Autumn is on its way! 🍁

The days are getting a little shorter, the mornings are getting cooler, and before we know it we'll be reaching for our jumpers and wondering where summer went.

But autumn isn't something to be gloomy about — it's actually a brilliant time of year to enjoy adventures with your dog.

There are crunchy leaves to investigate, puddles to splash through, cooler walks to enjoy and plenty of excuses to slow down and get cosy at home.

And let's be honest, when the evenings start drawing in, it's easy for us humans to feel a little less motivated too. Having a dog who is very excited about absolutely everything can be a pretty good reason to get up, get outside and enjoy the season together. 🐶❤️

So here are 15 fun autumn activities to enjoy with your dog, including outdoor adventures, rainy-day activities and a few cosy ideas for those evenings when neither of you wants to leave the sofa!

🍁 1. Go on a Leafy Sniffari

Autumn walks are made for sniffing!

Take your dog somewhere with plenty of fallen leaves, woodland or open space and let them take their time exploring.

Rather than worrying about how far you've walked, let your dog investigate the smells around them. Leaves, trees, grass and all those wonderful smells left behind by other animals can make a walk incredibly interesting for your dog.

And crunchy leaves are just fun. 🍂

Sniffing isn't just exercise — it's enrichment too.

🌰 2. Have an Autumn Treasure Hunt

You don't need fancy equipment to make a walk more exciting.

Before heading out, take a handful of your dog's favourite treats and hide them in safe places around your garden or during a walk.

You could hide treats amongst leaves, behind tree roots or around different areas of your garden and encourage your dog to use their nose to find them.

Just make sure anything you hide is safe and appropriate, and avoid areas where you don't know what your dog might find.

Let the nose work begin! 👃🐾

🌧️ 3. Embrace a Rainy Walk

Yes, it's raining.

Yes, your dog probably still wants to go out.

And yes, you're probably wondering why you didn't buy that waterproof coat when you had the chance. 😂

A rainy walk can still be a brilliant adventure.

Pop on your waterproofs, grab a towel for afterwards and head out for a shorter sniffy walk.

You don't have to spend an hour getting soaked. Even a 20-minute adventure can give your dog fresh smells, movement and stimulation.

Just remember to dry your dog properly when you get home, especially if they have a thick coat.

🍂 4. Make a Leaf Pile

This one is mostly for the fun of it!

If you've got a safe area of your garden with fallen leaves, make a little pile and let your dog investigate.

Some dogs will absolutely love jumping into it.

Others will sniff it suspiciously and wonder what on earth you've been doing.

Either way, you may get some hilarious photos. 📸🐶

Just check the leaves and surrounding area first and don't use piles containing anything potentially harmful to dogs.

☕ 5. Have a Cosy Dog-Friendly Café Date

Autumn is the perfect excuse for a coffee date.

Find a dog-friendly café, wrap up warm and take your four-legged friend along.

You get your hot drink.

They get to sit somewhere new, experience different sights and smells and perhaps enjoy a dog-friendly treat.

It's a lovely way to get out of the house without committing to a huge walk.

🎃 6. Make a Pumpkin Enrichment Activity

Pumpkin can make a great seasonal theme for enrichment.

You could use a little plain, cooked pumpkin in an enrichment toy or lick mat, provided it is suitable for your individual dog.

Combine it with some of their usual food or another dog-safe ingredient and let them work at getting it out.

Remember: plain pumpkin only — not pumpkin pie filling or anything containing added sugar, spices or other ingredients that aren't suitable for dogs.

And if your dog has dietary restrictions, always check with your vet first.

🧠 7. Have an Indoor Training Session

Rainy afternoon?

Perfect.

You don't need loads of space to do some training.

Spend 10–15 minutes practising things your dog already knows or teaching something new.

You could work on:

• Touch

• Wait

• Leave it

• Place

• Recall games

• Find it

• Fun tricks

Keep sessions short, positive and rewarding.

Training isn't just about obedience — it's a great way to give your dog's brain something to do.

🧸 8. Create a Cosy Enrichment Box

Put together a little box of safe things your dog can explore.

You could include:

• A cardboard box

• Scrunched-up paper

• Their favourite toy

• A towel

• A couple of treats

• A snuffle mat

• A chew

Let your dog investigate and explore.

Some dogs will carefully sniff everything.

Others will immediately attempt to destroy the box.

Both are perfectly valid approaches according to the dog committee. 😂

Always supervise your dog with new objects and remove anything that becomes unsafe.

📸 9. Have an Autumn Photoshoot

You don't need a professional camera.

Find somewhere with beautiful autumn colours, take your dog out for a walk and snap some photos while you're there.

Think:

🍁 Dogs surrounded by golden leaves🐾 Paws on woodland paths🍂 Your dog investigating a pile of leaves🧡 Cosy autumn portraits

Your dog doesn't have to sit perfectly still either.

Some of the best photos are the completely spontaneous ones.

🥾 10. Explore Somewhere You've Never Walked Before

Autumn is a great excuse to explore.

Pick a new walking route you've never tried and let your dog discover somewhere different.

New environments mean new smells, sounds and sights — which can make a familiar walk feel completely different.

Just check the route beforehand, especially after heavy rain, and make sure dogs are allowed where you're planning to go.

🧩 11. Make a DIY Snuffle Box

Don't have a snuffle mat?

You can improvise.

Take a sturdy cardboard box, add some scrunched-up paper or towels and scatter some of your dog's usual food or treats amongst them.

Then let them use their nose to find everything.

It's simple, inexpensive and can be surprisingly tiring.

Just supervise and make sure your dog isn't eating the paper or cardboard.

🎬 12. Have a Dog-Friendly Movie Night

Sometimes the best autumn activity is doing absolutely nothing.

Make yourself a hot chocolate, get under a blanket and settle down for a film with your dog beside you.

Add their favourite blanket or bed and perhaps give them a long-lasting, appropriate chew or enrichment toy.

Because sometimes dogs need a quiet evening just as much as we do.

🍎 13. Make Some Dog-Friendly Treats

Get your apron on and make your dog something tasty.

There are loads of simple homemade dog treat recipes you can try using dog-safe ingredients.

You could even make them seasonal!

Just remember that not everything we enjoy in autumn is safe for dogs, so always check ingredients carefully before sharing human foods with your four-legged friend.

🌲 14. Go on a Woodland Adventure

Autumn woodland walks are hard to beat.

The colours are beautiful, the weather is often cooler and there are plenty of new smells for your dog to investigate.

Take your time.

Let them sniff.

Stop for a few photos.

Enjoy the scenery.

And remember that a good walk isn't necessarily about covering the most distance.

Sometimes a slower, sniffier adventure can be much more enriching.

🛋️ 15. Have a Proper Snuggle Day

And finally...

Do nothing.

Seriously.

Your dog doesn't need constant entertainment.

Some days can simply be about a gentle walk, a bit of enrichment and then curling up together on the sofa.

Autumn is a lovely reminder that rest is important too.

So grab a blanket, put your feet up and enjoy some quality time with your best friend.

🍂 Autumn Is for Dogs Too!

Autumn doesn't have to mean shorter days and fewer adventures.

It can mean different adventures.

There are new smells to discover, cooler walks to enjoy, puddles to investigate, leaves to crunch through and plenty of opportunities for enrichment at home.

And perhaps most importantly, autumn gives us humans a reason to slow down a little too.

So grab your coat, grab the lead and go see what adventures you can find. 🐾🍁

And when the weather really does decide to throw everything at you?

There's always the blanket-and-snuggles option. ❤️

Happy autumn adventures from Sniffari Adventures Plymouth!

🐶🍂 Because the best walks are always with four-legged friends.

🐾 Teddi's Take: Autumn Adventures 🍂

Autumn? 10/10. Would recommend.

Crunchy leaves to run through, puddles to investigate, sticks to collect and approximately 47,000 new smells to sniff. What's not to love? 🍂🐶

And when it's raining?

Easy. Get muddy outside, come home, shake yourself all over the clean house and then demand a blanket.

You're welcome. 😂

Personally, I think every autumn adventure should end with treats, cuddles and a very serious sofa session.

Humans might get a little sad when the nights draw in, but don't worry — I've got plenty of ways to keep you entertained.

Now where's my stick? 🐾