Take It Inside - Indoor Fun For Your Dog Part 1 

In the Land of Dog, the sun shines every day. The rabbits and other fun creatures and objects bound an roll and appear whenever and wherever the canine wants them to. The temperature is always just right for all types of doggy fun. In the real world, there are days when sunshine is simply a memory. The rain pours down. There is not a cloud in the sky, but the temperatures are far below the tolerance of your favorite dog - even if he or she wears a coat.  

What do you do when the weather is bad? In foul weather, you just change the venue. You take your fun games and exercise from the outside world into the confines of your home. It helps, of course, if you have a rec. room, an exercise room, a spare room or any room with plenty of space. If not, you will just have to come up with some activities that fulfill the purpose. 

When playing any of these games, make sure they are kept age and stage appropriate. Puppies require different types of exercise. Their needs will vary from those of a senior dog. In fact, a senior dog may rejoice in inclement weather days. Don’t let them opt for sleeping the entire day away. Senior dogs require exercise to help them live longer. 

Indoor Play 

There are several games you can enjoy with your dog. Unless you have a tiny apartment, you should be able to play many of them. 

• Hide and Seek - This is an easy game. You hide something and your dog tries to find it. Better still, you hide yourself and see if your dog can find you. It helps if you have cupboards and various rooms. When in doubt, try hiding behind a door. 

• Hide the Toy - This is a simple game. You show your dog a toy. It should be a favorite toy. You then ask your dog to stay. You turn away from him or her and dash off to hide the object. It is then up to your clever canine to find it. 

• Other hide games can and do include such things as food. Hiding food is a big hit with most dogs.  

• The Shell Game - The Canine Edition - A variation on hide games mimics the shell game. You take 2 or 3 cans or glasses. Make sure they are sturdy and non breakable. They should also be opaque. You show a choice morsel - liver bits work well, to your pet. You then hide it under one of the glasses. While your dog is watching, you move them around on the surface - the floor. You then watch and see if your dog can pick the right glass. 

• Tugging - This can be fun. It all depends whether you subscribe to the school of thought that tugging encourages aggressive behavior. Take a Kong toy, a  strong piece of rope or any other tuggable object. You take 1 side. The dog takes the other. Pull. 

There are still many other games you can play with your dog when the weather is gloomy. The second part of this article will concentrate on playing indoors with a purpose. 

Go To Part 2

Information provided by Linda Johnston of www.ohmydogsupplies.com, the best store to buy car seat covers for dogs online.