It is raining. It has been raining since yesterday. The forecast says it will rain tomorrow. And inside my house, two dogs are staring at me with the specific expression that means they know a walk was supposed to happen and they are holding me personally responsible for the weather.
Shadow's version of this look is dignified and reproachful. Dexter's version involves his entire body — the tail, the ears, the weight shifting from paw to paw, the occasional full-body wiggle that communicates both hope and accusation simultaneously.
I have learned, over years of rainy days with these two, that skipping the walk entirely is not the answer. A dog that does not get adequate mental and physical stimulation on a rainy day does not simply rest quietly and wait for better weather. They find their own entertainment. And their entertainment is rarely something I would have chosen for them.
Here is what actually works — for anxious small dogs, for enormous enthusiastic ones, and for every dog in between.
First: Reconsider the Walk
Before abandoning the walk entirely, consider whether the rain is actually the problem or whether it is just inconvenient. Dogs are not made of sugar. Most of them are perfectly capable of walking in light to moderate rain, and many of them genuinely enjoy it.
Shadow does not enjoy rain. He has made his position on precipitation extremely clear over the years, and I respect it. On heavy rain days, he gets a very short bathroom trip and we move on to indoor activities. On light rain days, I put his waterproof harness on and we do a shortened version of our usual route. He tolerates this with the expression of someone doing a favor they did not agree to, but he does it.
Dexter, on the other hand, has no opinion about rain whatsoever. He walks in rain with the same enthusiasm he brings to every walk, which is to say: complete and total enthusiasm. On rainy days, Dexter gets his full walk. He comes home wet and happy, I dry him off with a towel he finds deeply undignified, and everyone is satisfied.
The point is: assess your specific dog's relationship with rain before defaulting to a full indoor day. A shorter, wetter walk is often better than no walk at all, particularly for high-energy dogs whose indoor behavior deteriorates significantly without physical exercise.
If you do walk in the rain, a few things help: a waterproof or quick-dry harness that does not hold moisture against the skin, a towel by the door for immediate paw and belly drying, and paw balm applied before the walk if your dog is sensitive to wet pavement. Check paws after every wet walk for softening or cracking of the pads, which can happen with repeated exposure to moisture.
Indoor Activity #1: Nose Work and Scent Games
This is the single most effective rainy day activity I have found for both dogs, and it requires almost no equipment.
Dogs experience the world primarily through scent. The mental work of processing smell information is genuinely exhausting — research in canine behavior has shown that twenty minutes of nose work can tire a dog as effectively as an hour of physical exercise. On a rainy day when physical exercise is limited, nose work is the most efficient way to drain energy and provide the mental stimulation dogs need.
The simplest version: hide small pieces of high-value treats around a room and let your dog find them. Start easy — treats in obvious places, at nose level — and increase difficulty as your dog gets better at the game. Under furniture, inside cardboard boxes, tucked into the folds of a blanket. The dog uses their nose to locate each treat, and the concentration required is genuinely tiring.
For a more structured version, muffin tin nose work is a classic: place treats in some cups of a muffin tin and cover all cups with tennis balls. The dog has to figure out which cups have treats and remove the balls to get them. Shadow approaches this game with methodical precision. Dexter approaches it by removing all the tennis balls simultaneously and then looking confused about why only some cups have treats.
Kong stuffing is a related activity that provides both mental stimulation and extended engagement. Fill a Kong with a mixture of kibble, peanut butter, banana, or whatever your dog loves, freeze it overnight, and give it to them on a rainy day. A frozen Kong can occupy a dog for thirty to forty-five minutes and provides the kind of focused, satisfying work that leaves them genuinely tired.
Indoor Activity #2: Training Sessions
Rainy days are the best training days. The dog is inside, you are inside, there are no environmental distractions, and everyone has time. Short, frequent training sessions — five to ten minutes, two or three times throughout the day — are more effective than a single long session and provide meaningful mental stimulation.
For dogs that already know basic commands, rainy days are an opportunity to work on more complex behaviors: extended stays, distance commands, chaining behaviors together, or introducing something entirely new. For dogs still working on basics, consistent repetition in a low-distraction environment builds the foundation that makes outdoor training possible.
Dexter has learned most of his best behaviors on rainy days. The greenway is too stimulating for him to focus well on new things — there are too many dogs, too many smells, too many opportunities for excitement. Inside, with treats and my full attention, he is a genuinely good student. He has learned to sit, stay, lie down, leave it, and — most impressively — to greet people without launching himself at them, all primarily through rainy day training sessions.
Shadow's rainy day training looks different. He is not motivated by the same things Dexter is, and his anxiety means that training sessions need to be shorter and lower-pressure. But he has learned to target — touching his nose to my hand on cue — and to do a reliable sit-stay, both of which have made his daily life easier and given him a sense of competence that seems to genuinely help his confidence.
Indoor Activity #3: Puzzle Toys and Interactive Feeders
Puzzle toys have become a significant part of our rainy day toolkit, and the range of options available now is genuinely impressive. From simple sliding puzzles that require a dog to move pieces to reveal treats, to complex multi-step puzzles that require a sequence of actions, there is a puzzle appropriate for every dog's skill level and patience.
Start easier than you think you need to. A dog that is frustrated by a puzzle that is too difficult will give up or try to destroy it — neither of which is the goal. A dog that solves a puzzle quickly and successfully is a dog that is engaged, confident, and ready for the next challenge. Build difficulty gradually.
Interactive feeders — bowls or mats with ridges, channels, and obstacles that slow eating and require the dog to work for their food — are a simple way to turn every meal on a rainy day into a mental exercise. Shadow eats from a slow feeder mat on rainy days. It turns a two-minute meal into a ten-minute activity, and the concentration required leaves him noticeably more settled afterward.
Lick mats are particularly effective for anxious dogs. The repetitive licking motion has a genuinely calming effect — it activates the parasympathetic nervous system in a way that reduces stress. Spread peanut butter, plain yogurt, or mashed banana on a lick mat and give it to an anxious dog during a thunderstorm or heavy rain, and watch the difference it makes.
Indoor Activity #4: Tug, Fetch, and Indoor Movement
Some dogs — particularly high-energy breeds — need physical movement even on rainy days, and indoor games can provide it in a controlled way.
Tug is an excellent indoor game for dogs that enjoy it. It provides physical exercise, mental engagement, and an opportunity to practice impulse control — a dog that can start and stop tug on cue is a dog that is learning self-regulation. The rules are simple: the dog must release on cue, and the game stops immediately if teeth touch skin. Within those rules, tug is a healthy, tiring, relationship-building activity.
Indoor fetch works in hallways or larger rooms for dogs with a reliable retrieve. Keep sessions short to avoid overheating, and use a soft toy rather than a hard ball on hard floors. For large breeds, be mindful of slippery surfaces — a 115-pound dog launching himself after a toy on hardwood floors is a joint health concern as well as a furniture concern.
Stair work — walking up and down stairs at a controlled pace — provides low-impact physical exercise for dogs that have access to stairs. This is particularly useful for large breeds on days when outdoor exercise is limited. Keep it calm and controlled rather than encouraging running on stairs.
Indoor Activity #5: Calm Time and Enrichment
Not every rainy day activity needs to be stimulating. Dogs also benefit from learning to settle — to be calm and quiet in the house without needing constant entertainment. Rainy days are an opportunity to practice this.
A dog that has had adequate mental stimulation through nose work, training, or puzzle toys is a dog that is ready to settle. Give them their bed, a chew, and some quiet time. Practice a long down-stay. Let them rest without feeling the need to entertain them constantly.
This is something I have had to learn with Dexter specifically. His energy is so present that it is easy to feel like I need to be doing something with him every moment of a rainy day. But a dog that never learns to settle is a dog that cannot self-regulate — and self-regulation is one of the most valuable skills a dog can have, particularly as our family continues to grow and quiet moments become more precious.
A good chew — a bully stick, a raw bone, a long-lasting dental chew — is one of the best tools for calm time. The repetitive chewing motion is self-soothing, the engagement is sustained, and the result is a dog that is genuinely relaxed rather than simply waiting for the next thing to happen.
The Rainy Day Mindset
The best thing I have learned about rainy days with dogs is that my attitude shapes theirs. If I treat a rainy day as a problem — a disruption to the routine, a source of frustration — both dogs pick up on that energy and become more unsettled. If I treat it as an opportunity — a different kind of day, with different activities and a slower pace — they settle into it much more easily.
Shadow and Dexter have taught me a lot about adapting to circumstances. Shadow, who hates rain, has learned to find comfort in the indoor routine we have built around rainy days. Dexter, who does not care about rain, has learned that rainy days sometimes mean extra training and puzzle time, which he has decided is an acceptable trade.
The rain will stop. The walks will resume. In the meantime, there is nose work to do and Kongs to freeze and a very large dog who would like to practice his sit-stay for treats.