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8 Fun Spring Activities To Do With Your Puppy
The winter doldrums are far behind our rear-view mirror as the flowers begin to bloom, birds zoom from tree to tree, and the weather becomes absolutely gorgeous. It’s time to get out and about with your puppy! We have some fun suggestions for spring activities to do with your puppy to help you make the most of this glorious season before the scorching summer temperatures hit.
Try Out These Spring Activities With Your Puppy
Whether you’re trying out a new activity or putting a spin on an old favorite, here are some ideas for how to have fun with your puppy in spring.
Visit a dog-friendly garden center
8 Fun Spring Activities To Do With Your Puppy Your nearest Home Depot, Tractor Supply, or local plant nursery are known to be dog-friendly businesses for all your garden and outdoor needs. Load up your pup for a field trip to beautify your outdoor space. Your friendly garden store employee can help you avoid purchasing plants that are toxic to dogs, such as lilies, hemlock, and chrysanthemums, and recommend safe plants and flowers for dogs, such as roses, orchids, snapdragons, zinnias, and sunflowers. They can also recommend pet-safe yard treatments so your puppy does not become poisoned by herbicides, insecticides, and other chemicals used in yard work. Your dog might even get its own apron or name tag if you are a frequent visitor! 8 Fun Spring Activities To Do With Your Puppy
Go on a nature scavenger hunt
One fun way to switch up your regular walking routine is to create a nature scavenger hunt for your puppy. Getting out in nature and exploring new sights and sounds are excellent ways to socialize your puppy and expose them to the world outside their yard. If you walk the path ahead of time, you can place treats and treasures like a beloved toy or new bone along the way for them to find. Some other activities you could mark off on your scavenger hunt card are saying hello to a stranger, sitting and waiting while another dog walks by, or encountering someone on a bike. Not only are these exciting for your puppy, but you are also reinforcing invaluable training skills, teaching manners, and working toward a well-rounded dog with reliable behavior you can take out in public. A dog scavenger hunt is also a great activity to do with fellow dog lovers and gives you a chance to catch up with your friends.
Make spring dog treats
Buying delicious treats from the store is an easy, convenient way to motivate your puppy and reward him for being such a good boy. However, spring-themed homemade dog treats can be just as easy to make in your own home with your puppy’s help to be your taste tester. Whether you opt for baked, frozen, or no-bake treats, you are guaranteed your puppy will appreciate your efforts.
Choose seasonal ingredients for your puppy treats such as carrots, watermelon, and spinach combined with staples such as Greek yogurt, oats, cheese, peanut butter, and more. Stay away from foods toxic to dogs such as chocolate, xylitol, and grapes. You can use spring-themed silicone molds to keep things festive.
Doga: Dog yoga
What do you get when you put dogs in a yoga studio? Doga! Attending a doga class with your puppy is a great way to get some exercise for yourself and plenty of laughs and puppy kisses. Puppies will enjoy running around and jumping on top of you as you try to hold the pose, and of course, they will have mastered Downward Dog before you ever do!
Several yoga studios and fundraisers charge a nominal fee for this unique experience, often with proceeds going toward local dog organizations. You can also practice doga by yourself, as this activity can be practiced anywhere with a mat and perhaps a block or blanket. While we can’t guarantee you’ll be able to completely get into a meditative savasana, grab your mat, and get ready to bark “Namaste!”8 Fun Spring Activities To Do With Your Puppy.
Paw print flower paintings
Creating a piece of paw print art with your puppy is an excellent way to produce a great-looking masterpiece that commemorates your puppy in the moment while serving as a bonding activity. Even if you’re not Pawcasso, you can still create simple, meaningful paw print flower paintings to cherish for years to come.
The only supplies you’ll need are a blank canvas or paper, paper plates, a paintbrush, pet-safe acrylic paint, wipes for clean-up, and those spring-themed treats you made. You may want to trim any hair among the paw pads for clearer petal imprints before dipping the paw into the paint. You’ll love pointing out your unique keepsake when friends and family come over, not to mention the joy you’ll feel every time you see it.
Local Bark in the Park baseball games
Each spring, Opening Day begins the season of America’s favorite pastime with the crack of the bat sounding all over stadiums across the country. Whether your favorite team is an A-level minor league or a professional Major League Baseball team, humans are not the only ones to enjoy peanuts and Crackerjacks on special days.
“Bark in the Park” events allow spectators to bring their well-behaved pooches with them to catch a fly ball or watch batters warm up in the cage. Dogs get to intermingle while you try to prevent them from stealing your hot dog. Several minor league teams also have baseball bat dogs that assist the team in fetching balls and bringing water to those in the dugout. See if your nearby baseball team has an event where you and your puppy can participate in a beloved American sport together this spring.
Purchase or make new spring accessories
Finally, someone is giving you permission to buy those cute clothes and a new collar for your puppy! Spring is a time of renewal, so your puppy will need some new duds to romp around in the sunshine after a dreary winter season. Time to pack up the bulky sweaters and doggy puffer coats and search for spring clothes and accessories for your puppy. Whether you purchase them or make DIY dog clothes, your puppy is sure to be the best dressed at the Spring Fling.
When choosing clothing and accessories for your puppy, make sure to select materials that are safe for pets, and don’t go overboard and blow your budget. Clean out those doggy closets and sell or donate items that are too small or no longer in use.
Learn a new dog sport
You may have seen dogs zipping through an obstacle course at amazing speeds and wonder what it would be like to coach a dog through such an exciting trial. Attend a local rally, trial, or course day as an introduction to dog sports to see what gets your puppy’s tail wagging, like rally for dogs, dock diving, or herding trials. If you’re a bit more adventurous, you can check out unusual dog sports that not many people see every day like bikejoring, where your dog pulls a person on a bike with a special harness, or even dog dancing.
Regardless of which dog sport you choose, you’ll find an enthusiastic group of handlers, owners, and dogs gathered together with one common interest. Learn more about your breed and its natural capabilities while you both have a great time in like-minded company. Even if you ultimately choose not to participate, you’ll still expose you and your puppy to a new community that promotes active bonding.
Spring Into Action With a Exoctic Puppy
Love these ideas but need a puppy? We can help! Exoctic makes it easy to adopt a puppy through a secure transaction management system called PetPay and pre-screened breeders. We’ve done the work of finding reputable breeders and preventing puppy scams for you, so all that’s left is to select a new companion from our puppies for sale. We’re here to help you spring into action and find a puppy!