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5 Ways to Combat Dog Cabin Fever

January 27, 2014 2 Comments

5 Easy Ways to Combat Dog Cabin Fever

I’ve got a couple of great dogs. They are loving, smart, middle-aged mutts who are usually pretty good. Even the best dogs, like mine ;), get cabin fever when it’s polar vortexing outside. You take them on a walk and they start limping and crying from getting ice and salt in the pads of their feet, or they get straight up too cold, even after they’ve been wrestled into sweaters and booties.

So what do you do to fight against doggie ennui? Here are my top 5 strategies for keeping the pups happy during the coldest weeks of the year.

1. Play tug. Don’t have a tug toy already? Grab some spare polar fleece or a shelled out towel and play tug of war with them. My dogs just need to see a waving piece of fabric, and they can entertain each other for a good half hour.

2. Give them a puzzle toy. My dogs are all about their Kongs, which are toys that can be stuffed with treats that are hard to get out of, but there are many more puzzle dog toys to keep them busy for hours.

5 Easy Ways to Combat Dog Cabin Fever

3. A little bit of outside time. Taking your dogs outside for even 10 or 15 minutes can do wonders, in my experience. You can throw snowballs or toys around, chase them in circles, anything to get them up and around! Just take them out in the hottest (possible) part of the day & keep an eye on their paws and ears :).

5 Easy Ways to Combat Dog Cabin Fever

4. Siesta fiesta. Sometimes I watch a movie, work on a DIY project or take a nap on the couch with my dogs when I think they’re not getting enough stimulation. Even a half hour of individual attention does wonders for my pups!

5. Find it! Both Woodrow & Storm are terrier mixes, so they like to find things. My family’s favorite way to entertain the dogs inside is something we call Find It. One human and the dogs will hang out in a room with the door closed while the other human hides some dog treats around the house. Then, we let them out, prompting them to “find it!” When we first tried this game, we’d also show them our empty hands to let them know we weren’t holding any treats. Now, they’re fully aware of what’s happening when we say, “Find it!”

5 Easy Ways to Combat Dog Cabin Fever

Woodrow wasn’t always awesome at Find It, but he’s gotten better over time. Storm has always been intensely competitive and awesome at Find It. She follows her nose and it takes her a long time to give up on looking for treats after all of them have been found.

On an unrelated note, Find It is also a great way to figure out just how far your dogs are physically able to reach! Storm tends to get into cooling cookies, and she had a big trash-tipping problem. Find It solved that mystery. 

5 Easy Ways to Combat Dog Cabin Fever

In the end, giving your dogs a daily activity or two in a cold snap is good for their health and will keep them from getting into mischief. Whether it’s a walk, puzzle, physical game, quick outing, or something else, there are a lot of easy ways to keep your dogs safe from cabin fever.

5 Easy Ways to Combat Dog Cabin Fever

Filed Under: How-to, Pet Projects Tagged With: cabin fever, dog toys, dog treats, dogs, find it, games, tips, tug, winter

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Jesse Freidin

    January 27, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    Love these dog ideas! They’re all spot-on. Also, your pups are quite handsome!

    Reply
  2. Lael

    January 30, 2014 at 11:17 am

    Great ideas! the boys look like they are doing well even in this weather. Be well! Lael

    Reply

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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handsoccupied

Helping yarn crafters untangle various techniques on the internet since 2010
🧶 Really into intarsia
Stay up-to-date 💌 & shop the latest patterns ⤵️

Heidi Gustad 🧶 knitting & yarn crafts
This audio was me last summer while secretly desig This audio was me last summer while secretly designing the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern behind the scenes. 😆 I very often design with primary colors, so trying to explain suddenly working with black, white and grey was awkward/kinda funny. 🩶
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In case you missed it, this is my design from the new book ‘Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town,’ available now from @insighteditions & @tanisknits. We’re doing a knit along starting very soon, and we’ll be knitting this pattern! I’ve got weekly video tutorials planned for this educationally-focused knit along. This KAL is especially for you if you’re eager to work on your intarsia. 🧶
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Full KAL details, yarn quantities & pattern information are available on my bl0g, the 🔗 is where you’d think. 
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Yarn: @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted
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#nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook #handsoccupied #spiralhillsweatervest #knitting #halloweenknitting #knitalong #kal #knitting_inspiration #intarsia #intarsiaknitting #learntoknit
Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the S Wow! I am floored by the awesome response to the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest. Thank you. 🙏🏻❤️ If you love this pattern & didn’t know already, we are going to be doing a knit along (KAL) from October 1-29 featuring this spooky sweater vest & lots of tutorials, especially for the intarsia part. 
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Later today my newsletter will be coming out with additional Knit Along details, so if you’re not already signed up, now is a great time - the 🔗 is in my b1o. 
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Pictured: My Spiral Hill Sweater Vest pattern from the new Nightmare Before Christmas knitting book by @tanisknits. Model is wearing size 1 with 2” of positive ease, knit in @brooklyntweed Imbue Worsted. Vest images via @insighteditions 
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#spiralhillsweatervest #handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmasknittingbook
At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater At long last! I can share the Spiral Hill Sweater Vest, my contribution to the new book Disney Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas: The Official Knitting Guide to Halloween Town and Christmas Town, out now! 🎃💀 
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I’m hosting a knit along (KAL) October 1-29 for anyone who’d like to knit this vest along with a group & learn a little about intarsia while we’re at it. I’ve got weekly tutorials planned to help you knit this worsted weight sweater vest, and there’s a prize package giveaway at the end for KAL participants too. Details are on my site - you know where to find the 🔗 I think. 😉
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Book by @tanisknits 
Publisher @insighteditions 
Yarn @brooklyntweed Imbue 
Find it wherever fine books are sold. 
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#handsoccupied #nightmarebeforechristmas #intarsia #sweatervest #knittingpattern #knittingbook #spiralhill #knitting_inspiration #knitting
Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs Since there was some interest in stills of my WIPs closet after this weekend’s quick tutorial, here are few. ✂️ The tutorial is one post back in my feed as a video.
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As you can see, I didn’t worry about the wire hangers all being perfectly uniform, but it doesn’t matter to me. Also, this closet holds a lot! Despite that, it is already at capacity. Since the hanging bags don’t appear to be recyclable, I want to reuse them as long as possible. Who knows, maybe this will be a way to limit my WIPs? 😅
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P.s. In the third photo you can see how I use this system to store the original swatches, scraps, yarn ball bands, & notes from a design project all together. 
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#handsoccupied #wips #craftstorage #yarnstorage #yarncrafts #knitting_inspiration #craftstudio #craftroom #craftcloset
How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with jus How to convert a closet into WIPs storage with just a few supplies ✂️
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When I was a librarian, we would use these hanging bags to circulate books with audiobook CDs. They came to mind when I wanted to develop a filing cabinet-like system for my differently-sized WIPs. To fit in my studio closet, a standard bedroom closet, they just needed custom hangers. 🤙🏻 
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HOW TO MAKE THE HANGERS
1. Carefully cut approx. a 9” (23 cm) length of flexible 3 mm aluminum wire.
2. Near the end of a large knitting needle or dowel, wrap the wire around it as you would a twist tie. 
3. Bend the other end into a hook shape, perpendicular to the circle shape you just created. 
4. Hang like a hanger in a closet, as shown. 
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#handsoccupied #handmadelife #knitting_inspiration #craftcloset #craftroom #craftroomorganization #craftroomstorage #craftroomdecor #crocheter #latchhook #knittersofinstagram #wip #wips #hangingstorage
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