How to Keep Your Dog Busy During a Heatwave (Without Long Walks)

I don’t know about you, but I think it’s fair to say we’ve all had enough of this heat now.

Over the last few weeks, I feel like I’ve spent my entire life staring at the Met Office weather app, trying to work out whether I’m actually going to be teaching that day or not. Every morning I’d wake up, check the forecast and wonder whether the evening classes were going to go ahead or whether I’d be ringing clients to move everything around again.

I know many of you have probably been doing exactly the same thing, only you’ve been trying to work out whether it’s going to be safe to walk your dog. Is it going to cool down enough this evening? Should I get up at five o’clock tomorrow morning? Or is today simply going to be too hot? Maybe today’s going to be one of those days where you need to think of some indoor activities to keep your dog happy instead.

It’s been exhausting.

One thing I don’t think people always realise is that it’s just as frustrating for those of us who work with dogs.

Every time I’ve cancelled a class because it’s been too hot, that class hasn’t just disappeared. It has to go somewhere else in my diary, and more often than not that means it ends up on what should have been my day off. Instead of catching up with paperwork, working my own dogs or having a day to myself, I’m teaching replacement classes.

Now don’t get me wrong. That’s part of running your own business and it’s absolutely my choice. I’d much rather rearrange a class than risk a dog becoming overheated. As far as I’m concerned, there isn’t really a decision to make. The welfare of the dogs has to come first and it always will.

What has made it so much easier is how understanding my clients have been. Honestly, you’ve all been brilliant. Nobody has complained about moving classes, everybody has understood why we’ve done it and you’ve all just got on with it. I genuinely do appreciate that because I know rearranging your own plans isn’t always easy either.

The funny thing is that, alongside moving classes around, I’ve had so many conversations with people who have almost apologised because they haven’t walked their dog.

“I feel really guilty.”

“I’ve hardly walked him this week.”

“I feel like I’m letting her down.”

If I’m honest, that’s really why I wanted to write this blog. If you’ve been searching for ways to keep your dog busy during a heatwave or wondering how to tire your dog out without walking them, hopefully this blog will give you a few ideas.

Does My Dog Need Walking Every Day?

One of the biggest myths I hear is that dogs have to be walked every single day to be happy.

Personally, I don’t agree.

Now before anybody reads that and thinks I’ve completely lost the plot, let me explain.

I’m not saying dogs don’t need walks because they absolutely do. I love walking my dogs. They need to get out into the world, they need to sniff, explore, see different places and simply enjoy being dogs. I think that’s incredibly important and I certainly wouldn’t want my own dogs spending every day at home.

What I am saying is that walking isn’t the only way to satisfy a dog. In fact, one of the questions I’m asked most often is, “How do I tire my dog out without walking them?” The answer is usually much simpler than people expect.

I think we’ve become a little bit obsessed with physical exercise and forgotten just how important mental stimulation and mental exercise really are.

Think about yourself for a minute. If you’ve spent all day decorating the house or digging the garden, you’ll probably ache by the evening because you’ve worked hard physically. But if you’ve spent all day learning something new, concentrating on a difficult project or trying to solve a problem, you’re absolutely shattered by the end of the day, even though you haven’t necessarily moved very much.

Dogs are exactly the same. Using their brain is hard work. Learning is hard work. Problem solving is hard work. That’s why I’d much rather see somebody take their dog for one lovely walk and then spend another ten or fifteen minutes doing something that really engages their brain than simply marching them around the same route twice a day because they think they have to. For a lot of dogs, that’s far more satisfying than just clocking up the miles.

One of the questions I get asked all the time is whether it’s OK if a dog misses a walk. The answer is yes, absolutely. There’s a lot of guilt around owning a dog these days, especially if you’ve got an active breed. People worry that if they don’t get out for a walk every single day they’re somehow letting their dog down, and I really don’t think that’s the case.

Life isn’t perfect. Sometimes it’s too hot to walk safely, or you’re ill. Sometimes work gets in the way, Or like me at the moment, from time to time your family has to come first. Missing the occasional walk isn’t going to damage your dog. What matters is that you’re still meeting their needs in other ways.

That’s one of the reasons I love things like trick training, scent work and Life Skills. They all encourage your dog to think. More importantly, they’re things that you do together. Every training session is another opportunity to build your relationship, improve your communication and help your dog feel successful.

One of the things I often say to clients is don’t focus on what you can’t do. Focus on what you can.

If it’s too hot to go for a walk, what can you do instead? Spend ten minutes teaching a new trick. Hide a few treats around the house and let your dog use their nose to find them. Practise a few hand touches while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or work on a boundary while you’re making dinner. You could even teach your dog to put their toys back in the toy box.

None of those things take very long, but to our dogs they’re a proper workout.

The other thing I love about those sorts of activities is that they build your relationship as well. You’re working together, your dog is learning, they’re getting things right, you’re rewarding them and you’re both enjoying yourselves. That’s time well spent in my book.

Why I’ve Changed My Mind About Scent Work.

Talking about using their nose, I have to tell you about scent work because it’s probably been my biggest surprise this year.

If you’d asked me six or seven years ago what I thought about scent work, I’d probably have shrugged my shoulders and said it wasn’t really for me. I’d had a go, I hadn’t particularly enjoyed it and, if I’m honest, I couldn’t really see what all the fuss was about.

However, that all changed when I booked onto a scent instructor’s course and took Trixie with me.

It was brilliant.

I came away wondering why I’d never really clicked with scent work before, and I honestly think a lot of it came down to the way it was taught. We were still learning the same skills, but everything was explained in a way that was interesting, inspiring and, perhaps most importantly, accessible. It made sense. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, it felt like something that anybody could learn and go away and enjoy with their own dog.

It also reminded me just how much difference good teaching makes. When something is explained in a way that’s engaging and easy to understand, people enjoy learning so much more, and I think that’s true whether you’re teaching scent work, agility, tricks or anything else.

The funny thing was, I wasn’t even convinced Trixie would enjoy it. She’s not really what I’d call a sniffy dog. She isn’t one of those dogs that’s constantly walking around with her nose glued to the floor, so I genuinely wasn’t sure whether it would be her sort of thing.

I couldn’t have been more wrong.

By the end of the first day she was really starting to understand what she was doing, and by the end of the second day we were both completely hooked.

What I love about scent work is that it’s one of the easiest forms of dog enrichment you can do at home. Instead of charging around at a hundred miles an hour, dogs slow down, concentrate and really think about what they’re doing. For busy, high-drive dogs that’s brilliant because it gives them an outlet that’s calm as well as mentally tiring.

The other huge advantage is that once you’ve learnt the basics, you don’t need loads of equipment or acres of land. You can practise in your kitchen, your lounge or your garden. It doesn’t matter if it’s raining, snowing or thirty degrees outside. That’s one of the reasons scent work has become one of my favourite indoor games for dogs during very hot weather or when the weather simply isn’t on our side.

I still fully intend to take Trixie to the odd lesson because I think it’s always useful to learn from other instructors and pick up fresh ideas. But the majority of our training will happen at home, and I think that’s one of the biggest advantages of scent work. Once you’ve got the foundations in place, you’ve got an activity that you can enjoy together all year round.

Talking about using their nose, I have to tell you about scent work because it’s probably been my biggest surprise this year.

Why Trick Training Is One of My Favourite Ways to Tire a Dog Out

If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you’ll already know that trick training has always been one of my favourite things to teach.

People sometimes think trick training is all about showing off or teaching dogs silly party tricks, but that’s never really been why I love it.

For me, it’s all about the relationship.

When you’re teaching a dog a new trick, you’re communicating. You’re working things out together. Your dog tries something, you reward it, they try again and, all of a sudden, you can almost see the penny drop. Those little moments are brilliant because your dog starts to realise that learning is fun.

The other thing I love about trick training is that you don’t need loads of equipment. You don’t need a huge training field or perfect weather. You need your dog, a handful of treats, a few minutes and a willingness to have a go.

That’s one of the reasons I think it’s such a fantastic way of providing mental stimulation for dogs, especially during a heatwave. If it’s too hot to be out for long, you can still spend ten or fifteen minutes teaching something new and end up with a dog that’s mentally satisfied and ready for a snooze afterwards.

One of the things I see quite a lot, particularly with my reactive dog clients, is that people gradually stop having fun together. Walks become stressful because you’re constantly scanning the environment, looking for other dogs or trying to avoid situations that might cause a reaction. Before long, it can feel as though every walk is hard work.

That’s why I think trick training is so valuable.

It gives you something completely different to do together. There’s no pressure, no worrying about who might appear around the corner and no feeling that you have to get everything right. It’s just you and your dog spending time together, learning something new and enjoying each other’s company again.

Sometimes, that’s exactly what both of you need.

Don’t Forget About Life Skills

Another thing that often gets overlooked is Life Skills training.

When people hear the words “dog training”, they often think about teaching a sit, a down or a recall. Those things are important, of course, but Life Skills are the little things that make everyday life easier and, at the same time, give your dog another opportunity to use their brain.

Teaching your dog to settle on a mat while you’re making dinner, waiting patiently before going through a doorway, choosing to stay behind a boundary while you answer the front door or learning to switch off and relax are all mentally challenging for a dog.

One of the things I love about Life Skills is that you’re not finding extra time in your day to train. You’re simply using the moments that are already there. Waiting for the kettle to boil? Practise a boundary. Cooking dinner? Work on a settle. Putting the washing out? Ask your dog to wait while you open the door. Before you know it, you’ve done five or ten minutes of training without it ever feeling like a training session.

For me, that’s good training.

It fits around real life.

So What Can You Do During a Heatwave?

If you’ve been wondering how to exercise your dog safely during a heatwave, hopefully this has reassured you that exercise doesn’t always have to mean miles of walking.

Some of the best sessions you can have with your dog happen in your own home, using their brain instead of their legs.

That might mean hiding a few treats around the house for them to find.

Teaching a new trick.

A short scent work session in the kitchen.

Or even spending ten minutes practising a few Life Skills before you sit down in the evening.

None of those things replace walking forever, and I’m certainly not suggesting they should. But when the weather is too hot, they’re a fantastic way of keeping your dog happy, mentally stimulated and safe.

At the end of the day, that’s what this is really about.

I don’t want people feeling guilty because they’ve made the sensible decision not to walk their dog in thirty-degree heat.

Personally, I’d rather hear somebody say, “We stayed at home today, played a few scent games, learnt a new trick and had a lovely afternoon together,” than hear they’d pushed on with a walk because they felt they ought to.

The walks will still be there when the weather cools down.

In the meantime, keep your dog safe, make the most of the time you’ve got together and don’t underestimate just how satisfying a little bit of learning can be.