Knowing how to tire out a dog is crucial. And it’s especially important for pet travelers, who you’re working with small spaces like RVs or hotel rooms.
You’ve planned an awesome hike in the mountains that’s sure to tire your dog out. But what if it rains? Or did you sprain your ankle? And you’re stuck in a hotel room.
Maybe you live in a small space, like a boat, RV, or New York City apartment. When your square footage is limited, getting creative will help your dog burn some energy.
So, can you exercise your dog indoors—even in a small space? Absolutely!
How To Tire Out A Boat Dog
We lived on a boat that was ten feet across at the widest part. And we had a Golden Retriever. Since we weren’t always hanging out on a cool beach, we had to find ways to tire out a dog in a small space. Even if you’re not a sailor, you can make use of the same skills!
These are some of the best ways we’ve found to work your dog’s body and brain indoors:
1. Rotate The Toys
Do you keep your dog’s same old toys hanging around all the time? Stop it! Your dog will show much more interest in playing with toys that are new to her.
You don’t need to spend money on new toys all the time. Just hide the ones she hasn’t paid attention to for a while and then surprise her with them a few weeks later.
If she’s an enthusiastic toy lover (like our Honey was), she’ll do a good job of tiring herself out just by jumping around with her long-lost toy.
2. Set Up A Mobile Obstacle Course
There are tons of ways to tire your dog out with an obstacle course. You can place tape across a doorway to create jumps for your dog to go over or limbo bars for him to go under.
You can also rearrange the furniture for them to wind around. Have them jump up on and off the couch and other furniture if it’s allowed. Remember to be respectful – not all lodgings want pets on the furniture.
All of our furniture on the boat is pet friendly. So we used Honey’s favorite stuffed toys to encourage her to jump on and off the settees and climb the first few steps of our ladder.
3. Play The Shell Game
To play the shell game you’ll need a few extra-smelly treats and two cups. Show your dog the treat and let her watch you put it under one of the two cups.
Move the cups around once or twice and then ask your pup to find the treat. Most dogs will knock over the cup hiding the treat.
As your dog learns the game, make it more difficult. You can add a third cup, use a milder-smelling treat, or spend more time moving the cups around.
4. Chase Bubbles to Tire Out a Dog
Dogs with a strong prey drive love chasing bubbles. Just whip out your wand and let your dog pop bubbles until she’s tired!
Make sure you use a bubble mixture that won’t hurt your dog’s eyes. You can get bacon-scented or peanut butter-scented bubbles (yes, really!). Or make your own – which is less interesting, but safe – using glycerin and water.
5. Play Hide & Seek
Our boat is too small for this game. But it’s a favorite when we get to shore.
Wait until your dog is distracted by a treat, person, or ball. Then slip into a closet or duck behind a piece of large furniture. If your dog doesn’t come looking for you right away, call her name. Make a big fuss and give her a treat when she finds you.
This game also comes in handy if you have trouble getting your dog to come back at the dog park!
6. Feed Your Dog Using A Food Toy
If your dog has to work to get her food, the effort will tire her out and keep her from gobbling down her meal at the same time.
We fed Honey out of food and toys from the time she was 8 weeks old. Her first was a plastic bottle balanced on its opening. We’d put her kibble inside, balance the bottle on its neck, and encourage her to knock it over with her nose. While she was eating what fell out, we’d set the bottle up again.
From there she graduated to more advanced toys, including the Kong Wobbler which required her to work the toy all over the room to get her full meal.
The result of feeding Honey from food toys? She took a deep nap immediately after eating.
If you’re concerned about the noise your dog might make while playing with the KONG Wobbler, try a snuffle mat instead.
7. Play Fetch
Some dogs love to fetch. But it’s not always convenient to take them outside. Don’t worry, fetch is also a great game inside! If you don’t live in a home with museum-quality knick-knacks, that is.
We’ve played fetch on the stairs, using toys that take weird bounces, like a Kong Wubba. Using the stairs for a game of fetch keeps the game contained while forcing your dog to run up and down — using more energy.
