Five Ways to Enrich Your Dog’s Life Over Winter
Written By Becki Gude – Dog trainer
As the UK heads into our first cold snap of the year and the days are getting shorter and the evenings darker, many of us will find our usual routines with our dogs starting to change. Walks are shorter, the weather can be pretty miserable at times, and it’s easy for both us and our dogs to fall into a bit of a winter slump!
But our dogs still need mental and physical stimulation, even when we’re spending more time indoors. Without it, we will often start to see frustration, restlessness, or unwanted behaviours creeping in. The good news is, there are plenty of simple, fun ways to provide enrichment at home that will keep your dog happy, chilled (not literally!) and content through the colder months.
Here are five enrichment ideas to help you and your dog keep busy this winter.
1. Scent Games – Let Them Use Their Nose
A dog’s sense of smell is incredible! And using it is one of the most natural and fulfilling things they can do. You don’t need any fancy equipment to get started.
Try placing a few treats on the floor around your living room or kitchen for them to sniff out. Once they get the hang of it, make it more challenging by hiding the treats behind furniture, under boxes, or in rolled-up towels for them to find. The smellier the treat, the better!
Scent work is mentally tiring, confidence-boosting, and incredibly satisfying for dogs. It’s ideal for short bursts of enrichment when the weather’s too miserable for long walks.
2. Short, Focused Training Sessions – For Fun!
Training doesn’t have to stop when it’s dark outside. In fact, winter is a great time to refresh existing skills or teach a few new tricks indoors.
Work on useful behaviours such as “settle,” “Leave it,” or recall from another room. You can even take your “settle” training to a dog-friendly cosy pub! You can often achieve much quicker results training indoors due to less distractions in the environment. Keep sessions short – five to ten minutes is plenty and always end on a positive note.
You could even have a bit of fun with working on some new tricks too, like spin, middle, or roll over. You can follow our Trick Training with Carnilove series for step-by-step tutorials on how to train these three beginners tricks!
Training provides mental exercise, builds confidence, and strengthens your bond with your dog, all of which are vital for good behavioural health.
3. Interactive Feeding and Something Good to Chew On
Enrichment doesn’t have to mean adding more exercise – it can be as simple as changing how your dog eats their meals. Using puzzle feeders, Kongs, or snuffle mats turns mealtimes into an opportunity for problem-solving and encourages natural foraging behaviours that dogs love to do.
You could try stuffing a Kong with their favourite lickable treat and freezing it (dog-safe peanut butter tends to be a firm favourite!), using a lick mat for their wet food, or creating a homemade puzzle by hiding treats in a muffin tin under tennis balls.
Pair this with some good-quality chewing in between meals – natural chews or sturdy chew toys your dog can really sink into. Chewing is an instinctive, soothing behaviour that helps many dogs unwind, especially on long, dark evenings inside.
4. Calming Care and Grooming
Winter is a great time to slow things down and focus on the calmer side of enrichment — the things that help your dog relax, feel comfortable being handled, and stay in good condition despite the mud and wet weather.
A little cooperative care goes a long way. Gentle brushing, even for short coated dogs and calmly checking paws and ears can all help your dog feel more settled with everyday handling. And in winter, when fur gets damp and muddy much more often, regular grooming isn’t just a nice thing to do – it’s genuinely important for skin and coat health. These short sessions can also be lovely bonding moments and make vet visits or grooming appointments much less stressful in the long run.
5. Make Outdoor Time Really Count
Even when walks are shorter, you can still make them meaningful. Quality is more important than quantity. Instead of focusing on goals on distance or time, slow things down and let your dog explore at their own pace. Sniffing and investigating their environment is hugely enriching and far more rewarding than simply marching along the same route.
You might also try taking them to new locations for short sniff sessions, or vary the times of day for your walks for a change in sights and smells. There is nothing more gorgeous than a sunrise winter walk in the frost or snow, even if it means getting up earlier than usual! And if your dog feels the cold, a well-fitted coat or paw balm can make winter walks far more comfortable.
Enjoy the Winter Months with your Dog!
Winter doesn’t have to be a dull or difficult time for our dogs. With a few simple activities added into their routine, the darker months can actually become an opportunity to really slow down, get creative, and strengthen your relationship in ways we often overlook during busier seasons.
Enrichment simply means giving your dog plenty of chances to engage in the behaviours that come naturally to them – sniffing, chewing, exploring and problem-solving. It doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming, but it will help give them an outlet when outdoor time is limited.
A well-enriched dog is happier and calmer — and that makes winter a whole lot easier for everyone!
Becki Gude, BA(Hons), PACT-KSA, ABTC-ati
