I don’t know about you, but after days of arctic temperatures, cabin fever is really setting in around here! To keep the humans entertained, I’ve turned to Angel Chuck Billy’s old playbook of indoor games – nose work and art projects! Just between you and me, Chuck Billy could be rather wordy in his descriptions. So I’ll try to be more concise. But you can click on the highlighted headings to get his step by step instructions if mine aren’t clear.
Nose Work Game for Dogs: It’s like hide and seek, but for treats and toys! To play this game what you’ll need is smelly treats, or if you want to keep the calories off, a favorite fragrant toy like a bacon scented squeaky ball. Chuck Billy used essential oils, but that just complicates things in my opinion. Anyways, have your human show you what they are hiding, so you’ll know what to sniff for, then be patient while they run around the house to hide it. Alright, I’m not that patient. Mom contains me in a room, otherwise I follow her as she hides the scent. If you’re new to this game, tell the human to hide it close and rather obvious until you understand what you’re suppose to find. If you’re a pro like me, your human just needs to give a familiar command, and it is game on! For me it is “find your toy!” Chuck Billy used a fancy Dutch command, “vind het,” but I’m not as fluent in other languages like he was.
Remember this game is to keep both you and your humans entertained while stuck inside the house! I recommend playing many rounds of it, while increasing the difficulty each time. For those interested in taking this game to the next level, you can read how Chuck Billy used his National Association of Canine Scent Work training to increase the difficulty in Nose Work Indoor Game for Dogs (February 2020).
Peanut Butter Pupcassos: For those with an artistic flair, this is my favorite indoor game! What you’ll need is a “canvas.” Chuck Billy insisted on actual canvas panels, but I’ve also had success with poster board. Just make sure whatever you choose fits into a large resealable bag! You’ll also need nontoxic paint, and most importantly peanut butter! Please make sure the peanut butter you use is dog friendly, and does NOT contain the toxic ingredient Xylitol, also known as Birch Sugar, which is toxic to dogs! Plain yogurt and unsweetened applesauce also work well for dogs who may have food allergies or dietary restrictions.
Have your humans put blobs of paint on the canvas, seal it in the bag so you don’t have direct contact with the paint. Then here comes the delicious part – have them cover the outside of the bag with blobs of peanut butter! We’ve found that taping the bag to the floor makes it easier to be creative without it sliding every which way. Finally, start licking and see what masterpiece you create! After you’re done, have your human carefully remove it from the bag to let it dry. Then display! Speaking of display, you can see our art from last year at Red, Golden, Green, Dog Art (February 2024).
