I was having a conversation with a friend of mine. We were discussing how to keep your dog’s mind stimulated. Unfortunately, bored dogs cause problems. If you don’t keep your dog’s mind stimulated, chances are that they’ll find activities to stimulate their mind. And you won’t like those activities, from chewing, excess barking to digging. A dog that is mentally stimulated on a daily basis is a happy dog. Here’s a quick list of how to keep your dog mentally stimulated:
Exercise
Firstly, make sure you get your dog doing lots of exercises. It doesn’t have to be walking for hours and hours. If you can incorporate exercise with another activity such as playing “find the ball” or doing some agility exercises, then that’s even better.
Brainteaser toys
Many cool toys actually challenge your dog’s mind. For example, one of the more popular ones is the “Buster Cube,” a plastic cube that releases a pellet of food every third or fourth time the Cube is rolled over.
Routine
Small rituals done at the same time of day, every day. For example, feeding time, grooming, walks, treat time, car trips around town all help your dog feel calm and stimulated.
Dogs like to work
Teach your dog to bring in the newspaper, carry mail back from the mailbox, or walk out with you when you take the trash out. Have your dog heel and sit during daily walks. Give them a treat after they complete the command successfully. You could also get them to “stay” until you release them.
Remember: Dogs are bred to work. They’ve been blessed with super-human instincts and drives, and they need an outlet for those drives.
Do obedience training with your dog
Lastly, obedience training requires your dog to use his brain and think. Most importantly, it instils a sense of responsibility in your dog and demands that they use their noggin. Knowing that they will be praised for making the right decision and corrected for making the wrong decision.
Latest Posts
- The Small Monthly Costs We Don’t Think Twice About
- Fun Facts About the Eurovision Song Contest
- Fun Facts About the London Marathon
- 10 Reasons Why You Should Go to Lakefest This Year
- Ultimate Eurovision Party Ideas
All Posts
Blogging Business Drinks Entertainment Family Finance Food Giveaway Health Pets Sport Weddings