A bored golden invents jobs: landscaping, shoe relocation, professional barking. Ten minutes of the right game meets the needs those hobbies are trying to fill. The breed’s big three are carrying, sniffing, and doing things with you.

Carrying jobs

Let your golden carry a toy on walks (many self-soothe this way), teach ‘hold’ and ‘bring,’ and graduate to useful fetch: named toys, delivering the mail from the door, carrying the (light) shopping bag with maximum self-importance.

Nose work at home

Scatter part of dinner in grass, hide treats around one room and grow the search area, or play ‘which hand.’ Ten minutes of sniffing tires a dog like a half-hour walk — it is the cheapest enrichment there is.

Water, obviously

For most goldens swimming is not exercise, it is religion. A kiddie pool with floating toys counts on days you can’t get to real water.

General guidance from golden retriever owners, not veterinary advice. If your dog is sick or hurt, call your vet.