As we finish week eight of the stay at home order, I notice that my two dogs are extremely bored … and I know how that feels! So that got me thinking, what are some ways we can occupy our furry friends at home?

The obvious answer is walk them – a lot. Check. We’ve walked ruts into our neighborhood sidewalks at this point. But maybe you can take them on a destination walk. For example, in our neighborhood the park didn’t close, but kids are not encouraged to use it…but that doesn’t mean dogs can’t! Consider letting them climb on the play structures, run across the bridges and even go down the slides if they want.

Another idea is to set up an obstacle course in your yard. You can use cones, hula hoops, boxes, lawn tools and more. Be as creative as you want. Your dogs will love it. And, if it’s a hot day and you have a kiddie pool handy, fill that up and let them splash. Even if you don’t have a pool, I bet you have a bathtub!  

Don’t forget to play with your dogs. A rousing game of fetch goes a long way and gives the added benefit of tiring out your dog. I don’t know about your dogs, but mine love to play tug-of-war. They’ve chewed through all their rope toys though so I decided to get creative. Here’s an easy-to-make tug-of-war toy for your dogs:

Cut a throw blanket in half vertically. Then take one of the halves and cut it into three horizontal strips. Knot the three strips together at the top. Braid the strips, being sure to make your braid as tight as possible. Stop a couple inches from the bottom and knot the three strips together. There you have it! A simple and fun toy to occupy your furry friend!