We’re all for getting outside with our pets, but sometimes the weather has other plans. Here’s how to keep your pet active and entertained indoors!

Does your pet go a little stir-crazy on the days when they’re stuck inside? Whether dodging a desert thunderstorm or constantly getting drenched in Seattle, rainy-day dog and cat activities are essential to stimulate your pets physically and mentally. If your pets are anything like ours, their primary love language is quality time! So, the more you can do with your pet, the better.

These eight activities are dog and cat-friendly and will keep your pet’s undivided attention on you until they’re tuckered out and ready for a rainy afternoon nap!

#1. Treasure Hunt

Use your pet’s powerful nose to sniff out hidden treasures! Have your pet wait in another room while you hide their favorite treats or toys. When you let them in, it’s time for them to sniff out their prize! Start simple with easy-to-find locations and complicate the game as your pet gains confidence and gets better at finding the treats or toys.

#2. Hide and Seek

The games you used to play as a kid can work just as well with pets. Playing hide and seek with your dog or cat works best with two people and a pet.

One person should stay with the pet and have them sit and wait with commands or behind a closed door if they haven’t mastered “stay” (we’re talking about you, cats). The hider should find a sneaky hiding spot while they count to ten (or higher if your pet is a suitable seeker). When time’s up, release the pet to find their person and lavish them with praise and treats when they do!

#3. Treat Ping Pong

This is another game for two or more humans and any number of pets to get moving and burn some serious energy! Have each human stationed on opposite sides of the house with a stash of treats?

When one human calls them, all the pets should run to get treats and love! Then the other human player names and the pets go racing across the house again to get doted on by another person. Keep repeating the game, ping-ponging your pets across the house–bonus points if they have to go up and down stairs!

#4. Roughhouse a Little

Mom always told us not to run inside, but we think those rules are okay to break on rainy days! Cats and dogs love getting wild with their playmates, including you. Play tug of war with your dog or set new jump height records as your cat tries to catch those pesky feathers on a string. These indoor activities will get your daily workout in, too!

#5. Obstacle Course

Set up an obstacle course for your pet out of things you have around the house. The promise of a treat at the end will have your pet weaving between plastic cups and leaping over cardboard boxes like professional agility dogs! When they can nail the course, make the jumps a little higher and the maze a little more complicated to level up the challenge.

#6. Training Sessions

There’s no better time to teach your dog or cat a new trick than when you’re stuck inside! If your pet is high energy and hasn’t gotten their regular daily run, it might be better to work on a trick that gets them moving, like retrieving an object, rather than something that requires patience, like practicing “stay.”

#7. Puzzle Toys

Looking for fun activities for dogs and cats who are deeply food-motivated? Food dispensing toys and puzzle games are just what the vet ordered! Please set up a snuffle mat for them to sniff out their treats or keep them moving with a ball that dispenses treats as it rolls around.

#8. Get Out of the House

Staying inside doesn’t have to mean staying at home! Find pet-friendly indoor places with your dog or cat to add variety to their day. Take your puppy to an indoor dog activity center or park near you! Let your cat join you for date night at a pet-friendly brewery where they can charm neighboring tables while you sip your drinks.

Keeping your pet happy on a rainy day is about fun indoor activities and quality time with your best friend. Round out your day with good food and a cozy cuddle session to express your love in a language your pet understands. Rain might just become your and your pet’s favorite weather!