The winter tends to drag on here in Cleveland, and even when we get some warm days we often have to deal with trekking through muddy slush if we want to get our dogs outside. It can be difficult to figure out things to do with your dog that don’t end up in a bath for him (or you) this time of year.
If your dog is bored and you’re tired of dealing with the cold and snow, the Cleveland area does have some indoor activity options. Whether you just want to drop your dog off to burn off some energy for a few hours, or have him try swimming or agility, check out these options this winter:
Indoor dog park
Did you know K9 Cleveland has an indoor dog park? The doggie day care located near the Flats allows you bring your dog to play for an hour or so, while you stay and hang out with him. I was excited to see this option since I am not that big of a fan of dropping my dog off for play. From my experience with doggie daycare, Hunter just sits there and waits for me to come back. I like having an option where he can play with me and play with other dogs.
This option is only available on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is $2 and you have to show proof of rabies, DHPP and Bordetella, and pass a basic temperament test. Visit https://k9cleveland.com for more info.
Swimming and Activity Room
If you haven’t checked out the Canine Country Club, you really need to! It is so exciting we now have this option for indoor play here in Cleveland. With a large dog pool and an activity room with agility equipment, this is the perfect destination for your dog this winter. You can sign up online for your dog to do a half hour swim session with their staff, or if your dog is experienced swimmer, you can sign up for open pool time. You just have to go through the swim initiation first, so they can assess your dog’s swimming ability.
They also have an activity room that you can reserve some time to play with your dog. The room includes agility equipment so you can work on that with your dog. The Club also offers the option for owners can drop their dogs off for a half hour play session with an activity assistant. Find out more about this or swimming options at: https://www.caninecountryclubcle.com/
Drop off play time
If you need to run some errands and just want to have your dog run off some energy, a few doggie day care facilities allow you drop your dog off for two hours of play time. The Dog Stop Plus near downtown, Stay Dog CLE in the Detroit Shoreway area and Double Dog Day Care in Stow, are a few of the places that allow dogs to be dropped off for some short-term playtime.
Playgroups
PetPeople stores host dog play groups on certain days, although I think it’s down to only the Hudson location that hosts these currently. Small dog socials are for dogs 30lbs or less. I don’t see any large dog socials on the calendar locally here for this month or next. Visit https://www.petpeoplestores.com/calendar.html to find out more.
Dog Classes
Training your dog is one the best ways to keep your dog active in the winter. We do a lot of training at home (it’s very easy to make your own agility course or do nose work), but it’s even better to get your dog out to try out some new skills or brush up on his or her obedience training.
Fortunate Fido is one of my favorite training centers. We’ve done about every course we can there. They offer Rally training classes, scent run trials, as well as various other obedience training classes. Cleveland All Breed Training Club offer agility classes if you’re looking to get your dog into that, as well as scent run trials, obedience training and Canine Good Citizen courses.
There are good training facilities all over Cleveland, so do a search to find the perfect one for your dog.
What do you do with your dog in winter to keep him or her entertained?
Dogs in the CLE 