How Can I Keep My Dog Entertained At Christmas Time?

Christmas is a time where we all love to get together & have a fun festive times. There are times where we need our furry friends to be occupied for example when you're eating your Christmas dinner, when you're opening gifts or when you just need some quiet time... Lets have a look at some ideas...

1 - Cardboard

Do you have cardboard, with no staples, sticky tape etc attached hanging around after gifts have been given?
Fill this with scrunched up wrapping (or just normal) paper, and sprinkle treats for them to find. They will love having to use their noses to scavenge for the treats! 

2 - Water bottles

Got a few water bottles to hand that are heading for the recycling?
Pop some treats inside and your dog will need to work out how to get them out! If it's too hard and they become disinterested, put some liver paste on the inside rim of the bottle as a licking exercise for them to keep them engaged. 

3 - Long Lasting Chews

Beef tails, pizzles, lamb horn marrow, hooves. These are all super long lasting and as they taste so delicious will keep your dog entertained for as long as they last. It is worth noting though, that the must be monitored while having chews so they don't choke or swallow pieces that maybe too large to digest. 

4 - Ice Cube Tray

This one does need a bit of prep as you'll need to freeze them but... fill an ice cube tray with water and place a treat in each one. Once frozen, they'll need to lick them until they get their prize!! ... or they may just eat them straight away instead of licking - make a few to make it last a little longer.

5 - LickiMats & KONGs

These are great ways of keeping your dog engaged in an activity, plus it keeps them calm and makes them really happy! Licking is a great way for dogs to feel at ease and relaxed as its a fun activity for them. Put liver paste, pate, food pouches, treats on the LickiMat or in the KONG and give to your dog. You can even freeze them to make them last longer!

Love these ideas and want some more?

SCDT-Online have a fantastic FREE enrichment activities. Click here to enrol!

What's your favourite thing to do to keep your dog busy?