Five indoor activities and training tricks for dogs during winters

If your dog isn't known for its patience, maybe it's time you teach it the vital virtue.

Start by placing a treat or a toy at one end of a hallway, with your leashed dog at the other end.

Try and get your dog to sit politely. Then slowly walk toward the prize.

If the doggy pulls, deny it the reward, and start over.

All that barking, jumping, and excitement in your pet every time the doorbell rings, can get annoying and distracting.

To deal with it, train your dog to remain seated on a mat near the door, whenever the doorbell rings.

Do this by asking someone in the house to go and ring the doorbell, while you try to keep the dog stick to its mat.

Hide and Seek never really gets old!

Stock up a good number of treats in order to play this game.

If you've kids at home, bring them on board. Get yourself and the other members to hide somewhere in the house, and call the doggy by its name, turn by turn.

Each time the dog finds one of the hiders, it earns a treat.

Yes, we realize that these games are best suited for playing outdoors, but you'll be surprised to know how well these could be managed inside the house as well.

All you need is a hallway, a rope, and a soft ball, to be able to play these games.

What's more? They will keep your dog busy and entertained.

Planning and organizing a doggy play date can be a great way to keep your pooch entertained, and physically as well as socially active.

Call over a friend/neighbor with their furry mate, and let the two get together.

Also, give them a couple of toys, so they can have lots of fun.

Just make sure there are no breakable items near the dogs.