feature: it can be set to “easy” for the dog to learn and then “hard” once the dog has figured it out. This is also a great product to feed dogs their meals in to slow down fast eaters! There are many toys similar to the buster cube such as the premier kibble nibble, and twist & treat that dispense kibble and small hard treats.

-Be sure to always supervise your pet with new toys and replace damaged products.

-Be sure to take into consideration extra caloric intake with these toys! Using meals in place of extra treats is a great way to get your dog thinking while they work for their food, while eliminating extra unnecessary calories!

Indoor Game:

Play hide-and-seek with your dog! Tell your dog to “stay,” hide yourself in another room and call them to come find you. A great game to play and a way to reinforce basic commands!

Or, you can tell your dog to “stay” and hide smelly treats around the room. Make it easy by letting your dog watch you at first. As they get better and faster, hide treats in another room and let your dog hunt for them!

Training Opportunities!

Winter is a great time to attend a training class with your dog! Refresh your dog’s obedience skills in a warm indoor setting with the challenge of distractions and other dogs present!

Or, try something new and participate in an indoor agility or tricks class! There are unlimited activities for owners and their dogs, such as tracking, search and rescue, pet therapy, clicker training, freestyle, and so on.

The Canine Good Citizen Test:

A great goal to work on throughout the winter!

Started in 1989, the CGC Program is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. The Canine Good Citizen Program is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for owners and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club. There are many trainers that support this test and offer classes that follow the test’s guidelines.

10- Step Test

(view American Kennel Club’s website for details on each test)

Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger

Test 2: Sitting politely for petting

Test 3: Appearance and grooming

Test 4: Out for a walk (walking on a loose lead)

Test 5: Walking through a crowd

Test 6: Sit and down on command and Staying in place

Test 7: Coming when called

Test 8: Reaction to another dog

Test 9: Reaction to distraction

Test 10: Supervised separation

Fun for Cats!

Feather toys, either on sticks or attached to a ball, can bring out the hunter in cats. Just a flick of your wrist can send your cat leaping through the air to chase after the “bird.”

Invest in some cat furniture! Cat furniture offers climbing, hiding, and playing opportunities and can be ideal for exercise. If possible, place the cat furniture in a central location for easy access, rather than in a corner or under the stairs. Scratching posts, or “trees,” are also essential for your cat to condition his or her claws.

Kitty-Kat Whack-a-Mouse:  This is a feline-friendly version of the classic whack-a-mole game that you may have played at an arcade.  Start by taking a large box and cut some holes in the top of the box big enough for a toy mouse to fit through.  Then, cut a hole in the bottom pane, big enough for your hand to fit through.  Put the box on its side and call you cat over to it.  Stick a furry mouse cat toy through one of the holes; wiggle it to encourage your cat to try to get it.  Try to pull it back before your cat can get the mouse, and immediately stick it out another hole.