Winter Training & Mental Stimulation

Baby, it’s cold outside!  And that can mean that your dog won’t be getting his usual amount of physical exercise.  What to do with a dog suffering cabin fever?  Increase his mental exercise.  Teach your dog a few new tricks that he can show off once the snow melts and the sunshine returns.  It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just make sure that you and your dog are having fun while you’re learning.

Don’t let your pooch’s everyday training get rusty.  It’s easy to practice things like Sit, Down, and Come in the house.  Ask your dog to Sit before you feed him, have him lay down at the end of a corridor, and call him to you.  Have your dog loose-leash walk around the coffee table.  You get the idea.

Cats can suffer cabin-fever, too.  Even though cats live indoors, there is still plenty of entertainment to be had watching squirrels and chipmunks frolic during warmer weather.  Keep kitty bright and alert with inventive games and toys.  Playing flashlight tag is a fun chasing game.  Those empty boxes from new electronic devices can be made into a cat fort.  And if you’ve never played hide-n-seek with a cat, well, brother, you haven’t lived.