Rainy day dog enrichment: indoor games and activities

Some days the weather wins. The walk gets cut short, the field is a lake, and your dog is still bouncing off the walls at three in the afternoon. A bit of indoor enrichment won't replace a walk, but it gives your dog something to do with their nose, jaws and brain, and that can take the edge off a long wet day.

Why sniffing and problem-solving help

Much of what dogs enjoy on a walk is sniffing. Games that let them use their nose, or work something out to get a reward, give them some of that indoors. Short sessions are fine. You don't need to fill the whole afternoon.

Snuffle mat: a walk for their nose

A snuffle mat is a fabric mat full of folds and felt "flowers". You scatter dry food or small treats into it, and your dog sniffs them out. It turns a handful of kibble into a proper search, and it can make a meal last longer for dogs who usually finish in seconds.

Our Snuffle Mat for Dogs is about 39 × 39 cm, in bright colours, with a non-slip backing.

• Use dry food or small, dry treats. Wet food is messy and harder to clean out.
• Count what you use as part of your dog's daily food, not on top of it.
• Stay with your dog while they use it, and put it away afterwards. It's a sniffing game, not a chew toy.
• Check it for damage before each use.

Rope toys: tug and fetch

When there's energy to burn and no room to run, a game of tug or a short fetch down the hallway helps. Our Dog Rope Toy Set (6 Pieces) has long knotted ropes for tug of war, loop toys and a rope ball for fetch, in braided cotton. They range from about 6 cm (the ball) to about 58 cm (the longest rope).

Play with your dog rather than leaving them alone with the toys. Pick toys that are too big for your dog to swallow, put the small ball away for big dogs, and swap out any that start to fray so loose threads don't get swallowed. Rotating a few toys at a time keeps them more interesting.

Treat puzzle: make dinner a puzzle

A puzzle feeder makes your dog work out how to get their food. With our Rotating Treat Puzzle Feeder, you fill the clear rollers with dry food or small treats, and your dog nudges and paws them round until the food drops out. It's about 21 × 18 × 13 cm and comes apart for washing.

As with the snuffle mat, use dry food, count it as part of their daily ration, and supervise. Put it away if they start chewing it rather than playing.

Free games using things you already have

• Find it. Let your dog watch you hide a treat, say "find it", and let them search. Make it harder once they've got the idea.
• Towel roll. Lay a treat or two along an old towel, roll it up loosely, and let your dog unroll it.
• Scatter feeding. Scatter part of their dinner on a clean floor instead of using a bowl.
• Five-minute training. Practise something they already know, or teach something new, like a paw or a settle on a mat. Keep it short and end on a success.

Keep it safe

• Supervise your dog with any toy or puzzle, and check things for damage before each use.
• Count treats as part of their daily food.
• Keep human foods that are toxic to dogs well away. PDSA lists chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions and garlic, and the sweetener xylitol among them. If you think your dog has eaten something poisonous, contact your vet straight away.

Want all three?

The Rainy Day Kit puts the snuffle mat, the six rope toys and the puzzle feeder (in yellow) together, for less than buying the three separately.

Delivery

Everything is sent from UK stock by tracked courier (usually Evri or Royal Mail) to England, Scotland and Wales. Delivery is £3.99, or free when your basket comes to over £40. We aim to send orders within 1–2 working days, and most arrive within 3–7 working days of ordering. The full details are on our delivery page.

See everything in rainy-day enrichment, or our other bundles and gift sets.