Finley here!
Winter is boring. There, I said it. Luckily for my people, I have endless ideas for how they can keep me entertained. There are plenty of indoor dog sports, puzzle games, and dog-friendly businesses to go to that can help with those winter blues. And don’t worry, I’m a great communicator, so my humans always know from the trail of chewed up shoes that I am BORED and they need to do something about it!
Indoor Dog Sports
There are so many mostly indoor dog sports these days that you humans have no excuse not to do fun stuff with us, even when the weather is bad! My favorite thing to do right now is K9 Nose Work! I love going to my classes and I can practice lots at home. Nose Work is where you teach your dog how to sniff things out, kind of like police dogs! I go to FunQuest Dog Sports for my classes, and I love it! They offer lots of classes here in Woodinville and even some at Cascade Kennels.
Agility is also a really fun sport. While it’s super fun to do outside in the summertime, the class I go to is indoors so it’s a great time no matter how yucky the weather is. My class also incorporates tricks into the mix, so I leave knowing tons of new stuff that I can show off to my friends. Learning new tricks and how to traverse the obstacle course uses my body AND my brain, so by the end of a class, all my energy is spent. I take classes with Dogs in Progress at Cascade Kennels, and it’s a blast!
Puzzle Games & Toys
Puzzle games are great for keeping a dog’s mind busy. You can get store-bought interactive games and puzzles, or there are some simple ones you can make with objects you already have around the house. Some of the ones you’ll find in the store are Kong toys, or treat dispensing balls.
My favorite DIY game is the Muffin Tin game. Just take a muffin tin, put treats into each of the cups, and cover almost all of them with the tennis balls. Your dog will put it together pretty quickly that there are treats hiding underneath the tennis balls, and then they have to figure out how to get to them. Some dogs carefully pick up the ball, some bop the ball with their nose until it bounces out, and some just flip the entire muffin tin! It’s even fun for the humans to watch.
Check Out Dog Friendly Shopping & Restaurants
There are so many restaurants and businesses in our area that are pet-friendly, you’d be amazed! For example, did you know that pretty much all of Redmond Town Center allows dogs? So do a little refresher course for your dog on their manners and take them shopping with you next time! There are also lots of breweries in the Woodinville area especially that allow dogs. Triplehorn Brewery and Blue Lightning Brewery are where me and my humans are regulars!
Until Next Time,
Finley,
Executive Canine Quality Control
