How to Keep Your Dog Entertained While You’re on Holiday
Holidays are meant to be relaxing. But if you’re travelling with a dog, or leaving them in unfamiliar surroundings, it can sometimes add a layer of stress to the situation.
Whether you’re staying in an Airbnb, visiting family, relaxing in a pub garden, or working remotely from a holiday cottage, one worry is incredibly common among dog owners:
“What if my dog gets bored and starts destroying things?”
And honestly? It’s a valid concern. Bored, overstimulated, or anxious dogs often look for ways to release energy, and that can lead to:
- Scratching furniture
- Digging at carpets
- Chewing cushions
- Barking
- Restlessness
- Difficulty settling
The good news is that a few simple enrichment ideas can make a huge difference.
Why Holidays Can Be Hard for Dogs
Even confident dogs can feel unsettled in unfamiliar environments. There are new smells, new routines, different sounds, travelling, busy pub gardens, holiday cottages and beach cafés. It’s a lot to process.
At home, your dogs know where everything is. On holiday, they’re constantly adapting. That’s why mental stimulation becomes just as important as physical exercise.
Dog Boredom Solutions That Actually Help
Keeping your dog entertained doesn’t mean exhausting them with endless walks.
In fact, overstimulation can sometimes make dogs more restless. Instead, focus on calming enrichment activities that encourage sniffing, problem-solving, licking, chewing, and digging.
Here are some easy ways to keep your dog busy while travelling or relaxing away from home.
1. Bring Familiar Enrichment Toys
Dogs settle faster when they have familiar items nearby. Bringing a favourite toy or enrichment activity, like a snuffle mat, can help create a sense of routine and comfort.
A DigDrum can be especially useful because it gives dogs a safe outlet for natural digging behaviour, even indoors.
That means instead of digging on your holiday cottage sofa or your mother-in-law's flower bed, your dog has a dedicated place to focus that energy instead.
A lot of dog owners find that enrichment toys become particularly valuable on rainy days, or during long pub lunches or in new environments like a holiday let.
2. Use Sniffing Games
Sniffing is incredibly calming for dogs.
Scatter feeding treats in grass, hiding toys around a room, or creating simple scent games can help mentally tire your dog without overdoing physical exercise.
Even 10 - 15 minutes of sniffing work can make a noticeable difference.
3. Pack a Long-Lasting Chew
Chewing helps many dogs relax and self-soothe.
Natural chews and lick mats can help dogs settle in unfamiliar places, especially during downtime in the evenings.
4. Build Calm Into the Day
One mistake many owners make on holiday is trying to keep the dog entertained constantly, because dogs also need opportunities to decompress.
After exciting walks or busy outings, calm enrichment can help dogs switch off rather than stay overstimulated.
That’s one reason instinct-based activities like digging can be so helpful. They allow dogs to naturally regulate excitement and stress levels through focused behaviour.
Why DigDrum Works So Well on Holiday
One of the biggest benefits of DigDrum is portability. It gives dogs a familiar, repeatable activity wherever you go:
- Holiday cottages
- Caravan trips
- Pub gardens
- Friends’ houses
- Airbnb stays
Once dogs understand this is where they dig, many will naturally return to it on their own for entertainment and comfort.
Holidays with dogs don’t need to feel chaotic.
A little preparation and the right enrichment can help your dog stay calm, occupied, and happy wherever you go. Because when your dog has a healthy outlet for boredom, excitement, and natural instincts, everyone gets to enjoy the holiday a little more.
