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Borkly Blog

Play ideas, buying guides and answers for bored dogs.

Is Playing Ball Bad for Dogs? How to Play Fetch Safely
Is fetch bad for dogs? What vets worry about, how to play ball more safely, which balls are safe and what size and color work best. Read more...
How to Keep a Dog Entertained on Crate Rest
Calm ways to keep a dog entertained on crate rest or after surgery, including tips for dogs wearing a cone and a simple daily routine. Read more...
Mental Stimulation for Dogs: What Counts and How Much
What mental stimulation for dogs is, whether sniffing, licking and chewing count, how many minutes a day they need, and easy ways to add it. Read more...
Christmas Gifts for Dogs: Ideas They'll Actually Use
Looking for a Christmas gift for your dog? Match the gift to how they play, from moving balls to snuffle mats, plus tips for Christmas morning. Read more...
Dog Separation Anxiety: What Helps and Where Toys Fit In
How to tell separation anxiety from boredom, what actually helps an anxious dog, where toys fit in, and when it is time to talk to your vet. Read more...
Interactive Dog Toys for Large Dogs: Size, Safety and What Works
Big dogs need interactive toys that are the right size and built for how they play. What to look for, how to keep it safe, and what to skip. Read more...
Best Interactive Dog Toys: How to Pick One Your Dog Will Use
The best interactive dog toy depends on how your dog plays. Match a toy to a chaser, sniffer, thinker or tugger, and avoid the usual mistakes. Read more...
Light-Up Dog Balls: Are They Worth It for Evening Play?
What a light-up dog ball does for a dog in the dark, what to look for, and how to play in the evening without a wired dog at bedtime. Read more...
Self-Rolling Dog Balls: How They Work and Which Dogs They Suit
How self-rolling dog balls work, what makes a good one, which dogs they suit and how to use one safely, from sizing to battery care. Read more...
Toys for Small Dogs: Why Most of Them Are the Wrong Size
Most interactive toys are built for a labrador. Here is how to pick toys a small dog can actually carry, and how to tire one out without a long walk. Read more...
Snuffle Mat vs Lick Mat: Which One Does Your Dog Need?
One tires a dog out, the other calms them down. They are not alternatives. Here is which problem each one solves and which to buy first. Read more...
Do Dog Puzzle Toys Work, or Do Dogs Just Solve Them and Move On?
Puzzle toys work, and then they stop working, because a solved puzzle is not a puzzle. Here is how to pick one and how to keep it interesting. Read more...
What Is a Lick Mat for Dogs, and When Should You Use One?
Licking is a self soothing behavior, which is why a lick mat helps at bath time, at the vet and in the first half hour after you leave the house. Read more...
Do Snuffle Mats Actually Work?
A snuffle mat is a fabric mat you hide dry food in. Here is why ten minutes of sniffing settles a dog, and which dogs it does nothing for. Read more...
Do Dogs Get Bored at Home? The Signs Most People Miss
Dogs sleep a lot, so boredom is easy to miss until something gets chewed. Here are the early signs and what separates boredom from anxiety. Read more...
Toys for Dogs Left Home Alone: What Actually Helps
What is safe to leave with a dog when nobody is home, what is not, and why the first thirty minutes after you leave matter more than the whole day. Read more...
Why Your Dog Destroys Every Toy You Buy
Shredding a toy is normal predatory behavior, not spite or bad training. Here is what is driving it and how to work with it instead of against it. Read more...
How to Tire Out a Dog Without Hours of Walking
Running a dog more makes them fitter, not calmer. Here is why nose work and problem solving tire a dog faster than distance, and how to use both. Read more...
Indoor Dog Activities for Days You Can't Get Outside
Rain, ice, a bad back, a sick day. Here are indoor dog activities that actually tire a dog out, most of them using things you already own. Read more...
How to Keep a Dog Busy While You Work From Home
The 4pm nudge under the desk is a scheduling problem, not a behavior problem. Here is how to keep a dog busy through a working day, hour by hour. Read more...
What Are Dog Enrichment Toys, and Do They Actually Work?
Enrichment toys make a dog use their nose and their head instead of just their legs. Here is what counts as enrichment, and what the research actually shows. Read more...

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