This past year has been rough, to say the least, and I think that’s why April Fool’s Day seems so quiet this year. We’ve all been through enough!
For our dogs, though, this year has been superb. We’ve spent more time at home with them than ever, and they’ve been loving all of the outdoor activities.
So, this seems like a great time to whip up some harmless pranks for our unsuspecting pups.
A lot of these also work as enrichment activities. Might as well get your dog’s brain whirring away while they try to figure out these hijinks.
1. Freeze Their Food Bowl
Pour your dog’s next meal into their bowl. If it’s dry food, add a few tablespoons of water, enough to touch, but not completely submerge, each bite.
Freeze their whole bowl for at least four hours, then present your dog with their food-sicle at their next meal.
2. Give Them A Tricky Piece of Food
Sometimes I give each of my dogs a whole strawberry and watch them roll it around on the carpet, trying to make sense of it.
Or, instead of their daily chew stick, give them a piece of celery, a cucumber, or a big carrot and see if they can figure out how to eat it.
3. Hover Hand
Hover your hand over your dog’s head as though you’re about to pet them, but then – don’t. Hold your hand just above their head and see what they do. When I do this to Cow, she pushes her head into my hand. She’s all about getting the pets she deserves!
4. Wrap All Of Their Toys
Dig up that leftover Christmas gift wrap and wrap each and every one of your dog’s toys.
5. Turn Your Dog’s Meal Into An Aspic
Use plain, unflavored, unsweetened gelatin to turn your dog’s food into a wiggly, wobbly aspic. Plain gelatin is safe and healthy for dogs, it’s actually great for their joints. Don’t use Jello or any product that has added sugar or artificial sweeteners, which can be toxic to dogs.
6. Revive The “What The Fluff” Challenge
You might remember that internet trend where people were doing the disappearing magic trick for their pets. Your dog probably doesn’t remember, so it’ll make a fun April Fool’s Day prank.
It’s pretty easy to do, just take a large blanket and stand in a doorway or hallway. Hold up the blanket between you and your dog and peek over the top. Lift the blanket over your head so you’re completely hidden, then bring it down again so your dog can see you. Then, lift the blanket again, but this time, drop the blanket and hide.
7. Give Your Dog Invisible Treats
Pretend to take treats out of a bowl and pretend to give one to your dog. See how many invisible treats you can give them until they realize you’re feeding them air.
She also uses her pet copywriting business to make sure the best pet products and services get found online through catchy copy and fun, informative blog posts. She also provides product description writing services for ecommerce companies.
As a dog mom to Matilda and Cow, she spends most of her days taking long walks and practicing new tricks, and most nights trying to make the best of a very modest portion of her bed.
You’ll also find her baking bread and making homemade pizza, laughing, painting and shopping.
