Today’s guest post is dedicated to all the dog moms out there! I hope it gives you some fun new ideas for your four-legged loves!

Have a smart dog? If so, then you know that keeping them Occupied is a constant battle. It doesn’t have to be, however, if you’re careful to pick the right Toys and accessories for them to play with around the house. Even better? You can build some of them yourself! If you’re still looking then read on and we’ll show you some great items to keep the mutt busy!

1. Puzzle Toys

Puzzle toys are a great way to keep your pet occupied. They come in a variety of different configurations but the purpose is the same: make your dog think their way to a Treat.

These toys are alluring to canines since the scent of the treats or food in them get out. The dog smells them and then has to solve the puzzle.

Easy enough, and with some thought you can even make your own. A treat and a hidden pocket on their favorite plushy is one of the best methods, but people have gotten extremely creative with the whole affair over time. If you can think it up, chances are your dog will give it a go.

2. Dog Pools

Is your dog a water breed? Retrievers, Poodles, and many other dogs love to get in the water. As summer rolls in it might be time to think about a dog pool.

While it’s not something you should let most animals have free access too, they’re a safe method for a dog to burn off energy. For certain breeds, it even handles an instinctual need to get in there and splash around.

They’re easy to find. You can buy a cheap one, use a plastic kiddy pool, or even make your own. Thankfully, it’s sure to be used as long as you maintain it. Dogs aren’t nearly as likely to get bored with an above-ground pool as we are.

3. Scavenger Hunts with Treats

Try hiding a variety of treats around the home. The places should be well-hidden but still accessible by your dog for the best results.

You can make this much more alluring to your dog by dragging the treats to create trails to the treats, allowing them to use their superior sense of smell to find them.

Best of all? You don’t even have to be there to keep your dog occupied for hours. Many people have found this a great way to keep intelligent dogs like Collies distracted while they’re away. It’s an easy fix for separation anxiety if you can keep the game going.

4. Your Television

Studies show that dogs actually watch TV, and can even recognize animals on the screen. It’s not always the best option, and your dog may tire of it within a few days, but it’s an easy way to just let your dog veg on the couch.

Stations with a lot of animals are better received but each dog is different. See what they like, change the channel on different days, and you’ve got another tool for occupying your dog’s attention.

5. The Digging Box

You can make a frame for your yard and fill it with sand or soil. Add in some toys and treats and you’ll have a great way to keep your dog occupied for hours at a time.

It’s a simple process, even if you barely know tools you can cobble something together after reading a few articles and watching a couple of YouTube videos.

They’re the gift that keeps on giving as well. It’s not something your dog will tire of easily and resetting the digging box is easy. Just level all of the sand or soil again and rebury toys and treats to give your dog another great round of fun.

6. A Simple Job

The reason that most animals become rather destructive while you’re gone is simple: they’ve got nothing better to do. You’ll note that most of the dog breeds which are associated with destruction when not occupied are highly intelligent. Border Collies, for instance, are among the worst offenders.

If you’ve got the knack for training then you can teach your dog to do simple things around the house. Let them load laundry baskets, for instance, or put away all of their toys. Essentially: make them a part of your day.

It depends on your dog’s intelligence and your aptitude as a trainer but you’d be surprised at how much you can get your dog to do. As a bonus, they’re also helping out around the house!

Keeping Dogs Active

Like us, our dogs need to be mentally occupied during the day to avoid problems. Since they can’t just scroll through Facebook or read a novel it’s up to us to find them things to do while they’re home alone. The above are just a start, why not see what you and your dog can do?