Rainy Day Games for Dogs: Indoor Ideas to Beat the Boredom

Some days the rain just doesn't stop. A dog who has missed their usual walk can spend the afternoon pacing, whining or eyeing up the skirting boards. The answer isn't laps of the kitchen. It's giving their brain something to do.

Why brain games work

Dogs explore the world nose first. Sniffing, searching, licking and solving a puzzle are all natural things for a dog to do, and many owners find a good sniffing session leaves their dog more settled than a run around. A few short sessions of five or ten minutes work better than one long one.

Still go out, even briefly

Your dog still needs toilet breaks, and a short walk helps. Make it a slow, sniffy one: let them investigate every lamp post and hedge rather than marching at your pace. Then towel them off at the door (how to dry a wet dog fast has the routine, and how to stop wet dog smell deals with what comes after).

8 indoor games for a rainy day

1. Find it

Ask your dog to wait, let them watch you put a treat down a few steps away, then say "find it". Once they've got the idea, hide treats behind a chair leg, under the edge of a rug, then in the next room.

2. Snuffle mat breakfast

Skip the bowl and scatter part of breakfast into a snuffle mat. Your dog has to nose through the fabric flaps for every piece, which turns a thirty-second meal into a proper search. The snuffle mat in our Rainy Day Sniff & Lick Kit is 45 cm across, with flaps and pockets to tuck food into.

3. Lick mat to wind down

Spread a thin layer of something dog-safe on a lick mat: some of their usual wet food, a little plain yoghurt or mashed banana. Freeze it first and it lasts much longer. Many dogs find licking settling, so it's a good one for the evening or while you're on a work call.

4. The muffin tin game

Drop treats into a few cups of a muffin tin, then cover every cup with a tennis ball. Your dog has to nudge the balls out to find the food. Stay with them, and put the balls away afterwards so they don't get chewed.

5. The cup game

Hide a treat under one of three upturned plastic cups and shuffle them slowly while your dog watches. Start with one cup and build up.

6. Hide and seek

Have someone hold your dog while you hide in another room, then call them once. It doubles as recall practice, so make a big fuss when they find you.

7. Learn a new trick

Try a nose touch to your hand, a spin, or "go to bed" on a mat. Keep sessions to a few minutes and finish while your dog is still getting it right.

8. Tug, with rules

You start the game, and it pauses when you say "drop it". Go gently with puppies and older dogs.

Keep it safe

• Supervise with mats, puzzles and toys, and pick them up once the game is finished.
• Count the treats. Use part of your dog's daily food, or cut back their meals a little, so rainy weeks don't add up to extra weight.
• Never use xylitol (also sold as birch sugar), found in some peanut butters and sugar-free foods. It's toxic to dogs, as are chocolate, grapes and raisins.
• Mind the floors. Avoid chasing games on laminate or tiles. Play on a rug.
• If your dog seems anxious, can't settle or is destructive even on dry days, talk to your vet. It may be more than boredom.

A simple rainy day plan

• Morning: a short sniffy walk, dry off at the door, breakfast in the snuffle mat.
• Late morning: five minutes of "find it".
• Afternoon: a quick trick training session, then a nap.
• Evening: a frozen lick mat while you cook dinner.

A busy brain and a short walk usually beat a long, soggy march, and you'll both stay drier.