Create new inside activities for your dog

By Dr. Beth Leermakers

How can you entertain and tire out your active dog when it’s too hot to walk or spend more than a few minutes outside? I walk my 7-month-old foster puppy for 20 minutes before 8 a.m., but later in the day we stay in the air conditioning. 

Caution: Please do NOT walk your dog (for more than a couple minutes for a potty break) when the heat index is greater than 85° degrees (or > 80° if your dog is short nosed — e.g., Bulldogs, Pugs, Shih Tzus, Boston Terriers — overweight or a puppy). Dogs can’t sweat, so they are at high risk for heatstroke, which can be fatal. At 10 p.m. it is often still 87 degrees (without the heat index). It just doesn’t cool off enough at night to make outdoor exercise safe for your dog. 

Here are a few safe ways to exercise your dog in the heat of the North Texas summer:

Turn your house into a canine gym. Oakley and I play fetch in the living room, or we play “follow the leader.” I walk around the house with a pocket full of treats, stopping at random intervals for Oakley to sit for a treat. If you’re ambitious, you can set up an indoor agility course (google that for do-it-yourself obstacles). 

Go swimming. Take your water-loving dog to a dog park with a lake or pond. If dog parks don’t work for your pup, check out Sniffspot, an app that lists private, fenced yards available to rent by the hour. Some of the Sniffspots have swimming pools or ponds. 

One Dallas-area Sniffspot even has dock diving, if your pooch is so inclined. 

The end-of-the-season dog swimming events start in early August (e.g., Doggie Splash Day at the Vanston Pool in Mesquite, Pooch Plunge at the Wet Zone in Rowlett, other events at local pools) and continue in September at the big water parks (Wags and Waves at the Hawaiian Falls in Garland, Doggie Beach Bash at NRH20 in North Richland Hills). All dog swimming events require a current rabies vaccination. Some events require advance registration, and some only allow dogs that are spayed/neutered. Check the websites so you’re prepared.   

Participate in indoor dog sports. Look for air-conditioned facilities that offer training classes and competitions for agility and other dog sports. All Fur Fun Training and Event Center in Addison and Zoom Room Dog Training (multiple locations, Dallas facility opening soon) are a of couple options.  

Walk at a dog-friendly business. Home Depot, Lowes, Bass Pro Shop, Cabela’s and other stores are dog friendly (check with your local store before you head out). The pavement may be scorching hot, so park close to the door and/or carry your dog into the store. And don’t forget to buy something while you’re there. 

Provide Mental Activity  

Oakley gets overstimulated when we play fetch, making it hard for me to get any work done after play time ends. Working your dog’s brain is a good alternative to working her muscles. 

Make your dog work for his treats or meals.

• Scatter kibble around the house, so your pup must hunt for her dinner. 

• Put kibble or treats in a treat dispensing toy (such as a Kong Wobbler or Buster Cube). 

• Make your own treat-dispensing toy. Fill a water bottle with kibble or treats and then cut holes in the bottle so the goodies fall out when your dog pushes the bottle around the room. Or fill a cardboard tube (such as a toilet paper tube) with food, close the ends and cut holes in the tube.  

• Coat a Kong with a thin layer of peanut butter, fill it with kibble or dog biscuit pieces, then freeze it so it lasts longer.

• Serve breakfast (or dinner) in a snuffle mat. 

• Put kibble in a muffin tin and place tennis balls or other toys on top of it. 

Teach your dog a new trick. Training is a terrific indoor activity that makes your dog think. If your pup is solid on the basics (sit, down, stay), work on “shake” and “roll over.” Check out the Relaxation Protocol, a series of simple (or maybe not) exercises involving sit, down and stay that help your dog settle down and focus on you. Visit championofmyheart.com to download the 15-day protocol.

Get Your Dog a Summer Playmate 

Does your dog need a canine pal to romp with? If you don’t want the long-term commitment (and expense) of another dog, foster a dog. Dallas Animal Services (bedallas90.org) needs short-term and longer-term foster homes, and local rescue groups always need foster homes. Visit petfinder.com for a list of local rescue groups. Several rescue groups (Passport for Paws, Highway Hounds, The Street Dog Project, Mike’s Chance Animal Rescue) need temporary foster homes until the dogs (and cats) are transported to foster or forever homes in other states. I recently brought home a foster puppy from the Garland shelter to entertain Oakley. 

Have fun with your dog while staying cool(ish) and safe this summer!

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