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During winter, your dog still has the same energy and needs to move around, but now you’re both stuck inside watching the snow pile up outside.
The good news is that keeping your dog mentally and physically stimulated indoors is something you can do, and it doesn’t require a lot of expense.
All you need is a little creativity and some simple activities to turn those cold months into opportunities to bond with your dog and tire them out without ever stepping outside.
Here are 13 indoor activities for dogs in winter that will help keep them happy, healthy, and entertained.
Important Safety Tips for Indoor Play
Before you jump into any of these things to do with your dog at home, we ask that you take a quick scan of your living room.
You’ll want to clear out anything fragile, and check the floor for loose cords, sharp edges, or random bits your dog might decide are snacks.
Slick surfaces like hardwood or tile are basically ice rinks for paws during high-energy play, and this can cause pulled muscles.
Throwing down a yoga mat, an area rug, or a rubber-backed runner gives them the traction they need to stay safe.
It’s good to remember that not every pooch is built for an indoor winter dog fun. Puppies, for instance, should avoid high jumps and long, grinding sessions to protect their growing bones and joints.
On the flip side, senior dogs, pups with arthritis, or our flat-faced friends like Pugs and Bulldogs can hit a wall fast. For them, keep the games short and gentle.
Keep a close eye out for heavy panting that won’t settle down, any hint of a limp, or if they just seem to check out of the game.
If your dog seems uncomfortable with any activity, you should always listen to them. Stop the game and give them a breather.
Most importantly, if you spot any movement or behavior that feels a bit off, it’s always best to check in with your vet before trying again.
13 Indoor Activities for Dogs in Winter
1. Provide Appropriate Chewing Outlets
Dogs love to chew. You can tap into this instinct by providing them with appropriate chew toys for games to play with dogs inside.
You have plenty of options here. Long-lasting edibles like bully sticks or yak cheese chews are favorites, but you can also use durable rubber toys designed for heavy chewers.
Feel free to stuff a hollow toy with wet food or peanut butter and freeze it solid. It can buy you 30 to 60 minutes of quiet focus.
Safety, however, is non-negotiable. Never leave your dog unsupervised with a chew. They can easily break off large chunks that pose a choking risk or could cause an intestinal blockage.
Always be watchful to take the chew away the moment it gets small enough to be swallowed whole.
2. Hide and seek
The good old hide-and-seek game isn’t just for kids. It’s also a superb game to get your dog’s brain and nose working in sync. It taps into your dog’s love for finding you.
To play this game, ask a family member to hold onto their collar for a second. Then, sneak off to another room or duck behind the couch and call their name.
When they finally find you, make sure to celebrate with a treat to motivate them. It works so well because it basically mimics their instinct to track things down.
As your pooch gets better at these dog-friendly snowy day ideas, you can pick tougher spots, like tucking behind a long curtain.
3. The Cup Game
Grab three identical opaque cups, plastic party cups, or clean yogurt tubs, which are perfect, and a treat that smells strong enough to get their attention.
Show them the treat, place it under one cup, and give the cups a slow shuffle. Then, just wait. When they nose or paw at the right cup, lift it and let them claim the prize.
It’s an ideal game for small apartments or for dogs who may not be as active as they used to be.
It forces them to watch you and problem-solve. If they guess wrong, just show them it’s empty, reset, and go again.
4. Indoor Obstacle Course
Setting up a little obstacle course in your living room is effective for working on your dog’s proprioception. This teaches them to be aware of where their feet are.
You can invest in indoor agility equipment. But you can always use what you already have at home.
For example, dining chairs make great weave poles, a broomstick on some books becomes a jump, and a sturdy box is perfect for a step-up station.
The key to getting this game right isn’t speed, but rather precision. Use a treat to lure them through slowly and deliberately.
Keep safety in mind, though. Keep any jumps at low height levels, especially for puppies or older dogs.
5. Stairway Sprints
If your home has carpeted stairs, you already have enough for indoor dog-friendly winter games.
Moving up and down the stairs engages a dog’s hindquarters and core in a completely different way than a flat walk does.
A simple game of fetch, like tossing a toy down to the landing for them to retrieve, can be a serious workout.
If you want a more controlled and safer burn, feel free to leash up and walk the stairs together slowly.
This forces them to actually use their muscles for each step rather than just using momentum to fly up them.
It’s excellent conditioning, assuming your vet is cool with them doing stairs, and a great backup plan when the weather outside is terrible.
6. Tug of War
Some people think tug of war with dogs encourages aggression, but when you play it with rules, it’s one of the most effective tools for teaching impulse control.
First of all, you should choose one specific tug toy, like a sturdy rope or a durable soft cloth toy, and reserve it just for this game.
Secondly, aim to establish a few simple rules to keep tug safe and fun. You can say, for example, that indoor activities for dogs in winter, like tug, should always be initiated by you, not the dog.
During tug play, you should always watch your dog’s mouth placement. If their teeth graze your hand or clothing, you should immediately stop the game for a moment.
Doing this shows the dog that any nibbling of human skin ends the fun. Most dogs quickly learn to adjust their grip and be careful.
Allow your pup to win occasionally by letting them pull the toy out of your hands, then praise them and restart the game.
One last important thing to keep in mind is that most tug toys are not built to survive a solo chew session.
You shouldn’t leave your dog alone with a rope toy. If they start shredding and swallowing those threads, it can lead to serious problems, like an intestinal blockage that might require surgery.
7. The Scent Game
One thing about nose work is that it is exhausting. In the best possible way. Ten minutes of intense, focused sniffing can burn more mental energy than a lap around the backyard.
You can start this right now in your living room. Take a handful of tasty treats, or just their regular kibble if you’re watching calories, and give the cue, ‘find it.’
We recommend you keep it simple at first by letting your dog win easily so they get the game.
You can now get tricky as time goes on. Tuck a piece behind a table leg, slide one under the edge of the rug, or balance it on a low shelf.
Watching them clear a room is nice. It also lowers their heart rate, and calms them down while their brain works overtime.
Plus, it levels the playing field. Blind or deaf dogs absolutely thrive at this because it relies on their scenting superpower.
8. Indoor Flirt Pole
It’s convenient to buy a flirt pole, but you can also DIY one at home and place your pup’s favorite hanging toy.
To play this indoor dog toy activity safely, make sure to clear out a hallway or push the furniture back to create some room.
Aim to keep the lure moving right along the ground to prevent your dog from leaping high and landing hard on a slick surface.
It taps directly into their prey drive. You can even sneak in some impulse control training by asking for a solid ‘wait’ before releasing them to chase.
9. Indoor Fetch
For this activity, we highly recommend swapping out the heavy tennis balls for soft plush toys. The trick here is control.
Don’t launch it so hard that your dog crashes into the baseboards at the end. Instead, roll the toy or toss it gently so it skids to a halt before the wall.
We like that this activity is simple, and for the fetch-obsessed dog, it’s probably the best thing you can do indoors.
10. Cardboard Box Destruction
Many dogs have a deep-seated urge to shred. Instead of fighting it, you can give them an approved outlet.
Take an empty cereal box or a shipping carton. Be sure to strip off any tape, staples, or plastic packing labels first. Toss a few smelly treats inside, fold the flaps closed, and hand it over.
11. Go to a Dog Playgroup
Sometimes your dog just needs to burn off energy with other pups. A supervised playgroup or a doggy day care is perfect for this.
It offers that carefree, rough-and-tumble playtime in a way that’s much safer than a random encounter at the park, as the staff are usually pros at grouping dogs with compatible play styles.
Most reputable facilities will have strict vaccination requirements.
You’ll need to provide proof that your dog is up to date on their core shots, specifically rabies, distemper, and kennel cough, to ensure every pup in the group stays healthy.
12. Practice Obedience Drills
Practicing your dog’s drilling command might seem like a huge task at first, but our furry friend loves this.
Once your canine friend has the basics like sit and stay mastered, you can start chaining them together in rapid-fire sequences.
A good way to advance this is by asking for a ‘sit,’ immediately followed by a ‘down,’ then a ‘spin,’ and finally a reward.
We recommend that you keep the pace up so your furry friend stays locked onto your voice.
To keep your dog guessing, you can constantly shuffle the order. Throwing in active tricks like a ‘roll over’ or ‘sit pretty’ can make for a better mental workout.
13. Sign Up for an Obedience Class
There is a bit of a misconception that obedience classes are strictly for the puppy phase. That’s simply not the case.
These classes offer a controlled, safe way for your dog to be around new people and other dogs without the free-for-all energy of a park.
For dogs that lean toward the anxious side, this is often a much better, less overwhelming alternative to the chaos of doggy day care.
It’s worth asking your vet for recommendations on local classes, specifically looking for trainers who prioritize positive reinforcement to keep the experience fun and stress-free.
Conclusion
As you have seen, wintertime should never rule out the above interesting at home enrichment for dogs.
The trick is to include indoor playtime ideas for dogs that keep them busy, without risking the outside conditions.
Some dogs will love scent games, while others might prefer a good game of tug or learning new tricks.
The key is finding the indoor activities for dogs in winter that click with your pup’s personality and energy level.
Don’t feel like you need to do everything on this list. Rotating through two or three snowy dog activity can be enough for your pup.
RELATED:
How To Keep Dogs Warm in Winter
Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a also a pet writer and expert with more than 20 years of experience of working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals at a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.
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