As summer approaches, and the temperatures rise, it makes it challenging to take your dog outside. Trips to the park or evening walks around the neighborhood can sometimes be unbearable depending on where you live and how hot it gets outside. The PetSmart website offers some suggestions on exercises and activities dog owners can do with their pets inside when it is too hot to go outdoors.
These are more training exercises than actual activities. They are useful habits to teach your dog when neither of you can go outside or when you and your dog visit the pet store or an indoor dog park. They help keep your dog focused and calm in overwhelming or overstimulating environments.
- Penalty Yards. This exercise teaches your dog to control the temptation to run toward distractions or exciting areas. Set up an area in a hallway. Place a desired item at one end, a favorite toy or treat, and stand with your dog at the other end of the hallway. Calmly walk down the hallway with the dog on a leash. If your dog calmly walks with you, without tightening the leash, let your dog have the treat. If the dog runs or tightens the leash, stop and walk back to the start. Keep trying until your dog can calmly walk down the hallway.
- Go to Mat. Summertime can mean a lot of visitors. One training exercise to try with your dog is to create a safe place in the house when visitors do arrive. Use a blanket or towel to create an area for your dog to go to when a friend comes over for a visit. Send your dog to the area before opening the door. When your friend is comfortably inside your house, release the dog to come visit too.
- This is a command every dog should know and understand. It not only protects your dog from harmful situations, it can protect those around your dog when distractions are overwhelming. Teach your dog to understand the stay command and work on the time span. Start with 30 seconds and add 10-second intervals until your dog can stay calmly for 60 seconds.
These are simple commands and activities to work on with your dog. If you have a trainer, discuss what other activities you and your dog can work on indoors when the summer days start to warm up.