Most dogs were originally bred to perform a job, such as hunting or herding. Nowadays, the majority of dogs are simply enjoyed as pets. However, an intelligent dog who doesn’t have enough to think about can become mischievous… creating his own activities to keep busy!
When owners get busy and spend less time walking and playing outdoors with their pet, boredom can easily set in. Here are some ideas of games you can play to give your dog’s mind a workout… and have fun together too!
The Find-It Game- Begin by putting your dog into a sit/stay command. Put a treat in your hand and let your dog smell it. Place the treat on the floor a few feet from your dog. Then, put your hand (which has the smell of the treat on it) to your dog’s nose and say ‘find it!’ Your dog will quickly get the treat. Increase your dog’s skills by placing the treat out of sight, but letting her see you put it there. You will be amazed how quickly your dog learns to use her nose and loves this game! With regular practice, you can eventually build up to having your dog stay while you hide 3 treats in 3 top secret locations all around the house (no peeking). It should take your dog up to 20 minutes to use her nose to find all three! Try it… it’s fun for both of you!
Hide & Seek- Dogs, kids, and grownups alike love to play this game, indoors or out! Begin by having a family member ‘hide’ (almost in plain view). Tell your dog “Find Diana!” When your dog goes to the person, they should give lots of praise, making it really fun. Make sure your dog is learning each family member’s name. Gradually have the family member hide in more challenging locations. With enough practice, and increasing difficulty little by little, your dog will eventually be able to play the hide & seek game with multiple family members all around the house or yard!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.