Cheap House Games for Bored Dogs

Описание: Need something to do when walks aren’t happening, the weather is gross, or your dog has way too much energy and nowhere to put it? These cheap “house games” use everyday items—mostly cardboard—to give dogs a safe outlet for sniffing, foraging, shredding, and problem-solving (aka: normal dog stuff).

A few minutes of the right kind of enrichment can make a big difference in settling, focus, and “listening ears”… without needing a fancy puzzle toy.

Multi-dog homes: run these separately unless you know your dogs share well. (Cardboard can turn into a surprise resource.)

What you’ll see in this video
Simple ways to use boxes and paper goods to create fast enrichment
How to scale the challenge up or down depending on your dog
A look at dogs doing what dogs do best: sniff → shred → celebrate

Household items that work great
Cardboard boxes (shipping boxes, cereal boxes, etc.)
Toilet paper / paper towel rolls
Cardboard egg cartons
Empty tissue boxes
Packing paper / paper bags (no handles)
Old towels or washcloths for “wrap and search” games

Pro tips
Start easy. Your dog should “win” quickly at first. We can make it harder later.
Short sessions beat marathon sessions. Quit while your dog still wants more.

Tape is optional and only helpful for dogs who love to push through resistance. If you use tape, supervise and make sure your dog does not eat the tape. (If they try to, skip tape and make the puzzle easier instead.)

Optional “advanced mode” (scent/decoy boxes)
You can level this up with scent games:
Put a tiny amount of a dog-safe scent on the box (on the outside only).
Use one scent to mark treat boxes, and a different scent to mark decoy boxes.

Important: only use scents that are confirmed dog-safe (many essential oils are not), and never apply anything directly to your dog.

Safety reminder: Supervise. Remove staples/plastic/string. If your dog tends to eat cardboard/tape, choose a different enrichment option and ask me for alternatives.