Curtailing Cabin Fever by Jessie

Cabin Fever (noun): irritability, listlessness, and similar symptoms resulting from long confinement or isolation indoors during the winter. 

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​Montana is known for long winters,  and cold weather coupled with treacherous terrain can make it difficult to get out and exercise our dogs.  The resulting abundance of energy can manifest as naughty behaviors in the home.  You might notice inappropriate chewing, counter surfing, excessive barking, or maybe your dog will leap up to sprint laps around the house!

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Help defeat cold weather blues with these simple suggestions.

• Use interactive feeding toys: 
  • Stuff a Kong toy with peanut butter, wet dog food, or plain Greek yogurt, then let them at it!  Freeze the toy beforehand to add an extra challenge.​
  • Food puzzles are a great way to turn meals or snacks into a mental workout! There are many great  options at your local pet stores or online.  Check out this video from West Paw Design.......

• Teach a trick
  • Sit, stay, down, shake, high-five, roll over, play dead....The list goes on, and you're only limited by your imagination!  YouTube can be a great source of tips for trick training.
• Throwback to your childhood with a game of Hide-and-Seek
  • Hide small treats or pieces of kibble around a room, then let your dog sniff them out!
  • Once your dog has mastered "Stay", use it to hide from your dog!  Put them in a sit or down stay, then  hide in another room.  Call your dog once, and see if they can find you!
• Throw the ball inside (even though Momma probably told you not to)
  • If you have carpeted indoor stairs or a long hallway, use that space to play a little fetch!
• Introduce new toys
  • We all need a little variety in life, so consider bringing your pet a new toy once in awhile.
  • Rotate your pet's current toy selection.  A toy that your dog hasn't seen in a few weeks can be just as exciting as a new one.
• Take walks in pet-friendly stores!
  • Work on your dog's loose-leash walking skills with the wonderful distractions these stores provide!
  • Ace Hardware, Bob Wards's,  Bridger Animal Nutrition, Dee-O-Gee, Home Depot, Lowes, Montana Gift Corrral, Murdoch's, Petco, Petsmart, and Sportsman's Warehouse are some of our local pet-friendly stores!