Beat the heat! Safe summer enrichment activities for you and your pup pal
Summer, summer, summertime. Time to sit back and unwind…
AND time to play some fun games and do some stimulating activities with our pooches!
Summer means more outdoor time, more vitamin D, and a chance to get active – what’s not to love?! We’ve made it very clear in a recent blog post that overheating and heat exhaustion are both very dangerous conditions for dogs. That considered, we wanted to pull together some more helpful ideas for loving owners to keep their dogs’ days enriched and happy, even when the hot weather makes walking problematic.
Water games
Many dog breeds are natural swimmers and thoroughly enjoy being in or around water. Using cool water is a great way to keep dogs cool in hot weather, and there’s lots of options to take advantage of outside. A cheap paddling pool filled with water and some toys creates an instant at-home swimming pool for hot dogs looking to keep cool. Garden hoses and sprinklers can also create fun games for dogs to enjoy with you. Or even try a children’s water pistol to keep your pup amused!
Always be sure not to suddenly decrease your dog’s body temperature using freezing water, as this can lead to shock.
Cool treats
There’s nothing more refreshing on a hot summer’s day then an ice cream (or two!). And there’s no reason why your four-legged friend can’t get in on the action too. You can get creative and freeze biologically appropriate fruits and veggies to make homemade ‘lollies’ for dogs to enjoy, or freeze treats in water to encourage some licking and gnawing to try and retrieve the treats. Want a ready-made solution? Giving Leo & Wolf Meatballs straight from the freezer are a great cool down treat, or can simply be added on top of meal times too!
Never leave dogs unattended with treats, especially those of a frozen nature.
Indoor games
When the outdoor temperature gets just too high for your dog to safely handle, staying inside may be the only responsible option. However, your dog doesn’t need to resign itself to a day of boredom! There are plenty of ways to keep them amused without stepping a paw outside.
Hide & Seek
Who doesn’t love a good game of ‘hide and seek’? Whether you hide an object, a treat, or yourself, hide and seek is a great way to keep dogs entertained and gives them a great opportunity to use their super sniffing powers. Just 5-10 minutes of sniffing (a.k.a. seeking!) is a great workout for your dog’s brain, and of course the special reward at the end is the ultimate prize.
Pup puzzles
The marketplace is packed with genius pup puzzles to encourage dogs to use their brainpower to find treats and rewards. We’ve listed a few of our favourites here!
The Kong Gyro – a roll and flip action treat dispenser that encourages dogs to push, paw and roll the toy to retrieve treats.
The Ruffle Snuffle Mat – a material mat with tassels and flaps to encourage dogs to sniff (and snuffle) out food and treats that are hidden in the mat.
Hound Hide A Squirrel – this non-food based puzzle encourages dogs to sniff, paw, and bite to retrieve the squeaky squirrels hidden in the log!
Nina Ottoson Challenge Slider – have a genius on your hands? Then this challenge slider could be perfect for you. This advanced problem-solving game requires top-dog senses to uncover hidden treats.
Our Leo & Wolf dried treats are perfect for treat-based puzzles like the above! Explore our range here.
Good old-fashioned attention!
Sometimes all you need to do is give your dog some extra attention. Dogs are incredibly social animals, and crave attention and interaction from their pack – i.e you! If you aren’t able to walk them or keep them stimulated because of extreme weather conditions, just giving your dog some extra attention will be great. Chatting to your dogs (come on… we all do it!), giving them strokes and cuddles, and generally spending some extra focused time with them will be of huge benefit to their mental wellbeing, and it'll make you feel good too!
As always, please consult your vet if you notice any signs of overheating or heat exhaustion in your pets to avoid any potentially life-threatening conditions developing.
