Winter Dog Training Tips: Keep Your Dog Healthy & Happy
Winter can be brilliant for bonding with your dog — crisp air, quieter trails, and that “let’s get moving” energy. But shorter days, muddy ground, and cold snaps can also mean less exercise, more boredom, and a few seasonal health niggles.
Here are practical, training-led tips to keep your dog healthy and happy through the winter months — covering food, mental stimulation, and exercise.
1) Food: fuel the season (without overfeeding)
Cold weather doesn’t automatically mean your dog needs more food. What matters is their activity level.
If you’re doing longer, more intense walks (or field work), your dog may need a small increase in calories.
If winter means shorter walks, many dogs actually need less food to avoid creeping weight gain.
Training tip: make meals do double duty
Instead of feeding everything from a bowl, turn part of your dog’s daily food into training rewards.
Use a portion of kibble for recall practice in the garden.
Scatter-feed in grass (or a snuffle mat indoors) to slow eating and add enrichment.
Reward calm behaviour (settling on a mat) with a few pieces at a time.
Winter-friendly nutrition habits
Keep treats small and frequent during training.
Choose higher-value rewards (tiny bits) for tough distractions like squirrels, other dogs, or windy days.
Ensure fresh water is always available — heated homes can be dehydrating.
2) Mental stimulation: beat the winter boredom
When the weather turns, boredom is often the real problem. A mentally satisfied dog is calmer, happier, and easier to live with.
10-minute brain sessions (that feel like training)
Pick one and keep it short — you want your dog to finish thinking, not melting down.
Find it: hide treats around one room and release them to search.
Name game: teach “touch” (nose to hand), then build to touching different objects.
Place training: send your dog to a bed/mat and reward calm stays.
Loose lead indoors: practise walking beside you around the house with rewards.
Training tip: teach a “winter off-switch”
Winter often means more time indoors. Teaching your dog to relax on cue is a game-changer.
Put a mat down.
The moment your dog steps on it, mark and reward.
Build to lying down, then calm duration.
Add a cue like “settle”.
This isn’t just obedience — it’s a wellbeing skill.
3) Exercise: keep it safe, structured, and satisfying
Winter exercise is less about “how far” and more about quality. Slippery paths, frozen ground, and darkness can increase injury risk, so structure helps.
Swap endless throwing for training walks
Repetitive high-speed fetching on cold muscles can be tough on joints. Try this instead:
Walk 2 minutes.
Do 30 seconds of training (heelwork, recall, sit-stay).
Release to sniff.
Repeat.
You’ll get a dog who’s physically exercised and mentally satisfied.
Winter recall games (for safer freedom)
Reliable recall is the key to giving your dog space while staying safe.
Ping-pong recall: two people call the dog back and forth, rewarding every time.
Surprise jackpot: once in a while, reward recall with a bigger payout (several treats, a tug, or a favourite toy).
Recall then release: call your dog, reward, then say “go sniff” — this teaches that coming back doesn’t end the fun.
Low-light and weather safety
Stick to reflective gear and consider a light-up collar.
Avoid icy ponds and steep muddy slopes.
After walks, check paws for grit, salt, and cracked pads.
4) Keep winter training realistic (and kind)
Dogs feel the season too. Wind, rain, fireworks, and darkness can make them more alert or reactive.
Lower your expectations on tough days.
Reward more often.
Choose calmer routes when needed.
Consistency beats intensity. A few short sessions each week will do more than one “big” walk followed by five days of nothing.
5) A simple weekly winter routine
If you want an easy plan to follow:
3–5 walks per week with 5 minutes of training built in.
Daily 10-minute brain game indoors.
2 recall sessions (garden, park, or quiet field).
1 settle session while you watch TV or make dinner.
Final thought
Winter doesn’t have to mean a bored dog and a guilty owner. With a few training-led tweaks to food, mental stimulation, and exercise, you can keep your dog healthy, happy, and thriving until spring.
If you want more practical tips for real-life dogs — from pet companions to adventure partners — keep an eye on Point and Paw as we share training guides, gear advice, and seasonal routines.
