6 Ways to Help Prevent Dog Boredom

Is your dog bored all day? Do they seem to get into a lot of trouble when no one is at home? Or do they lay around without much to do even when the human members of the family are nearby? If any of this sounds like your dog, or you know for a fact that they tend to suffer from dog boredom, then you’re in the right place!

Before going any further, as a reminder, it’s important to consult with a veterinarian if you’re ever concerned about your dog’s behavior or health. Your vet will be able to examine your pet to find the underlying cause for why they’re behaving a certain way. 

Tips to Help Keep Your Pet from Suffering from Dog Boredom

In the article below, you’ll find a quick breakdown of information that can help you prevent your dog’s boredom. These tips can provide excellent options to alleviate boredom in dogs and reduce the risk of destructive, aggressive or anxious behaviors when that boredom becomes too much to bear, too.

Here are 6 tips to help prevent dog boredom:

1. Provide Lots of Toys

When your dog is being supervised or if you’re completely sure they can’t hurt themselves in any way with their toys, provide several toy options for them to choose from. This way, they can pick their favorites and enjoy different kinds of play every day.

If you feel like your dog is getting bored with their toys frequently, try storing some of them for a few days and then rotating them with others. This way, they’ll all seem “fresh” and new to your dog, and they won’t get tired of the toys so quickly.

2. Try Doggie “Board Games”

Doggie “board games” or puzzle games made for dogs can help stimulate your dog’s mind and encourage them to think differently than they may otherwise be used to. They are ideal for problem solving and can help your dog stay calmer with regular use, too.

These dog games come in many skill levels, but they all work similarly: hide some treats within the game and encourage your dog to solve the puzzle to find the treats. Over time, they will be able to step up to harder and harder challenge levels!

3. Play and Train Interactively

Another way to help prevent dog boredom is to make sure you’re spending some time playing with and training your dog interactively. This means you need to spend one-on-one time with your pet, and you should encourage other members of the household to do the same when their schedules permit, too.

Your dog doesn’t want to be completely ignored by everyone in the home. By playing with them in an interactive way, you can encourage them to be more active and get more excited. Later on, when it’s time for them to settle down, they won’t feel so bored because they’ve had a lot to do throughout the day.

4. Go on Walks

Although it might go without saying, taking your dog on plenty of walks can help them stay calm, settled, and less bored, too. You don’t have to walk them all day every day—but make sure they’re getting at least one walk per day, or more if they’re an active large-breed dog.

Try mixing up your route when you walk your dog if possible. In some locations, it may be unsafe to take routes you’re unfamiliar with. Otherwise, however, changing the route now and then can help your dog stay engaged with the walk and can cut down on their boredom when they get back home, too.

5. Visit Dog Daycare

Some dogs have so much mental and physical energy that their human family members can’t keep up, especially when working outside the home. To balance your needs with those of your dog, you may want to consider dog daycare a few days per week.

Taking your dog to dog daycare gives them a chance to play with other dogs and get to know other, safe humans too. They’ll be so tired from their day playing and having fun that they won’t feel bored when they get home—but they may want to take a nice, long nap!

6. Utilize Treat Toys

Finally, if you know you’re going to be away from your dog for several hours and you know that they’re prone to develop dog boredom, try giving them a treat toy too keep them occupied and reduce their boredom while you’re gone.

Treat toys come in many sizes and styles, and they’re designed to hold both solid and liquid treats. Kong is one company that makes some of the most popular treat toys currently on the market.

These toys can be frozen, which can give your dog something to work on chewing and licking for an even longer time. By the time they finish their treat toy, they are sure to feel less bored.

Contact Our Team for More Information about Dog Boredom

Boredom can sometimes cause dogs to show aggression or become destructive or anxious when they’re left alone. They may destroy furniture, chew up shoes, try to escape the home, or potty in the house as a result of this boredom.

By focusing on the suggestions in the list above, you can help reduce this risk and encourage your dog to behave properly, even when no one is at home with them. However, if you think any of your dog’s behaviors could be related to an underlying health problem, take them to the vet to be sure.

At Heart + Paw, we want your pet to be as happy and healthy as possible. If you’re curious about more tips on how to help prevent dog boredom, or if you have any concerns about their overall health, book an appointment at any of our locations today. Not only do we provide wellness care for your pet, but we also have locations that offer dog daycare services. No matter what your pet needs, our team can help.