The Best Indoor Dog Activities + Kong Stuffing Ideas

posted by Alex Aldeborgh, RD on Dec 21, 2022 0 comments »

Even on those days when you can’t get outside with your dog, it’s important for them to get some exercise indoors. Here are the best indoor dog activities to exercise your dog’s body and mind, including a Kong recipe!

Thank you Wellness Pet Food for sponsoring this post. I’m grateful to partner with brands I love, and all opinions are my own.

apricot poodle on a grey couch in a pile of blankets

As much as we love our daily dog walks, sometimes factors outside of our control prevent us from getting outside. Extreme temperatures, rain and snow storms, busy days at work, or traveling can all compromise our ability to exercise Coby as much as we normally do.

Luckily, there are plenty of ways to exercise your dog indoors. Since we know that dogs need both physical and mental exercise, we choose to do a little bit of both indoors. Here are some of our favorite indoor dog activities that Coby loves!

Physical exercise activities

Fetch with a ball or toys: When your dog is in a playful mood, you can play fetch with them in a hallway or large room. Use any of their toys or favorite ball.
Run up and down the stairs: If your home has stairs, have your dog follow you up and down, over and over. This is also a good way to get your own heart rate up indoors.
Toss small treats or kibble down a hallway, and your dog is sure to run fast to go find them.
Set up an obstacle course using chairs, tables, pillows, or other sturdy household items. Lead your dog around the house and through the obstacles you set up.

Kong dog toy surrounded by small bowls of food and a bag of dog treats

Mental exercise activities

Scavenger hunt for treats: Hide small treats or pieces of kibble all around a room. You can leave treats under pillows, blankets, and in corners. Let your dog find the treats by sniffing them out.
Brush up on training: Spend even just ten minutes on a training refresh with your dog. Run through all the commands they know a few times, and make sure to reward them with treats.
Teach them new commands: Indoor days are the perfect time to teach your dog a new trick! Practice the trick for a few minutes at a time throughout the day, and they should be a pro in no time.
Stuff a Kong with dog-safe foods and favorite treats. A Kong toy is one of the best tools you can give to your dog for mental stimulation! You can put any dog-safe food in a Kong.

This Kong recipe includes different textures and flavors for your dog, and only takes a minute or two to put together. I used diced carrots, diced pear, peanut butter, and Wellness CORE Bowl Boosters. The whole pieces of freeze-dried meat, fruit, and vegetables fit perfectly in Coby’s Kong toy. Coby loves the Heart Health recipe, and as a Registered Dietitian, I love the whole food ingredients.

Here are some other kong stuffing ideas for your dog:

Plain yogurt
Diced apples
Shredded chicken
Blueberries
Chopped spinach
Diced celery or cucumber
Shredded cheese
Chopped hard boiled eggs
Cut green beans

The next time you and your dog are stuck inside for the day, give a few of these activities a try. They’ll be tired, satisfied, and so happy to have spent some time with you.