Think about your daily routine. You wake up, get dressed, and leave the house for work, errands, social outings, among other things. Then you come home to your dog who is SO excited to see you… and who also might have chewed on some things they shouldn’t have while you were gone.
Your pup is home alone without you when you leave for the day and understandably, they get bored! Leaving the TV or radio on is comforting, but it’s not an activity that they can focus on. What your dog needs is both mental and physical stimulation to keep them occupied.
What can you do to make sure your dog stays occupied throughout the day? We put together a list of boredom busters for you to try out!
1. Stuff a Kong
Your dog’s natural instinct is to play and to chew. When they’re left alone and get bored, that instinct can lead to gnawed shoes, furniture, and more. Instead of fighting that instinct, we recommend leaning into it! Kongs are designed to give your dog a healthy outlet for chewing and playing. When you freeze food in a Kong, you also give your pup a chance to be mentally stimulated from trying to get the food out of the toy, keeping them occupied for hours.
We love freezing chicken broth and kibble in a Kong, or peanut butter and apples. Don’t feel limited to those combinations—there are plenty of tasty eats you can freeze in the Kong, which means you can keep your dog guessing about what treats they’ll get next!
2. Play with Puzzles
Dog puzzle toys are a great way to beat doggy boredom! Typically, these objects make your pup solve a puzzle to get treats or kibble out of a toy.
This wooden shuffle bone puzzle is a great option or you can check out a treat-dispensing ball—both are said to improve your dog’s IQ while keeping them mentally stimulated in your absence!
3. Rotate Their Toys
Your dog may have tons of toys, but if they’re all available at all times, your pup is bound to get bored of them. Instead, leave two or three toys out at once and keep the rest away. Then every few days, switch out the toys and watch how excited your pupper gets when they play with the goodies they likely have forgotten about! Rotating toys on a regular basis can keep your pup excited to play and engaged in the activity – even if they have had the same toys for ages!
4. Freeze Some Treats
Take some of your dog’s favorite toys or treats and freeze them in a container of water. Before you leave for the day, pop the large ice block of treats or toys into your dog’s water dish. As they lick the ice, it will melt, freeing the treats or toys for your pup to enjoy. This trick is cool, refreshing, and sure to keep you pup entertained for quite some time.
5. Get Your Pup a Playmate
Make no mistake – pups are a huge commitment and require pet owners to put in some work, but getting another dog is a surefire way to keep your bored pup entertained. They’ll always have each other to play with and another pup finds their furever home! Also, have we mentioned all the extra cuddles you’ll get to enjoy once you have two pooches instead of one?
6. Go the Extra Mile—Literally
A tired pup is a happy pup. Sometimes your dog gets bored because they have not had enough physical exercise. Go for an extra long walk or run together in the morning to burn off some excess energy. This helps ensure your pup is nice and tired before you head out for the day. Bonus: this will help you both stay healthy and fit too!
7. Schedule a Walk with Skipper
We know you’re busy! It can be hard to fit in enough time to take your pup on a walk that will be long enough to tire them out. If you can’t squeeze in a walk before work, Skipper is here to help!
Our team of responsible, organized, and trustworthy animal-lovers provide on-demand dog walking services with free same-day scheduling and GPS tracking for total peace of mind. Our dog walkers are pet owners who are professionally trained, insured, and bonded. Plus, they’ll send you photos to show you how happy your dog is during and after their walk! You can schedule your first Skipper walk today.
