Surgery. Injuries. Illness. Age. All four of these events can hold your dog back, and sometimes, they aren’t always easy to overcome. Dogs naturally want to remain active, and the lack of activity can make them bored, destructive, restless, or self-injurious (e.g. ripping out stitches or chewing at a wound).
Sick children and dogs have one thing in common: they’ll demand your attention out of boredom every five minutes if they aren’t occupied. It’s hard to really blame them; they’re probably already feeling miserable, and you are, after all, their favorite human.
A heavy dose of attention is always good, but it’s even better to work out how to keep your pup entertained, occupied, and involved in family life while respecting his needs.
Fortunately, it’s not only possible but fairly easy to ensure that your furry friend has fun, stays near his humans, and gets the comfort care he needs. Work out your own care plan with these situational tips.
Follow All Veterinary Advice
A word of caution before we begin. Every dog’s situation is different, and some of the entries on this list may be too simplistic or may require too much movement for your dog’s condition. Listen to your vet, and ask if the activities are suitable if you’re not sure. The information here should never supersede the advice of a vet or trainer.
After Surgery or Injury
Most dogs remain quiet for at least a day or two after surgery because the general anaesthesia makes them a bit loopy and out of it. Expect some trembling, weakness, dizziness, stumbling, or exhaustion for the first little while.
After about 24 hours, your dog should begin to gain their energy back. If your dog had surgery on a leg, their spine, their hips, or some other limb, your vet will most likely advise you to keep them as still as possible and off the limb for anywhere from a week to several months.
Start with comfort — it may seem backward, but a comfortable dog is less likely to become anxious, depressed, or grouchy in recovery.
Comfort First
For dogs with limb injuries, place them on a soft padded dog bed in the center of the living room — somewhere they’re a part of the everyday hubbub of family life. Watch them closely for signs of overstimulation, and tell kids or friends not to approach or touch him without you. Stop the fun and games whenever your pup seems tired, cranky, or overwhelmed by the stimulation.
Crate as Needed
A post-surgical dog may be heavily medicated or confused. They may snap even if they’ve never snapped before. Don’t be afraid to crate for safety if you’re concerned. Many of the activities listed here are just as easy to do from within a crate.
Increase Accessibility
If your pup is laid up for a while, alter their environment for easier accessibility. Switch out stairs for ramps, install couch and bed ramps, and cover any large step-ups with rugs to smooth them out. If you’re feeling particularly crafty, you can follow this DIY tutorial right at home. If your dog is able to climb up with you, snuggle, and travel about the house without hurting themselves, they’re much less likely to become bored or destructive.
Massages for Circulation
Massages in areas away from the surgical site using an extremely gentle hand keep the blood flowing and increase full-body circulation. Most dogs think they feel pretty good, too, so feel free to lather on the rubs. Work in large, gentle counter-clockwise circles while speaking to him softly. The interaction will stimulate his brain, while the physical manipulation will speed healing at the same time.
Puzzle Toys & Games
If your dog has some movement, but is encouraged to remain as immobile as possible, try puzzle toys and games. Hide a few treats inside and watch your dog work to release them, or load a kong with peanut butter instead.
Worried about too many snacks? Use all-natural, sugar-free peanut butter thinned out with just a little bit of water. Peanut butter contains protein, the building blocks of muscle tissue, so a high-protein snack like peanut butter isn’t such a bad thing after surgery, anyway.
Chew Toys
Nylabones, chew toys, reindeer horns, beef hocks, and other chew-oriented treats may help to keep your dog occupied if he’s a serial chewer. Because he may spend hours at a time chewing, you should inspect the item throughout the day for destruction and replace as needed.
Small Living Spaces
If your dog’s movement is restricted due to small living spaces or travel, you can’t do much other than make the best of what you have. Frequent walks and pit stops to explore outdoors let him channel off some energy safely. Whenever possible, you should plan to have your dog outside for one to two hours each day (more on free time days). Use the time to let him sniff his way around the neighborhood, pee on trees, and otherwise behave like a regular, ordinary dog.
Puppy Playdates
Make puppy playdates a part of your lives for brain-stimulating socialization. If you don’t have time for play dates, enroll your dog in doggy day care. He’ll learn valuable skills and become smarter during playtime with his new pals.
Kibble Delivery Toys
Assuming your dog travels okay or is okay to spend afternoons at home alone, you can stimulate her brain by providing each of her kibble meals in a puzzle treat toy instead of just in a bowl. Fill and give her the toy before you leave, or place it inside her crate as you travel. She’ll use her brain to work the kibble out while expending energy doing the same.
Use Training & Puzzle Toys
When indoors, engage your dog with basic training and puzzle toys. Teach them to sit, stay, and roll over, and then put their nose to work by hiding treats in the couch, under a cushion, or in other places around the apartment and home.
After Spay or Neuter
Exactly how much rest your pup needs after a spay/neuter depends largely on their breed, species, and personal health condition. In general, most puppies are fine to be up and active just a few days later. Conversely, an older dog who has an emergency full spay due to pyometra may need several weeks to regain her original energy levels.
Cage Rest
During the first few days after a spay, use cage rest to keep your pup in one place. Avoid treats for the first 24 hours as anaesthesia often causes nausea in dogs. A pupsicle (a chunk of ice with frozen fruit in it) is an excellent attention-grabber and puzzle toy for pups to enjoy on the kitchen floor, and may also help to rehydrate her. Chew toys are also a big crate favorite with most dogs after surgery.
Redirect Chewing
If your dog shows signs of picking at the surgical site, redirect him. Say a firm, “no” and then give him a chew toy, treat, or other object to focus on. Continue to do this even if you need to give multiple treats throughout the day. It’s far more important that the surgical site heal than your dog takes in a few extra calories here and there.
Dogs that persistently pick at surgical sites should be evaluated by a vet. While the picking is often an issue of boredom, it can sometimes indicate pain, stinging, numbness, or early infection, too. A change in medication is often all that’s needed.
A Comfy Home Base
Use the large, soft dog bed mentioned early on in this base as her home base. Give her puzzle toys and treats to work on throughout the day one at a time. When she grows bored, switch the item out for something else.
Teach an Old (or New!) Dog New Tricks
Though you should avoid any pressure on the stomach or abdomen after spay/neuter, your dog should be able to sit, stand, and even move around slightly after the first 24 hours. Use this time to stimulate your dog’s brain through training. Work on previously known tricks, or teach something new she’s never mastered before – like fetching you a newspaper.
Keeping your dog’s brain stimulated while she’s inactive only requires being a bit more creative with daily fun. Think of the activities she already enjoys, and then modify them to become more accessible and easy for her right from where she is. Carry her outside when it’s safe to do so. Tote her along in a dog-safe wagon. Sit in the yard with her quietly so she gets a bit of fresh air. If all else fails, snuggle up beside her dog bed. Sometimes the best way to approach boredom in recovery is the same for dogs as it is for humans — good company, love, and patience.