How To Tire Out a Puppy Indoors
There are a lot of risks outdoors for a small pup, and as winter conditions start to roll in, you may be even less inclined to want to bring them outdoors. But how do you entertain a little puppy indoors? Can you make sure all of their needs are met?
Thankfully, nowadays, there are lots of ways to provide physical and mental stimulation to a small pup from the comfort of your home. Let's examine some activities you can do to keep their needs met while indoors.
What to Consider…
A puppy’s age and breed should be your biggest concerns when trying to determine how much exercise they are going to need, as their needs change a lot throughout puppyhood. Smaller breeds and brachycephalic dogs (flat-faced dogs such as pugs and bulldogs) need less exercise than large-breed puppies.
Under 3 months old you shouldn’t really worry much. A tiny newborn pup is not going to need a lot of exercise, and most of their mental development will come from exploring and finding out about their environment.
From around 1 year and up, you can start to treat your puppy like an adult of their breed. This means around 30 minutes of exercise for small/brachycephalic breeds, an hour for medium breeds, and 1–2 hours for large and energetic breeds.
Between those two time periods, you will just have to be observant. Try to see how much your growing pup needs when they get tired or when they’re not tired enough by the end of the day. It takes a bit of juggling, but just try to slowly scale their exercise to their age as they get bigger and bigger.
Tastes can also change throughout this time. E.g. a small puppy may prefer to wrestle or play with toys, while an older pup may like a more energetic and stimulating game.
When to Keep a Puppy Inside
The biggest reason to avoid taking a puppy outside is to keep them safe from infectious diseases. Crowded places such as a dog park are a no-go, and it may be unsafe for a puppy to walk much.
These diseases can include things like canine distemper or even rabies. A puppy is not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after their final round of shots. In the U.S. this is normally at around 22 weeks.[1]
You may also want to avoid taking your puppy outside during very cold or very hot weather, as their small bodies are more susceptible to temperature extremes. Rainy and snowy weather can also pose risks to a young pup who may try to drink from puddles or run into dangerous situations.
Physical Exercise
As mentioned, a small pup probably does not require a lot of exercise. However, physical stimulation is important, not just for their health but also in preventing mental disorders and behavioral issues.
Indoor Running
This may sound strange, but it is possible if your house has the space for it. Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean tearing around the house, though that is an option if you have the room, but more like controlled exercise.
You can train your dog to run up and down the stairs. This can either be done by going up and down with them, playing fetch by throwing the object up the stairs, or having two people stand on either side and call the dog back and forth. It's a little silly, but the added incline adds on a lot more exercise than running on flat ground.
If you have a human treadmill, you can encourage your puppy to learn to walk on it. This may take some patience and training. Avoid having the treadmill’s back against the wall, and be prepared to turn it off if your puppy stops moving or becomes nervous. You can put a leash on them for more control of the situation.
Remember, a harness is safer and more comfortable than a collar for a young puppy. If you would like to see some high-quality, size-adjustable harness options, try out Sparkpaws’ lightweight Activewear Harness Collection.
You can also try setting up an indoor obstacle course. This doesn’t have to be anything too complex, just a simple maze or a number of objects they have to crawl through or jump over. Such as placing some tape in a doorway.
You can give them a treat for a job well done. It's recommended you don’t use items you would normally want them to avoid (e.g. don’t have them jump on the couch if that is a rule in your house)
Another option is to play fetch indoors. A small puppy cannot run far and may be happy to play fetch in a room with some open space.
Games
There are also a number of games you can try indoors. For example, you can play hide and seek. This just involves you hiding somewhere in the house and calling to your puppy or hiding food or a treat somewhere.
Certain toys also allow for games, such as ball games or ropes being used for tug of war. Tug of war is especially great because it burns energy and strengthens muscles without needing a lot of room to play.
If you have access to one, you can even use a bubble blower or a bubble wand for your dog to chase while being stuck indoors. Soap is harmful in large quantities, but a bubble here and there won’t harm your dog. Just try and avoid having them eat too many of them.
Mental Stimulation
Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise when keeping a dog indoors. Pet owners need to make sure an active dog, especially a puppy, is being challenged mentally. This would happen naturally as they explore outside, but they may need a little help indoors.
Toys
Dog toys have a lot of potential. Puppies need to chew to relieve teething pain and stress, and rotating their toys can keep them fresh and exciting.
You can also use puzzle toys to tire out your dog. Food and treats can be hidden inside, causing your puppy to root around to get them out. Even lick mats and slow feeder toys can take a bit of effort to get out. This effort requires thinking ability and physical prowess, tiring them out by the end of the day.
Games
There are a number of games that focus on mental stimulation while you have your dog indoors. Most of these are about getting your puppy to use their senses to try and find and find their toy or a treat.
The Shell Game - This involves hiding a treat under one of three empty cups in sight of your puppy. Rotate and swap the cups around in front of them so that the original cup is mixed up. You can then lift up the cup that they sniff or paw at to find the treat.
‘Which hand?’ Game - Similar to the shell game, you hide a treat in your closed hand, letting your dog smell them both to determine where the treat is hidden
Muffin Tin Game - Hide treats somewhere in a muffin tin and then cover up all of the holes with tennis balls or scrunched up paper. Let the puppy sniff around and try to move the obstacles to get the treat. Keep moving the treats around for each game.
Training
This may sound odd, but teaching obedience training is a good way to tire out your dog. And being stuck inside is the perfect time to practice tricks.
All you need is dog treats and some patience, making it an easy task to do. Training works because dogs love learning, trying to remember new skills and tricks takes brain power and skill. This alleviates boredom and requires energy to remember and reason on what they learned.
For very young puppies, this can be quite simple, such as leash training - for when they are eventually old enough to go to dog parks or on a walk. It could also be basic behavior around the home, such as learning to potty properly, crate training, proper socializing (not nipping you or playing nicely with other dogs/pets), and simple commands such as sit.[3]
For older puppies, you can get a bit more complex and teach them things such as impulse control (e.g. waiting for the bowl to be placed down before rushing to it), avoiding dangers, ‘Sit and Stay,’ coming to heel when walking, or more complex tricks such as shaking hands.
This extra time you have indoors with your pup is an excellent time to help them develop the skills they will need as they age and work on any issues you see forming.
Play dates
If your puppy is fully vaccinated, and you’re stuck inside for another reason, consider organizing a play date for them with another dog. Even smaller puppies can benefit from meeting and playing with an older dog. It teaches important communication skills and reduces the chance of them becoming reactive when they’re older.
Even a friendly, responsible human can be a good play date companion. That is also an important communication step and gives you a small break while they play together.
Conclusion
It is not normally a good idea to take a young, unvaccinated puppy outside, especially in cold weather. Though there are ways to entertain them at home.
You can provide physical exercise through indoor running, games such as tug of war or hide and seek, obstacle courses, or indoor fetch.
Mental stimulation can also be tiring. You can stimulate your puppy by giving them a puzzle toy, playing a scent game, or by training them. Training can involve teaching them normal day-to-day behaviors or can include special things like tricks.
You can also invite a playmate over, dog or human, for them to get some socializing. Provided it is safe to do so.
Tiring out a puppy indoors is challenging, but definitely possible. Try out a variety of tasks to figure out which ones work best for you and your puppy.
Happy Walking!
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