6 ways to exercise your dog in the winter

Some breeds, like huskies, love the snow and cold. But for many dogs, if it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for them. So, choose warmer days for longer outdoor activities like a romp through the park. And if your dog needs one, don’t forget a winter coat or sweater to help them feel comfortable outside.

In the winter, mental exercise is particularly important for dogs as they might not be getting as much outdoor stimulation. Plus, a mental workout can be as exhausting as a physical one. Puzzle toys, like those made by Nina Ottosson, are wonderful for stretching your dog’s brain. These toys contain treats hidden behind flaps and sliders, and your dog must figure out how to get at the food. You can also hide treats in a snuffle mat to challenge your dog’s nose.

For both mental and physical exercise, consider playing indoor games with your dog. Hide-and-seek is a fun way for your dog to use their nose. You can hide treats around the room and let your dog sniff them out. Or you can hide somewhere in the house. Call your dog once, then wait for them to locate you before rewarding them with treats and praise. You can also build an indoor obstacle course for your dog. Lay a broom across two stools for a jump or ask your dog to crawl through a tunnel made from cardboard boxes.

Don’t let your dog’s obedience slide during the winter months. Try to fit five to ten minutes of training into each day. You can heel down the hall or practice down stays in the living room. To help your dog generalize behaviours, train around your house with different distractions like the TV playing or people cooking in the kitchen. This will encourage good manners and keep your dog’s brain sharp.

To make training feel more like a game, try teaching your dog some tricks. It doesn’t matter if they never learn to roll over. Just relax and enjoy the process. Start with easy tricks like shake a paw then build to more complex behaviours like weaving through your legs in a figure eight. You can even try canine freestyle (the sport of canine dancing) by chaining tricks together into a routine.

If your dog loves the winter and you don’t mind the cold, consider a winter dog sport. You can try canicross where you and your dog run together with your dog out front pulling you along. Or if you love cross-country skiing, try skijoring. In this sport, you strap on your skis and let your dog pull you across the snow. For both canicross and skijoring, you need a waist belt for attaching the leash and a proper pulling harness so your dog can pull you without injury.