Top 10 Indoor Games for Dogs That Need Motivation

Outdoor activities are an excellent way to keep your dog active and engaged, but when the weather makes playing outside a struggle, it's time to think up some fun indoor dog games to keep your dog from getting restless. Check out some of our favourite indoor games and activities for dogs.

When the weather puts a damper on your dog's regular outdoor activities, playtime may need to be shifted indoors. Your home may not offer all of the excitement and adventure that Mother Nature will, but you can still play some fun and enriching indoor dog games at home.

Whether it's too hot, too rainy, or too cold for your dog, playing indoors can still provide valuable physical exercise and mental stimulation to prevent boredom, anxiety, and destructive behaviours.

Additionally, exercise and stimulation will help teach your pooch self-control, memory and problem-solving, especially if your dog is still a rambunctious and curious puppy.

The Importance of Indoor Playtime for Dogs

Regular dog exercise and activities help your dog stay fit both physically and mentally and are a great way to strengthen your bond with your canine companion.

It also helps to use up some of that energy that would otherwise be directed toward disruptive and destructive behaviours when your dog gets bored. When your dog is stuck indoors, finding new and fun ways to offer enrichment will go a long way toward a happier and healthier dog.

Socializing Your Dog Indoors

Exploring different environments and smells, and meeting new friends is also a great way to keep your dog well-socialized, reduce dog anxiety, and help maintain cognitive function. Indoors, especially your home, will not offer the same variety of stimuli, but that doesn't mean you can't try new games and activities that may an old situation feel new.

Setting up indoor play dates, utilizing services like doggy daycare, or even just letting your pooch interact with your house guests can help to buffer that socialization they are used to getting outdoors.

Exercising Your Dog Indoors

Exercise is more than just physical activity, it provides your dog with mental stimulation that helps keep them healthy and happy. Playing and spending time with your dog will help you develop a stronger bond while curtailing destructive behaviours and developing desirable behaviours.

Maintaining their normal physical routines indoors is a little different than their normal outdoor dog activities, but it’s still important and not that difficult with the right tips and tools.

Find out more about your dog's exercise needs in our Ultimate Guide to Exercising Your Dog. You can also check out our exercise calculator to help you determine if your dog is getting the activity he needs to stay healthy.

10 Indoor Games for Dogs to Stay Active in Winter

If you’re wondering what exactly you can do inside the house without causing chaos, don’t worry – we’ve gathered a list of fun indoor dog games to play that we think will keep your pooch entertained and your house safe from destruction.

There are plenty of dog puzzle games and chew toys that your dog can use to occupy his time, but the games below are perfect for spending one-on-one time with your dog. These games can be a simple or as intricate as you want, and they can be geared towards your dog's abilities and changed as they learn new skills.

Get ready to entertain your dog (and yourself) with these 10 best indoor dog games:

1. Bubble Chasing

If there’s something that both dogs and kids love, it’s bubbles. This easy indoor dog game is great for dogs that have a lot of energy and a natural hunting instinct. If you’re worried about your furry friend eating suds, check out a dog-safe bubble recipe that uses non-toxic ingredients.

These floating intruders are sure to get your dog ready to chase. Stick to easy-to-clean spaces, like the kitchen, just in case the bubbles leave behind any soapy residue.

2. Scent Training

While dogs can be trained to detect a wide array of scents, many people start off by having their dogs sniff out treats. To get started with scent training your dog, you’ll need your dog’s favourite treats (or kibble) and a couple of boxes – you can either leave the top on or top off depending on the difficulty level you want to set for your dog.

Place a dog treat in one of the boxes and set it alongside the empty box on the floor in front of your dog – the rest is up to your pup to figure out. If you want to up the difficulty even more, add more empty boxes and close all the lids on the boxes.

You can even expand on this game by hiding treats around the house and telling your pup to go find them – be sure to start with something strongly scented, like Tilted Barn Dog Treats or Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Minnows.

Just make sure you don't forget where you hid them, or you might end up finding these stinky treats way past their expiration date in a few weeks.

3. Make an Obstacle Course

Your dog doesn’t have to be in a competition to try out an agility course! You can make one out of things you have lying around in your household objects – stuff like boxes, pillows, books, blankets and chairs. You could have your dog jump over a pillow stack or duck under a chair – anything goes as long as it’s safe and fun indoors for your furry friend.

Check out this DIY Indoor Dog Obstacle Course for some tips and ideas for making your living room into a lot of fun and exciting game room for your pooch. 

4. The Towel Game

Here’s another shell game-like idea for dogs that are really food motivated – simply get a towel, place a treat or kibble in the center near the end, roll it up a little, add another treat and repeat until the towel is all rolled up. Next, show your dog how to play the game by unrolling the towel a little bit and showing them that there’s a treat inside. 

As they learn how to play this indoor dog game, you can reduce the number of treats so that they’ll need to unroll the entire towel to get a reward. You can also reduce the size of the treats to help your dog learn to hunt more. 

This natural foraging technique is both mentally and physically enriching. For a store-bought option that is a bit more challenging, look for a dog play mat or a snuffle mat. You can also make your own snuffle ball or mat by checking out our DIY Dog Toys article. 

5. Find-It: Ball Pit Edition

For this one, you'll need a few supplies. Mainly a kiddie pool or playpen, and something fun to fill it with. Whether you use colourful plastic balls, tennis balls, or a bunch of rolled-up socks, this ball pit idea is the perfect combination of scent detection and tactile stimulation.

Once you've chosen your supplies, simply place a few treats or your dog's favourite toy in the bottom of the kiddie pool, fill it up with the decoys and let your dog go to town.

You can start with a shallow layer at first to hide the prize and increase it to a full-on ball pit-style adventure when your dog is ready. Make sure to monitor your pet at all times to make sure they aren't trying to chew on or eat anything they shouldn't.

6. Indoor Digging

If you’ve noticed your dog likes to dig, but you’re not a fan of holes in your garden, indoor digging lets your dog have all the fun of digging, minus the mess.

All you’ll need are some blankets, towels or sheets (make sure that you don’t mind them being scratched up or chewed on.) Simply layer your blankets on top of each other and hide some toys or treats in between the layers.

Show your dog that there are treats in between the layers, and demonstrate digging and nudging motions to retrieve them. If they can’t seem to figure it out, try using fewer blankets or sheets to start. You can continue to add more layers to add difficulty and keep your dog guessing.

7. Hide and Seek

Here’s an activity that engages your pup’s body and mind – plus it doesn’t cost anything! The only catch is that your dog will need to know the stay command really well.

The first few times you try hide-and-seek with your pal, you probably want to hide somewhere that isn’t entirely out of sight so your dog isn’t completely lost on how to find you.

Once you feel like they get how to play, you can progress to more difficult hiding spots – simply get your dog to stay until you’re in position and then say your dog’s release word.

8. Flirt Pole

This is basically a feather teaser, but for dogs – all you need is a durable stick, some string and one of your dog’s favourite toys. Simply secure the string to the end of the stick and a toy to the end of the string and wave it like you would wave a feather teaser for a cat – your pup’s bound to give chase.

Here are some DIY flirt pole instructions and some easy tips for tuckering your dog out. For indoor play sessions, you’ll want to find a more open space like a basement or make yourself a mini flirt pole to limit the amount of room you’ll need to use this toy indoors without trashing your household items.

9. Stairs Dashing

For most people, running upstairs is pretty exhausting – so it makes sense of smell that it’s a great way to tire your dog out if they’ve been cooped up inside for too long. For this activity, you’ll want your dog to start at the bottom of the stairs – have them sit while you throw a toy or treat to the top landing. Whenever you’re ready, tell your dog to go fetch!

It’s important to note that starting at the bottom of the stairs will lessen the risk of stress on your dog’s joints – additionally, make sure to encourage your dog to come back down the stairs at a safe pace.

Lastly, this game should only be played with dogs that are more than a year old – very young dogs don’t have joints that are developed enough to take the impact of racing up the stairs.

Additionally, smooth stairs, like hardwood or linoleum, can be slippery, so this game is best on carpeted stairs that give your dog plenty of grips to bound up and down the steps.

10. Clean Up

If your dog likes to leave their toys strewn all over the floor, you’ll probably appreciate this game. Plus, it helps stimulate their mind and learn new skills and words.

To start, you can give your dog his favourite toy. While it’s still in their mouth, offer them a treat or another one of their favourite toys – as soon as their mouth opens to take the treat or toy, say drop. You can practice this until your dog can drop their toy with just the drop command and without you needing to use food as a bribe.

Next, have your dog pick up a rope toy right by a storage container and tell them to drop the toy while they’re standing over the toy bin or storage container. When they drop the toy, reward them with praise or treats to reinforce this behaviour.

Once they get the hang of this, try tossing the toy farther away and see if they can put the toy in themselves. Whenever they drop the toy inside the container without you cueing them, give them a treat or praise.

At this stage, you can try the process with a new toy – if they don’t seem to get it, you can always place the new toy right by your storage container and have them stand over it again while practicing the drop command.

By the end of this dog training, you may never have to tidy away dog toys for the rest of your life! Stick to simple vocal commands like drop, bin, or a way to help them associate the action with the request.

Keep Indoor Playtime Fresh and Exciting

Now that you have a few options to help your dog stay active when the weather has you stuck indoors, you can start testing out which games your dog responds best to. Some dogs will be drawn to certain games depending on their obedience training and attention span.

Another way to keep your dog engaged is to keep their routine fresh. Don’t play the same games day after day, as your dog will lose interest. Playing outside has the benefit of a more dynamic range of sights, sounds, and scents for your dog to discover, but your house will stay relatively static. 

Changing the types of games you play daily will keep the routine exciting and allow your dog to rediscover different ways to play with you, your family, and even some of his favourite toys. You can work in some common indoor games, like fetch and tug-o-war tug toy.

Indoor Dog Games FAQs 

What are the best indoor dog games to prevent boredom?

Many indoor dog games can be used to reduce boredom and destructive behaviours, but the best way to keep your dog motivated to play are the ones that you can play together.

Why are indoor games important for dogs?

Indoor games provide mental enrichment, reduce boredom, and help dogs stay active even indoors. They are used to temporarily replace outdoor activities on days when the weather is bad or they can complement regular outdoor routines for high-energy breeds.

What types of indoor games can motivate my dog?

Various games like hide-and-seek, treat puzzles, scent games, tug-of-war, and obedience training can motivate dogs and keep your dog entertained. Food and toys can be used to encourage more play and give your dog a target to work toward.

How do I choose the right indoor game for my dog's motivation level?

When selecting indoor games, consider your dog's age, breed, energy level, and preferences. Pick games that your dog enjoys and can hold your dog's attention.

Can indoor games help with behavioural issues in dogs?

Yes, indoor games can help with other behavioural problems like excessive barking, chewing, or digging by diverting the dog's attention in a positive way.

Are there safety precautions I should take when playing indoor games with my dog?

Always supervise indoor games and choose appropriate toys. No matter how safe or familiar a game or toy is, there is always a risk that they could lead to injury if your dog is left unsupervised.