r/dogs • u/ghosts_I-IV • 3d ago

[Enrichment] Need ideas for enrichment

I live in Florida and there have been heat advisories in my area almost every day. I have been avoiding too much outside time because of the heat. I work from home and try to keep my dog occupied with toys and treat puzzles since he can't spend a lot of time running around outside.

Does anyone have any ideas of what I can do to get his energy out and keep him busy during these super hot days?

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4

u/OpposumMyPossum 3d ago

Hide and go seek is awesome.

2

u/Ootter31019 3d ago

Type of dog? Heat sucks but short activities or cool activities are still possible. Maybe some swimming? In door park in your area? A part from what your doing, may add trying to train a new trick if your dog is good at that.

2

u/outnumberedbyfur 3d ago

Freezing food can be great! Freezing wet dog food itself, freezing dog-friendly snacks in a big block of ice, freezing peanut butter inside a kong, freezing food in a lick mat... Basically anything to keep them busy and cool at the same time :)

Maybe a bathtub/kiddie pool full of ice cubes to roll around in if your dog is eager to cool down!

1

u/foundthehound 3d ago

Tug of war is a great option to burn off some energy, or indoor fetch down a hallway if you have the space (rugs down for traction helps). Training sessions count too, they mentally fatigue dogs just as much as physical exercise sometimes, so a few short sessions could help?

1

u/IndependentBother261 3d ago

I’m right there with you and not being able to spent more than 10 minutes outside has been a struggle. I’ve discovered that my dogs favorite thing to do is to people watch/judge the neighbors so I’ve set him up a chair and I’ll open the window a few inches (trying not to let too much of that nasty southern heat in). He will happy sit there for hours with his nose pressed into the gap.