Too Hot for Walks? Try These Simple Indoor Dog Puzzles

Most of us have been contending with record-setting heat and off-the-charts air pollution lately. There’s no way you want to subject yourself—or your dog—to lengthy periods outside.

Dogs, however, haven’t paid any attention to the weather reports. They want to go out, they want their walks, and they’re getting a bit cranky cooped up inside.

Fortunately, brain games are even more tiring than physical effort. Ten minutes of training games can be just as exhausting as a half-hour of "Fetch." Think back to your own memory of final exams at school—weren’t you absolutely spent when that final bell rang?

Easy Dog Puzzles

Even if your dog is already the perfect companion and doesn’t need standard obedience training, you’ll both still have fun playing. Your attitude is everything: if you approach it as playtime, you’ll look forward to it, and your dog will mirror that positive energy.

It’s a fascinating quirk that both dogs and people actually prefer to "work" for what they get rather than receive handouts. (Psychologists call this contra-freeloading.) That’s one of the reasons training games are so rewarding; dogs feel the same sense of accomplishment we do after a job well done.

• Puzzle 1: The Shell Game Get three plastic cups or bowls. Show your dog a really tasty, smelly treat, then place it under one of the cups. Shuffle the cups around like a street-corner magician, then let your dog choose. When they find the right one, lift it up, let them have the treat, and celebrate!

• Puzzle 2: Go Sniff! Smear a tiny bit of peanut butter on a plastic lid. Let your dog sniff it so they know what they’re tracking, then hide the lid somewhere in the house (out of your dog's sight). Bring them into the room and give a cue like "Go sniff!" or "Find it!" You can easily increase the difficulty by placing the lid behind or on top of an obstacle—just avoid putting it anywhere you don't want scratched or slobbered on!

Indoor Games for Major Benefits

Just because long "sniffaris" are off the table in this weather doesn't mean you can't enjoy quality time together. These activities might not look like classic obedience, but they absolutely count as training. In fact, there are entire dog sports dedicated to a dog's nose, like Tracking, Scent Work, Barn Hunt, and Urban Ratting.

These home versions require zero setup, tap directly into your dog's natural abilities, and give you a front-row seat to just how amazing your dog's senses really are.