Too Hot to Handle? Enrichment Ideas for Scorching Summer Days

Estimated reading time: 4 min

Many thanks to Rebecca Najarian (Dogs Plus Love) and Clark for eating cold snacks for the cover image! 📸

It's Too Hot for a Walk — Here's How to Keep Your Dog Happy Indoors

Summer, for me, is often a double edged sword. We are finally getting some sunny, warm days to enjoy out and about, but it doesn’t take much for the days to tip over into high heat. Days so swampy and humid that the next polar vortex suddenly seems appealing. When you don’t stop sweating from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to bed, even in your most minimal clothing, you can imagine what that heat can do to our furry friends. That’s why keeping dogs entertained indoors can be so vital to your routine during these hot days and weeks.

Olivia is one of the many pups who enjoys sunbathing, and when we take our potty breaks on hot days, she will often get a quick pee in, then immediately go and lay out in the scorching sun. This is shortly followed by me with a “What is wrong with you, you will incinerate yourself, get back inside.” Cue sad, pouty dog who thinks I’m torturing her by not allowing her to bake in the sun like a sweet potato. So how does Olivia still meet her needs when we can’t spend as much time outside as she would prefer? Below are some ideas to beat the heat that may go beyond your normal repertoire for indoor activities!

When dealing with your dog and the heat, the first thing we should always be considering is safety. Click here to learn more about summer heat safety tips for your pup!

Olivia enjoying her time baking in the sun

Planning Ahead for the Heat: Build Your Routine Around the Forecast

When planning around the weather, I recommend taking a look at the forecast for the next few days to identify when the most effective times for walks and potty breaks would be. This is typically earlier in the morning, and after sunset. Also consider the surfaces you have access to! Asphalt absorbs an incredible amount of heat and it can wreak havoc on your dog’s paws. Whenever possible, keep outside time on grass, dirt, or other surfaces that do not hold nearly as much heat.

However, we all know the weather forecast can be less than accurate (and is only looking to continue going in that direction), so have some back up plans to save you stress and demand barking!

Classic Indoor Enrichment Ideas for Hot Days

Frozen Kongs, Lickimats, Toppls, and other fun licking activities – Bonus points for helping your pup cool off!
Indoor snuffle mats and food scatters – Get that foraging need met without having to leave the living room!
Shredding time with recyclables – Utilize cardboard boxes, packing paper, paper bags and paper towel tubes to create a fun multi-layer puzzle that your dog can have a blast with.
Training time – Practice what you already know, or teach some new tricks to work the brain and body!
Hide and seek with treats or toys – Set your pup up in a different room, hide some goodies, and let them search them out to their heart’s content.
Break out the water toys! – Let your pump take a romp through the sprinkler, jump in the kiddie pool, or play “catch” with the hose.

If the typical enrichment activities do the trick, congrats! You can stick with what is already working. If you’re looking for some out-of-the-box, creative enrichment ideas, check out the list below.

Creative Indoor Dog Enrichment Ideas You May Not Have Tried

Fun and innovative ideas for sunny day enrichment:

Ride in the car with A/C – If your dog is a fan of going on car adventures, take a drive with the AC cranked and the window cracked for your pup to stick their head out of.
Indoor Obstacle Course – Embrace your inner kid and create an obstacle course around the house with everything from couch cushions to blankets to chairs. You might just have as much fun as your dog does with this one!
Bring outside inside – Gather some foliage and sticks into a container and bring it inside for your dog to investigate! There’s nothing like those outdoor smells to entertain the brain.
Do a toy swap with a friend – Trade a few dog toys with a friend for not only a new toy experience, but a fascinating scent experience as well! (Warning, don’t trade anything your dog is super attached to as it may not come back in one piece!)
Frozen charcuterie sampler – Offer your dog a variety of dog-safe frozen fruits and veggies like watermelon, carrots, cucumber, strawberries, blueberries, celery, banana, and more!
Giant ice cube – This is a great one for out on the deck or patio. Fill a large tupperware with water and a mix of your pups favorite treats (you can also use dog-safe broth!) and freeze. Once it’s frozen solid, run a bit of warm water to loosen it up, and let your pup paw, bite, and lick at it until it melts!

Check out the linked instagram post below for the recipe for Miley’s Pupcicles!

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A post shared by Dog Training & Enrichment | Chicago & Naperville & Virtual (@petharmonytraining)

How to Know If Indoor Enrichment Is Working for Your Dog

Pro tip: They won’t love everything…and neither will you.

Though there are a large number of indoor activities that you can use to engage your pup, they may not find every activity enriching! Remember that to qualify as enrichment, the activity must meet the needs of the animal in front of us, and improve the welfare and wellbeing of all involved. If your activities are fulfilling your dog in place of their walk, then you know you’ve found some good substitutes.

If you’re worried about your dog’s calorie intake, you can use part of your dog’s daily meals for these activities, or supplement the calories of the treats for some of your dog’s food. Fruits and veggies are a great option for this!

Here’s to harmony,

The Pet Harmony Team

Now What?

A walk doesn’t have to be the make or break! As we move through more extreme season and weather changes, we are going to have to continue to explore outdoor alternatives. It’s okay to skip a walk if it isn’t a good day for it. Dogs can be enriched in many other ways, as demonstrated here! Check out these additional blogs for more ideas for enrichment on indoor days, and how you can utilize them to also help your pup relax!

How do you and your pet beat the heat? If you need help building a heat-friendly enrichment plan, we are here to help!

PS: Capitalism

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