It’s February, the dead of winter, and my dogs and I are going stir-crazy. There is salt everywhere, the snow is turning to ice, and it’s always gloomy. What a time.

This winter in Chicago has been especially brutal, with daily temperatures stuck in the teens and 20s and dropping into the single digits at night. We’ve had snow on the ground for weeks, which is the longest stretch I can remember it actually sticking around.

I’ve spoiled my dogs to the max and have absolutely no shame about it, but they are not built for discomfort. This has created a very real, very consistent problem with no end in sight: they CANNOT handle the snow.

Whenever we go on walks, they have to stay on the sidewalk because their paws get painfully cold the minute they step into the snow. They freeze, start lifting their paws, and look at me like I’ve personally betrayed them. Cold is one thing, but cold plus weeks of snow on the ground is a whole different issue

On top of that, because it’s cold and icy, there is salt all over the roads and sidewalks, which is harsh on their paws. I do use Musher’s Secret paw wax and occasionally have them wear boots, but the wax wears off quickly and the boots inevitably fall off somewhere along the way.

There’s no winning right now.

So, I’ve been doing a lot of indoor enrichment with them since walks are limited.

In the mornings before I leave for work, I usually give them either a lick mat or a Kong stuffed with goodies. I can leave them with these toys because I know they won’t chew them up while I’m gone. If you can’t trust your dog, please only give them these items under supervision.

In the evenings when I get home from work, I’ll do a more enriching activity that takes them longer to figure out. A fan favorite is what we call “Find the Treat.” I hide their food in small piles around the house, and they have to sniff it out. Since I have two dogs and need to make sure they each get the appropriate amount of food, I’ll do one dog on the main floor and the other in the basement. This activity gets them moving around while also putting their sniffer to work.

Another fun game is the good old snuffle mat. I have a couple listed on my “Favorite Products!” page and on my Amazon storefront that I use regularly. It may not take as long and doesn’t involve much movement, but it still encourages them to slow down and use their nose.

If you don’t have too much time but still want them to take longer to eat their food, another fun option is to add watered-down yogurt, broth, pumpkin (anything you want, just make sure it’s okay for dogs) to their bowl with their kibble, and freeze it! This does require planning ahead, but if you know you’ll be busy the next day, this is a great idea.

Any activity that gets dogs sniffing, moving, licking—even just a little—is great for them. They already eat the same food every single day, so letting them have some fun with it just makes sense.

I have videos of all of these activities plus more on my Instagram and TikTok pages, so if you need a little inspiration you can check those out.

On the weekends, I like to do longer activities with my dogs. If it’s been cold during the week and we haven’t gone on many walks, I’ll take them to Home Depot or the pet store for some extended physical activity. Dogs will be dogs, and they still need exercise no matter how many mental enrichment activities you do.

So what’s the good news about it being miserably cold in mid-February? The days are getting longer, spring is just over a month away, and outdoor adventures will be back before we know it. Until then, hang in there—and take advantage of the extra excuse to cuddle your pups a little closer.