If your doggo has been stuck inside lately they might be getting a little bored. Whether you’re working from home, the weather stinks, or you’re just really busy, your dog can get bored when there’s nothing to do. Hopefully, your dog’s boredom is sticking to the realm of sad looks and audible sighs. If your dog has too much pent up energy though, they might start getting a little annoying or destructive. It’s best to cheer up a bored dog before they reach the point of destruction.

5 easy ways to cheer up a bored pup!

1. Play hide-and-seek.

Playing hide-and-seek with your pup is a great way to cheer them up. When you play with them, they also get the fun of interacting with you. Bored dogs love getting attention, and they love playing. This is a great combo! Hide-and-seek is a versatile option since it doesn’t require a lot of space. Even if you’ve got a small apartment with no backyard, you can still play hide-and-seek with your dog to cheer them up

2. Give your dog a Kong toy with some peanut butter smeared inside of it.

Dogs get REALLY excited when they get treats, and this is the treat that keeps on giving. Since they have to work so hard to get the peanut butter out of it, they’ll be busy working on it for a while and will be happy the whole time. Just make sure they don’t hide the toy somewhere for safekeeping. While peanut butter isn’t the worst food item you could find buried in your sheets, it’s best left unhidden.

3. Take them for a walk.

Obviously, this will be tough if you are legitimately stuck at home. If you can leave your house though, even if it’s just for a little while, take your dog for a walk. Bored dogs love the chance to leave the house and get some exercise. Let them sniff everything and take their time. It can be annoying when our dogs stop a million times to sniff everything, but it makes a huge difference to them! That’s their chance to find out what’s been happening outside and take in all the neighborhood information. A good, sniffy walk can help cheer up your pup.

4. Teach them a new trick. 

If you’re strapped for time, pick an easy trick. If you’ve got plenty of time, pick a more complicated trick. Dogs enjoy interacting with their owners, getting treats, and learning new things. Teaching your dog new tricks keeps them physically and mentally engaged.

5. Give them a new toy.

This is probably the simplest way to cheer up a bored dog. Giving your dog a new toy to play with is a really easy way to cheer them up. Just make sure that you don’t give them anything that will be a choking hazard or that will upset their digestive system. If you’ve got the time, play with them and their new toy. This will make the experience even better for your doggo and is sure to cheer them up