Keeping Your Dog Busy & Engaged Inside When The Weather’s Bad Outside

Preparing for cold, snowy weather isn’t just about stocking up on groceries — it’s also about keeping our pets safe, healthy, and happy. When frigid, icy conditions limit walks and outdoor play, dogs can quickly become bored, restless, and possibly destructive. Fortunately, mental enrichment can be just as important as physical exercise. Engaging your dog’s brain helps burn energy, reduce stress, and prevents unwanted behaviors when cabin fever sets in.

Here are three easy tips to keep dogs busy and engaged indoors, as recommended by the training and behavior experts here at St. Hubert’s:

1.      Turn mealtime into a game. Skip the food bowl and make your dog “work” for their meal. Toss small handfuls of dry food one piece at a time across the room so your dog has to run and sniff to find it. Using their nose is mentally enriching, and the built-in movement adds physical exercise. Do this for 10–15 minutes, and if you feed your dog twice a day that’s even better.

2.      Create a “towel burrito.” Hide treats or kibble inside a towel, roll it up, and let your dog sniff out their food. Sniffing is highly enriching and naturally calming, helping dogs stay relaxed during stressful or stormy weather.

3. Practice short training sessions. Spend 10–15 minutes working on basic cues like sit, stay, and down, or reinforce skills your dog already knows. You can also teach fun tricks like hand targeting or spinning. Training builds confidence, strengthens your bond, and provides excellent mental exercise.

St. Hubert’s recommends rewards-based, force-free training methods, and we have additional boredom-busting ideas on our website.