At Tilly & Ted, we know better than anyone how important your furry bestie is; we firmly believe your pet deserves a seat at the table. We all want the best for our canine friends, and sometimes the weather is simply too bad for outdoor fun. So how can we keep them happy and stimulated indoors, and let them express all their chaotic energy?

Read on below for our top tips to help you stimulate your dog indoors, and create a fulfilling space for them. There are many ways that you can get your pup the exercise and activities they need on those typical British rainy days.

Toys and Playtime

The easiest way to keep your pooch stimulated and happy indoors when it's raining cats and dogs, is to make sure they have lots of different toys and activities to keep them entertained for hours. From chewable tuff toys, to squeaky toys, to tug toys, there's a toy for every pup. Some dogs prefer you to join in on the playtime, with toys they can fetch and play tug of war with, which is a great way to keep them exercised and engaged. There are also many toys that dogs can exercise with independently, such as battery operated rolling balls or flapping birds. Just be sure to keep an eye on them to avoid doggy wheelspins into your furniture when they get too excited. We recommend giving your pup a variety of toys so they'll always be able to enjoy playtime, no matter their mood. 

Our top tip is to incorporate some of our tasty dog meals into playtime as well, for an extra stimulating experience. For example, you can hide some of our Chicken Dinner kibble under cardboard boxes to help them to explore and discover, or reward them with a hearty portion of Fisherman's Pie to recover after a long playtime.

Now that independant playtime is over, how can your best friend find some pup social time?

Doggy Playdate

If your dog loves socialising, and could do with some time with their own waggy besties, arrange a doggy playdate for that key social stimulation. This is also a great idea for when you're not able to spend all day playing with them, and could do with a helping paw to keep your pup exercised and happy. Set out toys and puzzles for both pups to explore and play with together, but keep an eye out for any resource guarding, and use what you know about both dogs to influence the activities. If your pup is bound to get over-excited when around their paw-fect pals, consider setting them up in a larger area, such as a garage or cleared spare room, so they can let loose without fear of breaking your valuables.

To encourage newer pups to feel comfortable in your home, and safe from the stormy weather, consider setting out a tasty treat, such as our Lamb Kebab, to make them feel happy and comfortable. This can also be used to distract protective dogs from resource guarding all the toys, and as a wind down activity for thoroughly stimulated pups.

For the less social pups who still need extra levels of stimulation, how about upgrading their skillset and teaching an old dog new tricks?

Learning New Tricks

Rainy days can be a perfect opportunity to take the time to teach your dog some new tricks and commands in a less stimulating and calmer environment, where they can focus. Tricks such as rolling over, shaking paws, or dancing with you are all perfect for learning in the home, and can keep brainy pooches engaged for long periods of time. Make sure to keep repeating tricks over and over again, to help your pup remember and make the connections between the command and the action. Before you know it, the sun will be shining and your dog will have a whole new skillset to show off!

Rewarding your pup after every correct try is key to help them connect the action, command, and reward, to encourage them to keep trying. Keep a handful of Salmon Traybake kibble on you, and we guarantee they'll be doing barrel rolls for a chomp of this delicious meal.

The more elaborate you can make your pup's indoor palace, the more engagement and stimulation they can gain. Here's how to turn your home into a makeshift Cruft's arena.

Indoor Obstacle Courses

To truly give your dog a run around, turn your home into the ultimate indoor obstacle course. You can achieve this easily by moving around pieces of furniture for your pup to duck and weave through, and get some much needed exercise. Just make sure your furniture cannot be pushed over, or is non-breakable, as your pooch may get a tad too excited! To make softer and more durable obstacles for those clumsier pups, you can use sofa cushions to create pathways and encourage them to weave through pillows, exercising both their bodies and their minds. Even bad weather can't stop your pooches from becoming top athletes.

To reward your dog, make sure to give them a snack of our Chicken Happy Puppy Meal every time they complete the course successfully. Before you know it, they'll be bobbing and weaving like a pro, and you'll be all out of this delicious meal.

After all of this excitement, surely it must be time to relax and have some canine cuddles. Even a simple hug can help your pup feel at home!

Cuddles and Hugs

 There's nothing like a furry cuddle or some puppy love to feel paw-some, and your dog probably feels the same. Not every pup is going to want lots of hugs and kisses from their humans, but for those particularly affectionate pooches, a cuddle can make all the difference. Make sure to give some one-on-one time to your dog, so they can express their social human energy and feel as comfortable as possible in their indoor kingdom. 

For an extra stimulating cuddle-time, nothing gets tails wagging like our Duck Terrine, so pop open a tray if you want to give them a clear signal of your love, and encourage more (slightly smellier) kisses. If you're not sure as to whether your pup is the huggable type, or what they're trying to tell you, check out our blog post on what your dog is trying to say for more advice on understanding your furry bestie. 

Puzzles and Treats

Something key for dogs to engage in, regardless of the weather, is exploring and discovering. A safe way to give your pups these opportunities when it's dangerous outside, is to provide them with puzzles to keep them stimulated. Great examples are treat balls and task mats, as they have to solve puzzles to discover and dig out treats. These can be used even when it's glorious outside, to give your pup an extra level of exploration so they (hopefully) will feel less inclined to dig in next door's bin or get stuck under fences. 

Our Roast Dinner biscuits are perfect for hiding inside different puzzles and shapes to test your dog's curiosity, or can be used as a tasty reward for solving tests and completing tasks. 

Now it must be time for dinner after all of that fun, surely?

Exciting Meals and Flavours

Mealtime may just be another part of your dog's routine, but it can be an easy way to introduce some more excitement into your pup's day with some stimulating flavours and smells. Preparing their meal with them can help involve them in the process and keep them excited for some tail wagging meals. Try letting your pooch see and smell the food as you're arranging their dinner, such as letting them lick some of our yummy Turkey Loaf before you plate it up. 

If they're not particularly fussy, you can also surprise them with new flavours and ingredients to keep them on their fluffy toes. Check out our full range of dog food to see what paw-some meals and combinations you can treat your favourite four-legged friend with.

The more you know your canine friend, the easier it is to create a paw-fect indoor world for them. Understand their wants and satisfy their needs, for harmony in your home. We can't control the weather, but a happy space can always be created for your dog, so if you're ever worried about whether your providing enough for your pup pal on those rainy days, take another look at our tips and see what your pooch could be missing. 

If in doubt, a delicious Tilly & Ted meal goes a long way. Check out all of our paw-some meals to add some variety and energy into your pet's world today.