21 Effective Tips On How to Keep My Dog from Being Bored

How to keep my dog from being bored_Happiest Dog Breeds

How to keep my dog from being bored? Dogs, like us, become bored. Imagine expecting your youngster to play with the same toys all day, every day, inside, alone. What would your child do in this situation? In this article, we will share some effective tips on how to keep my dog from being bored.

They may act out, grow anxious, and frustrated, or they may get creative and build a fort or find other things to play with. Dogs, like children, have their own special methods to pass the time.

Others grow agitated, bark, or pace incessantly, chewing shoes or destroying furniture. In the Midwest, the winter months are especially difficult on dogs since people tend to walk them less and spend less time outside playing. So, how do we keep our dogs from becoming bored, which can lead to destructive and undesired behaviors?

How to keep my dog from being bored

Exercise, interactive play, training, and new activities and toys provide a balanced combination of mental, physical, and emotional stimulation. Here are 21 ways you may help your dog be a happy, bored-free member of the family, how to keep my dog from being bored:

1. Alter Your Walking Routine

This is an excellent suggestion for keeping a healthy dog, let alone one that you want to keep entertained.

If you aren’t already walking your dog on a daily basis, we strongly advise you to do so. Walks provide your dog with not just the exercise and physical release they require, but also the opportunity to explore their surroundings, providing mental stimulation. Change your walking route if you have one. You may also try jogging or running with your dog to change things up.

Changing your walking path ensures that they get the most out of your everyday outings. They’ll have more to investigate and smell and sniff, which will keep their minds active. This means you get the most out of your dog’s walk because they are both physically and mentally drained.

Changing the time you go for your walks is another approach to keep them mentally occupied. We humans, being creatures of habit, are all too prone to get into a routine when it comes to taking our beloved pets out for exercise. It is, however, preferable for them to go at varied times every day rather than going at the same time every morning or evening.

Certainly, any walk is preferable to none, but if you can, changing when you walk your dog is a fantastic suggestion to incorporate into his or her life.

2. Stuffed kongs

Stuffed kongs are one of the most effective ways to keep your dog entertained. They can be packed with a variety of dog-friendly delicacies, ranging from the tiniest bacon pieces at the narrow end to a flavorful pate or specifically designed spread for dogs, as well as wet food or even their favorite kibble.

When stuffing a kong, a good rule of thumb is to put the most valuable reward at the bottom so your dog has to work as hard as possible to lick and eat out all the stuffing on top to get to it. This way, he or she won’t leave the Kong alone until they’ve swallowed whatever they’re after.

This will deter them from engaging in naughty boring behavior.

Kongs that have been stuffed can also be frozen. This is fantastic news because not only can they be prepared ahead of time, but they will also keep your dog occupied for longer.

3. Play a game of hide-and-seek with treats

You can become the treat in hide-and-seek if your dog isn’t food motivated and/or you want to work on recalls (come) in a different method. Place your dog in a sit/stay position. Hide somewhere in the house (and make sure they don’t see you), then summon your dog.

You may make this into a fun hide and seek game if your dog has a nose for finding food. Get a few of their favorite snacks first. Put your dog in a sit/stay position, offer them the treat, let them sniff it, and then hide the treat in the home out of sight.

Use your release phrase to get them out of their seat, then give them a game-specific instruction like “fetch it up” or “find it.” You’ll probably have to demonstrate how to play a few times by leading them to the treat, but most dogs learn quickly. Celebrate with them once they’ve found the treat (aided or not), and then repeat.

If your dog is trained to come when called, he or she will begin searching the house for you. Call out again if you hear them stop looking. When they locate you, make a big deal out of it.

There are a lot of “decent dudes” and love. You can also give them a goodie as a reward. Return them to their original sit/stay position and repeat.

4. Games with Balls

Ball games are a tried and true way to ease your dog’s boredom, though they can be exhausting for owners. Once they’ve mastered fetch, it’s the ideal game to play with them since they’ll keep running after the ball and returning it to your feet.

If you don’t have the strongest arm, consider purchasing a dog ball launcher. They make tossing a ball a lot easier and more effective. This is great for a retrieve game because your dog will be able to run further and faster for longer periods of time.

Remember that the ultimate goal of a game of fetch, like all other dog games, is to tire them out so they are never bored because they lack the energy to be bored!

Purchasing an automatic ball fetcher before your dog learns to play fetch could be a good idea. It makes life much easier, and they’re especially useful if you’re not as physically capable as your dog requires at times. They pick up the balls for you, so you don’t have to.

5. Toys to Chew

Chew toys are a terrific method to keep dogs occupied for a long time. Chew toys that taste nice, have a squeaker, and produce noises when shaken are all types of chew toys that may keep even the most mischievous dogs occupied.

Really shouldn’t forget about edible chew toys, such as rawhide, teeth cleaning chewies, or pigs ears, which can all help to keep a dog from becoming bored while left alone. When leaving a dog with an edible chew toy or otherwise, use caution because they can be choking dangers.

It’s also important to consider your dog’s diet and weight, as many edible chew toys are high in calories. To compensate for this, modify the amount of food he or she eats at breakfast and dinner. Alternatively, simply take them on a lengthy, boredom-busting walk!

6. Swap Your Toys Instead of Buying New!

Dogs become tired of the same old toys if they play with them every day. But that doesn’t mean you have to go to Chuck & Don’s every week to get Fido new toys.

Swapping out toys is a simple and cost-effective alternative. So keep some of your dog’s toys on hand and change them out every few weeks with new toys to keep things interesting and exciting. Old toys are reborn as new!

7. Tug of war

This is a fantastic bonding game as well as an exercise that strengthens the attachment between dog and owner while also tired your dog. When playing this game, be careful not to hurt your dog’s teeth and jaw, but most dogs can take a lot more punishment than we give them credit for in this traditional game.

A well-made tug rope is the greatest item to use for playing, and once you’ve gotten it out of your jaws, it may also be used to play fetch.

Some dog trainers believe that when playing tug of war with your dog, it is critical that you, the owner, always win the game.

If you lose, your dog may begin to believe that they are superior to you in your relationship. It is critical that your dog recognizes you as the master in order for them to obey your directions.

8. New Techniques

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” as the phrase goes. That is not the case. Dogs enjoy learning new tricks, and the more you teach them, the easier it will be for them to pick up new ones.

You’re also giving your dog’s brain a nice exercise every time you teach them a new skill or command. To keep dogs from becoming bored, mental stimulation is just as crucial as physical stimulation. Why don’t you teach them to roll over or hug you?

Several YouTube videos provide step-by-step instructions for teaching almost every canine skill imaginable.

9. Fundamental Obedience

This is a terrific method to not only give your dog the mental workout we’ve been discussing, but also to strengthen your bond with your dog, keep your dog safe, and mold your dog into a well-behaved family member.

Work on basic obedience instructions like sit, stay, kennel up, come, and down for 10-15 minutes each day. It will be fun for your dog, and you will enjoy seeing them improve.

10. Keep the dog busy

Along with creating easy interactive activities for your pet dog, simply keeping them occupied will do wonders for their boredom levels. By keeping them occupied, you will be able to exhaust their playful natures while also strengthening your bond, which is another technique to alleviate your dog’s boredom.

To keep them occupied, take them on lengthy walks filled with beautiful sights and fragrances, but don’t forget that you can take them on as many errands as you want. Take them to a dog-friendly restaurant or bar for lunch or dinner, and if you believe it’s safe, walk them to school or around town with the kids.

The frequent shift in the surroundings will keep them entertained and interested, as well as better prepare them for being out in public.

11. Frozen Treats

Providing stuffed kongs with peanut butter, yogurt, and other treats is a hit with almost all dogs. If your dog consumes these quickly, consider freezing the filled kongs to extend its life. This isn’t a replacement for exercise or socialization with your dog, but it’s a nice treat to give them when they’re kenneled.

12. Undergo some training

Another technique to keep them psychologically fatigued is to train with them on a regular basis. By instructing them to sit, remain, heel, or come here, you are forcing them to concentrate, which not only keeps them out of mischief while you educate them but also results in a fatigued dog.

This discourages them from biting on things they shouldn’t or examining bins and other areas of the house they shouldn’t.

It is best to train in little increments and on a regular basis. It’s a wonderful way to strengthen your bond with your pet while also giving you the added benefit of having your dog listen to you and obey your directions. Another strategy to keep kids acting nicely and away from mischief is to have them do as you ask.

13. Emotional Stimulation

Playing with your dog one-on-one strengthens your bond with them while also exhausting them and preventing undesired habits. Playing with your dog shouldn’t be limited to chew toys or other dogs. Your dog requires interaction with YOU. It could be as basic as a tug-of-war activity or as complex as agility training.

14. Go for a swim

Swimming is a physically hard kind of exercise for dogs. It’s also a great method to keep them entertained on hot days when long dog walks aren’t an option due to health and safety concerns.

Swimming is another sport where doing some study first is a smart idea — certain water is not suitable for dogs, despite the fact that they generally think all water is terrific! Some are filthy and toxic, while others are too free-flowing to be safe even for strong swimmers.

Otherwise, all pristine lakes and streams with unprotected pond life are wonderful and should be actively fostered.

Following that, a small dog shower may be required, which not all dogs enjoy, but which will tire them out in and of itself. When hot or warm water begins to roll over their bodies, they often relax and enjoy the experience.

15. Games with puzzles

For your dog, you can purchase or develop your own puzzle games. A muffin tin, snacks, and tennis balls are required for one of my faves. Place the tennis balls in the muffin pan cups and conceal a goodie beneath a handful of them. To find the rewards, your dog will have to move the tennis balls around.

Since some breeds are more clever than others, dogs are generally intelligent creatures. You can lessen their boredom and any damaging chewing behavior that occurs as a result of it by keeping them occupied with interactive games.

From hiding food at the bottom of a box packed with many objects on top, waiting for the treat to be discovered, to making them sit and wait for a treat that is on the floor in front of them, interactive games can be anything.

The most crucial aspect of these interactive games is the cerebral stimulation they provide, as they will quickly exhaust a dog. They don’t get up to mischief when they’re weary!

16. Take it to the next level

If your dog has a lot of energy, you might want to increase its daily activity. Enroll them in an agility course, teach them to run beside you when you ride your bike or rollerblade and take them for a jog. Activities that burn energy and get you and your dog out of the house will be beneficial to you both.

17. Give them a job to do

As previously stated, dogs, regardless of breed, are far more intelligent than humans give them credit for. While some breeds are more prone to learning than others, every dog may be taught a simple task to complete by its owner.

These tasks are excellent for teaching dogs since they strengthen your bond with them, and the appreciation they will receive from you when they are helpful around the house or in the garden will make you feel happy with them through praising and other pleasant behaviors.

It’s also mentally demanding for them, which is what will protect them from getting into trouble.

Picking up twigs from the lawn and putting them in one spot, or simply hanging clothes from the laundry line and putting them in the basket, are all fantastic suggestions.

18. Other Dogs to Play With

Having other dogs to play with is probably the most effective technique to exhaust a dog. When two or more dogs combine their energy, there is no better exercise to physically exhaust a dog than some good-natured roughhousing or a classic game of chase.

If you can add dog play into your daily walks, all the better, because your dog will cover up to ten times the distance he or she would normally travel when just out with you.

19. Enroll online

Enroll your dog in an obedience class if you have never done so before. Your dog will benefit from the mental, physical, and emotional stimulation provided by the classes.

They must solve issues and keep their attention on you rather than their canine classmates. They also get a good amount of exercise. In addition, your dog is forming an emotional link with you and learns to listen to you.

20. Travel to a New Location

Changing your walking routes or routine is a great way to keep your dog mentally challenged, but traveling somewhere new with them as much as possible is also a great way to keep them from being bored.

The novelty of the circumstance will again engage them cognitively, which is an underappreciated method of depleting them and keeping them out of trouble.

Obviously, it pays to do some preliminary research into where you plan to take them — some areas are simply not dog-friendly, regardless of how well behaved and trained your dog is. Also, keep in mind their demeanor.

If you take a nervous dog somewhere noisy and busy, they won’t thrive, and enthusiastic dogs won’t be warmly received if you take them somewhere where people are enjoying the peace and quiet.

21. Let them Work for Their Meals

One of the most effective ways to keep a dog interested is to provide it with food. For this reason, many dog toys are flavored with bacon or chicken. Giving them their regular breakfast or dinner is an excellent method to keep them cognitively active.

Make them earn it by hiding it in unexpected places. This can be as simple as hiding it beneath their dog bowl, or simply hiding it behind a chair that they must either crawl under and take out, or figure of other ways to reach their meal.

It’s also an excellent strategy to keep their natural impulses alive and not expect food to be plentiful. It also turns it into a game for them, which is something that all dogs like. They’ll be happy and less likely to chew on things that aren’t good for them.

Take away

Try implementing a couple of these suggestions in your dog’s life and observe which ones have the greatest impact. Dogs like a variety of things to varying degrees, so some of the suggestions below likely are more successful than others.

Note that dogs only act out while they are bored, so retaining them busy as much as possible when you are not home is the best approach to prevent them from misbehaving.

Usually, dogs are devoted creatures that only want to please you, so staying out of mischief is something they like doing; they just need to be shown how.

When your dog destroys your favorite pair of shoes, they aren’t angry with you. They’re simply bored. So make an effort to spend quality time with them! Teach them a new trick, change up their toys, and play a new game with them. As a result, your dog will be happier and more well-behaved.

I hope this article on how to keep my dog from being bored was worth reading.

21 Effective Tips On How to Keep My Dog from Being Bored