Do Dogs Get Bored? How to Keep Dogs Busy, According to Dog Experts

The hardest part of returning to life after the pandemic is separation anxiety—and no, I’m not talking about when you send your kids back to school—a moment I did a happy dance for. I’m referring to leaving your best friend, your pets at home, who have most likely thoroughly enjoyed every second quarantining with most of us since March 2020. With many people returning to their offices now, or by Labor Day, pet parents like myself are getting nervous about leaving their furry friends alone to fend for themselves at home after a year of endless cuddles and emotional support. Will my dogs be bored without me? Will they be sad? Will my pup suffer from separation anxiety when I return to work? We consulted with experts for advice.

Do dogs get bored?

"Dogs are social pack animals and are most comfortable in a pack of other dogs or humans," explains Mike Gould, the founding member of the NYPD K9 Unit, former Commanding Officer of the Nassau County Police Department and founder of Hounds Town USA, a premium dog daycare, training, and boarding facility. "When that's not available, some dogs do suffer from separation anxiety. The best way to combat this is to allow your dog to socialize with other dogs regularly and to create some separation between you and your pup throughout the day."

According to Gould, you can do this now by initiating periods of detachment by not engaging with your dog for 20 minutes to an hour, since this will teach him some more autonomy and minimize separation anxiety when you have to leave the home.

How to beat dog boredom

If you're looking for ways to keep your dog from being bored when they're alone, it's important to exercise your dog's mind regularly, on top of physical exercise. "We always suggest stimulating a dog's mind in the most natural way for the dog, which ideally involves stimulating the dog's olfactory system," Gould tells Parade.com. "A good example of this is a game of hide and seek to find treats or anything that requires the dog to use his nose to find something. This will do more for your dog than a five-mile walk. Play some games throughout the week and tire your pup out before you leave, and he'll be more inclined to snooze on the couch while you're at work."

Dr. Danielle Bernal, a veterinarian with Wellness Natural Pet Food, also offered her tips for easing this transition for dogs.

• "Practice leaving the house every day, starting in short increments and gradually increasing over time, to make sure Fido can be left alone without displaying severe signs of stress."
• "Try placing your pets in another room of the home on their own for a while, even when you’re at home. I suggest doing this at random times. This will stop them from distracting on those Zoom calls and simultaneously introduce them to a subtle change without you."
• "Try not to make a fuss when you exit and enter the house. By limiting the attention given to your dog, it minimizes the shock of leaving and the moment of relief when you return."
• "When used properly, crates can help your pup remain calm and out of trouble. Start training by crating for short periods of time while you are present. Gradually increase the time crated, and reward quiet behavior with calm praise or healthy treats like Wellness Natural Pet Food’s WellBites."
• Leave out a few fun toys that you only bring out when you leave, signifying that your absence is a positive thing.

All this advice led me to the world of TikTok, where pet parents are also sharing their favorite ways to keep their dogs from getting bored at home and sharing mental enrichment activities for dogs. Since I have two dogs of my own (a Saint Bernard and a Pitbull mix), I rounded up my favorite enrichment activities right here for how to keep dogs mentally stimulated at home.

Enrichment Activities for Dogs

Wrap treats in a towel

For this one, just take an old towel and some dog treats. It took my lazy dog some convincing to care about the towel, however, my other dog really enjoyed the hunt!

Fill a Kong

I love to cook and I won’t pretend that my dogs get the food my son often fails to finish. After watching this video I realize I could seriously be stepping up my game. Filling a Kong or other toy with a well-balanced treat sounds like a great way to let them get some energy out. My dogs loved this especially since was a treat they don’t normally receive and they were willing to work for it.

DIY frozen muffin tin

I use my muffin tins about twice a year, so this served as a great opportunity to pull those out again. Scoop a little peanut butter while being careful to spread it around the pan and then freeze for a bit. The goal of the muffin tin is to provide a lot of different surfaces and corners the dogs will have to move around while trying to get all the peanut butter.

DIY dog puzzle

Egg cartons serve as a light item the dogs can carry with them to explore and now you have 12 opportunities to hide treats. Make this more difficult by wrapping the treats with different materials. My larger dog wasn't as interested in this activity but I think it was perfect for my medium-sized dog!

Use an old tissue box

Any time I can reuse something I get excited and let's be honest, it's allergy season—I have a lot of empty tissue boxes. This video demonstrates how easily you can repurpose your tissue box for a fun game for your dogs.

DIY snuffle balls

For those more crafty than me, here is step-by-step instructions on making a snuffle ball. These are really adorable balls that you could make to match your color scheme. If you are ambitious I bet kids would love cutting out the circles. Once you make the ball, simply hid treats and let the dogs go wild.

Hide and seek

I have seen two versions of a dog hide and seek, both look really fun. For the human/dog hide and seek, simply make your dog stay, hide around the house and see how long it takes for them to find you. The next version involves hiding treats around the house and letting your dog go find them. Speaking from personal experience just make sure your dogs know you are hiding treats, otherwise you may end up with old treats scattered throughout your home.

Use red solo cups to hide treats

That's right, red solo cups aren’t just for college students anymore. What could make a day at home more enjoyable than a game of flip cup! I love that this video suggests setting up the game on a carpet for those dogs who are sensitive to noise, as both my dogs get anxious but they loved this.

Enrichment ball pit

Seriously I would have never thought about this but if you have space, I can’t imagine a dog not being obsessed with having its own ball pit! This video walks you through all the variations you can consider, adding plastic balls, tennis balls, toilet paper tubes, water bottles, you can pretty much fill it with anything, then scatter treats throughout. I can only imagine the excitement dogs will get from this.

How to entertain a dog in a crate

My dogs always start in a crate until we are all comfortable with extended stays alone. I think there are many dogs that prefer the comfort of a crate having a space that is all theirs. I love how resourceful this TikToker was in providing these dogs with stimulation even when in a crate. Using a frisbee and a lick pad these dogs get to fully enjoy the hunt for peanut butter.

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