Energetic dogs can bring laughs and lots of fun, but they can also be exhausting. Challenges arise when your unrelenting dog will not settle while your battery rapidly drains. Poor weather conditions add another obstacle. Fortunately, there are lots of indoor dog exercises that exhaust your energetic dog.

Tail Teaser

A tail teaser, or flirt pole, is a great tool for indoor dog exercises to exhaust your dog inside with minimal effort on your part. At first glance, yes, this is a glorified cat toy. But it is rare that a dog would ever refuse a good chase once that tail drops. Consumers have even mentioned that they have to hide the toy or tuck it away so that their dogs do not seek it out and drag it around on their own.

When the weather is bad or you just aren’t up to the great outdoors, break out the tail teaser and give your dog a thrilling chase. While running with your dog is great, the tail teaser also gives the dog a sense of purpose. The predator instinct is satiated since your dog now has the opportunity to chase, catch, and chew on a target. This is a very natural energy burner and confidence builder for many dogs.

Scavenger Hunt

The sense of smell is a dog’s strongest sense. Dogs have hundreds of millions of olfactory receptors in the nose and the area of a dog’s brain that analyses scent is quite larger than ours. So, not only are dogs gifted at identifying and analyzing scent, they are biologically made for it.

However, this area of the brain is one that is not typically utilized. Think of this as a muscle that you never exercise. In order to exhaust an energetic dog, you may need to get creative and monopolize on their natural instincts. That’s right, the act of smelling can physically drain your dog! When you’re on a walk, it’s a good idea to let your dog sniff. But when you’re stuck indoors, you can still accommodate your dog’s urge to sniff by creating a scavenger hunt. Set up a scavenger hunt utilizing the following steps- preferably when your dog cannot see what you’re doing!

1. Gather some stinky treats as well as a collection of small cardboard boxes, plastic containers, and/or plastic cups.
2. Scatter the boxes, containers, and cups around your home. Place some in open spaces and others in more obscured locations.
3. Place a stinky treat or two under each box, container, or cup.
4. Release your dog to hunt down and enjoy the treats! You can even put this to a cue such as “Find it!” or “Sniff!”

Meal Enrichment

It’s no secret that dogs love to eat. Most dogs are extremely food-motivated, which works to our advantage in dog training. While it may seem contradictory, the act of eating can serve as one of the best indoor dog exercises. Meal enrichment is a way in which we improve the physical and mental state of our pets by changing the way we feed them. While this is far closer to mental exercise than physical exercise, mental stimulation can tire dogs faster than physical exercise, making it the perfect indoor energy-burner.

Rather than feeding your dog from a bowl, put their food in a shag carpet or Snuffle Mat. Stuff their meal portion in a Kong or paper towel roll. Even if the dog tears apart or even ingests the cardboard, they are still safe and burning energy. There are a number of storebought puzzle feeder toys, but you can also use items you have at home. A simple cardboard box or egg carton can be torn apart to get to a meal. This not only teaches your dog to get creative and use their paws and teeth in new ways, but it also enables them to problem-solve and work their minds. Get creative and offer your dog breakfast or dinner in a special way!

Training

One of the best, most productive ways to mentally exercise your dog is to train. If your dog is untrained, this will not only tire the dog but also make him/her more well-mannered. But even if your dog has gone through formal training, this is a great way to burn energy and keep things fresh. A common dog training mistake is to take a class or train a cue and expect that to be the end of the journey. But even the most basic cues like “Sit”, “Down”, or “Stay” are parts of a foreign language to your dog, and they require practice for your dog to retain it.

Training your dog will help tremendously in tiring him or her, regardless of prior experience. Thirty minutes of training is more than enough for most dogs to start getting tired. Switch up which cue you ask when- don’t settle to a routine. Try asking your dog to sit on a unique substrate such as tile or wood or a pile of clothes! Keep it fresh and keep it fun to engage and exhaust your dog.

Hide and Seek

Hide and Seek isn’t just a game to play with the kids! When you’re stuck indoors with an energetic dog, this is a great game to play to tire your dog mentally and physically.

The game is very much like the children’s game- you hide and call your dog to come. Once your dog gets the hang of it, you can change this to put the dog on cue to play by saying “Find me!” At first, hide behind the couch with a treat or toy and call your dog to come. Cheer your dog on, encourage, and continue sounding upbeat and exciting until your dog finds you. Then, offer BIG praise along with a treat, petting, or game of tug. The hope is that your dog will come running (physical exercise) while trying to sniff and think through where you could be (mental exercise). Continue playing, hiding in different spots, until your dog is good and tired.

No matter which of the indoor dog exercises you choose to offer your dog, keep it fun! Don’t settle into a routine. Offer variety to encourage to keep your dog on his/her toes and engaged in the activity. Don’t let poor weather or other circumstances keep your dog from getting the energy outlets all dogs desperately need! For more recommendations for indoor OR outdoor fun, read our Top 10 Activities to Wear Out Your Energetic Dog.