Your Pets Daily - Dog enrichment activities

How To Keep Your Dog Mentally Stimulated Through The Day

Katie Court — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Your dog's toys are not just for fun and for alleviating their boredom, they're also used to prevent some problematic behaviours and help reduce canine stress levels and anxiety.

Enrichment toys and games - especially those that dispense tasty treats, will keep your dog busy while you focus on your own daily tasks, stave off boredom and provide mental stimulation for their natural curiosity - as well as give your dog an outlet for their hard-wired need to gnaw and chew.

With this in mind, the team at tails.com have shared the best types of toys to keep your pup happy and entertained and explained why mental stimulation is so important.

Behaviourist at tails.com Carolyn Menteith said "It's widely known that our pets require lots of physical exercises to stay happy and healthy. But some dog owners often forget that channelling your dog's mind is just as important. Not only does mental stimulation promote good dog behaviour, but it gives an appropriate outlet for our dog's natural need to gnaw and chew - which is a great canine stress-reliever.

Like humans, stress can cause health problems for dogs. Dogs who aren't provided with enough mental stimulation, problem-solving opportunities and an outlet for their natural behaviours are likely to experience heightened levels of stress, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and behaviour issues"

Best Enrichment Dog Games and Toys for Mental Stimulation

Dog puzzles

Enrichment toys are designed to keep your canine companion occupied and make a meal or treat times more interesting with problem-solving challenges for dogs, which entice them to flip, push or roll them around in order to access a treat. These types of toys are not designed for chewing, fetching or chasing around, they are aimed for learning and concentration.

They are often not that robust, and so they should always be used when you are there to supervise - and you can turn this into a great interactive game by encouraging your dog to work out the puzzle.

Your pup might not understand these puzzle toys straight away, so by working with them you can show them how they can get a treat and make it easy until they have figured it out.

You don't have to spend a fortune on fancy toys either, you can hide treats in small boxes, plastic bottles, and encourage your dog to find them but be extra cautious with homemade toys and ensure they are safe to chew and don't pose a choking hazard.

Food dispensing toys

We all know that keeping a dog busy and mentally stimulated can be challenging, especially when they are young and full of energy. Food-dispensing toys can help manage boredom while building mental skills and increased dexterity. These products encourage dogs to chew, lick, nudge, toss the toys to find and obtain the food.

Food dispensers are also great if your pet eats too quickly, as the toy dispenses a couple of biscuits at a time, reducing how quickly they eat their lunch.

Some food dispensing toys are made out of robust rubber that can be stuffed with food and can provide a distraction if you have to leave your dog on their own but do remember that no toy is 100% safe and so if you have a 'power-chewer', you might be better using something like a cardboard tube or box that can be safely ripped and torn.

Lickimats

Lickimats are a simple, and affordable way to keep your dog entertained and stimulated. By spreading your dog's favourite soft treat over the surface, for example, peanut butter or banana, you create a fun and tasty game. Lickimats are either silicone or rubber sheets, with a raised texture or pattern on them. This pattern traps the food so that it takes the dog longer to eat it all making dinner time or treat time last longer.

Interactive hide and seek

Hide and seek can be played anywhere in the house or garden, and all it requires is a curious pup and some tasty treats. Simply hide treats around the home and let your dog use their nose to sniff them out. Alternatively, add treats to a blanket and roll it up. Your pet will use their paws and nose to push the blanket around and retrieve the treats.

Snuffle mats are a great way to keep your dog entertained and mentally stimulated. The toy encourages your pet to sniff and search out the special treats hidden in the mat strands. The best part is, you can make it yourself with some felt and a rubber mat with holes.

Crufts worthy: 4 tricks you can easily teach your pooch in your own back garden

Jessica Curtis — Tue, 09 Jan 2024 20:00:00 +0000

We all wish our dogs were a little more obedient and could do a few more entertaining tricks so Dr Emma Scales-Theobald, PhD (dog behaviourist) from pet wellness brand Pooch & Mutt, has shared her top tips for training your pooch some new Crufts-worthy tricks from the comfort of your own garden.

Whilst your dog might not be quite Crufts ready, agility tricks are not only great for their health, but they are a great mental stimulant and will keep your pup both happy and healthy.

Dr Emma's pre-training tips

"Before jumping straight into training, there are a few things you, as the owner, need to check and make sure you have in order for your training to run smoothly and for both you and your dog to get the most out of it."

Patience - Training isn't always easy, and more often than not, it is very repetitive, so patience is crucial. As much as we wish we could, we can't communicate with our dogs, so they aren't going to understand or pick things up straight away, which of course, can be frustrating, but like you, they are doing their best. Maintaining a level of patience throughout training will make it a more positive experience for both you and your dog.
Tasty treats - Unfortunately, most dogs won't perform without some kind of incentive, so you're going to need some tasty treats to give them something to work for. Choose something you know they love but don't have every day - cooked chicken or cheese are often good options!
A safe space - Safety is always key when training your dog, as there is always potential for accidents or falls. So, make sure you have plenty of space, and you move any objects that could cause injuries if your dog was to run or fall into them.
Consistent commands - Consistency is key. Nailing down your commands and hand gestures before you get started will save your dog from getting confused and help them learn the tricks much quicker.

Dr Emma's training tips

Jumping over a hurdle

This is a trick that requires patience as you will have to go about it in stages. Firstly, you want to start with a hurdle low enough for your dog to step over and your dog on a lead. Begin simply walking your dog over the bar, marking it with a 'yes' and rewarding them with a treat every time they step over it. This will help them gain confidence around the hurdle, as well as getting over it.

Once your dog has this nailed, you can slightly raise the bar and have your dog sit on one side whilst you are on the other. Try calling your dog over the hurdle, making sure they have a good view of their treat. Use the lead to guide them over if they are struggling. Once the dog reaches the other side, mark and reward.

Again, once your dog is confident with this, you can start introducing the name of the command. This should be something such as 'jump' or 'over'. Call your dog over the hurdle, and once their feet are off the ground, say your command and then mark and reward again once they get to you. You can then start increasing the height of the hurdle as your dog's confidence grows.
Weaving through obstacles

Start by placing cones (if you don't have cones, placing plastic cups upside down is an easy alternative) in a straight line spaced evenly apart. To begin, make the gaps between each cone quite spacious. Once your dog is getting the hang of weaving, you can move the cones closer together to make it a little more challenging.

Before encouraging your dog to weave through the cones, you want to get them familiar with following a treat. To do this, make it known to your pooch that you have a treat in your hand and work on getting them to follow your hand, marking with a 'yes' and the treat when they have followed your hand successfully.

Once they are getting good at this, you can move to guide them through the cones, again with a treat in hand. Keep the treat close to your dog's snout and weave them through the cones. Once your dog reaches the end, mark and reward. Repeat this a few more times until your dog is following you confidently. Once they are, you can start introducing the command 'weave'. Guide your dog again as they make their way through the cones, say 'weave' and once they complete the course, mark and reward. Continue practising this until your dog is confident. Once they are familiar with the command, you can move to start saying the command without having to guide your dog through the cones, marking and rewarding once they reach the end. If they struggle, that's fine. Jump back a step and guide them through again.
Running through a tunnel

If you have children, you might have a play tunnel lying around. If not, you can make one by opening up the bottoms of some large cardboard boxes and placing them together.

Firstly you need to get your dog familiar with the tunnel, let your dog sniff and get close to it, and reward any positive behaviour towards the tunnel with a 'yes' and a tasty treat. Once you are happy that your dog doesn't fear the tunnel, lay out a trail of treats through the tunnel to entice your dog to manoeuvre through it. Ideally, you will have one person holding your dog at one end and another person on the other to call and encourage the dog. When your dog reaches the end, give them lots of praise and extra treats and repeat this process until your dog is confidently moving through the tunnel.

Now, repeat the last step without the treats in the tunnel, and save them for the end reward. Have one person call and encourage your dog to come through, and when they do, mark it with a 'yes' and a big reward. Repeat this until your dog is running through confidently every time, then move on to introducing the command.

Once your dog steps into the tunnel, say a command such as 'through' to mark the action, and as normal, mark with a 'yes' and reward once they reach you on the other side. Repeat this as many times as you need to until your dog runs through the tunnel upon hearing the command without needing a treat on the other side.
Spin on the spot

Teaching your dog to spin takes a lot of practice as it is a little trickier to master, but with plenty of patience and rewards, you and your dog will master it in no time.

Start with a treat held closely to your dog's snout and begin by luring them round to one side, as they start to turn, mark and reward with the treat. Repeat this a few times, ensuring you always lure them the same way until they get used to the motion of turning.

Once your dog is confident with that, you want to start luring them in a full circle with the treat close to their snout. Your pooch won't get this every time, so it is important to be patient and just go back to your starting point and try again, marking it with a 'yes' and rewarding once they have completed the full circle.

Again, when your dog is confidently following your hand in a full circle motion, you can move on to incorporating the command, 'spin'. Lure your dog round and as they start the movement, say the command, and when they finish, mark and reward. Continue repeating this until your dog gets it right every time. Only then can you start to try getting them to spin without luring them with a treat. You should get to a point where you can simply say 'spin', and your dog will know exactly what to do!

Wet weather enrichment games to entertain your pup

Your Pets Daily Editor — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Your dog needs lots of enrichment and entertainment to keep them happy, and in the summer months, getting outdoors can be the perfect way to give them the activity they need. However, as winter rapidly approaches, the classic British weather doesn't always give us perfect walking conditions but there are still plenty of ways to keep your dog entertained. Here, the experts from Webbox share their favourite indoor enrichment activities that can keep your dog happy and active on a rainy winters day.

Play hide and seek

Everyone remembers this classic rainy-day game from their childhood, so why not play it with your furry friend too? There are two ways you can play hide and seek so your pup won't grow tired. The first option appeals to your dog's natural foraging skills and involves hiding small dog treats around your home and encouraging your pet to sniff them out. Start with easy hiding places at first while your dog gets the hang of things, increasing the difficulty slightly each time you play. If you have a dog breed with a very keen sense of smell, such as a bloodhound or German shepherd, you could even leave a trail of scent, touching various objects around your home with a treat to transfer the scent, before finally hiding it. Another option is to test your dog's recall skills by hiding somewhere in your home and calling them to you. Make sure to reward them with a treat each time they find you.

Make a DIY enrichment toy

Like hide and seek, enrichment toys help to encourage your dog's foraging abilities. These toys usually combine a puzzle with your dog's favourite thing: food! Puzzle toys include treat dispensers, which work with treats and hard food, and lick mats, which are best for wet dog food and creamy treats (like Dog-e-Lix).

If you don't have a dog treat toy at home already, you can make your own by adding treats and hard food to a cardboard box filled with shredded paper. Alternatively, make your own homemade lick mat using a silicone baking sheet. Spread your dog's favourite creamy treat across the sheet and let them lick it off.

Build an indoor agility course

If your dog is particularly boisterous then an indoor agility course will help keep them entertained and blow off some steam. This is your chance to get creative using whatever you can find around the house to set up the course, and try to include a good variety of obstacles and surfaces. Not only does this offer mental stimulation for your pooch, but it provides extra sensory enrichment by giving them the opportunity to experience different heights and situations.

For example, you could create a tunnel from a cardboard box or, for big breeds, by draping a blanket over two chairs. Create a hurdle from a low stool or upside-down basket and lay out a variety of objects for your dog to weave in and out of. Again, remember to reward your smart pup with a treat at the end.

Have a spa day

Why not treat your furry friend to a little rainy-day R&R? Make sure your dog is nice and relaxed by playing some games with them to tire them out. Then, create a doggy spa by setting up a relaxing grooming station. Shampoo and condition their fur, trim their nails, and brush them from head to toe, giving them plenty of love as you do so. Not only will you be giving your dog's coat all the attention it needs, but it's also a great bonding experience for you both.

You could even give your dog a little massage to pamper them even more. Gently stroke your dog's back until they lie down then start rubbing their neck gently in circular motions before moving onto their back, stomach, and legs and feet if your dog will allow it. Just be sure to stop if they show any signs of discomfort.

Your Pets Daily - Dog enrichment activities

How To Keep Your Dog Mentally Stimulated Through The Day

Best Enrichment Dog Games and Toys for Mental Stimulation

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Crufts worthy: 4 tricks you can easily teach your pooch in your own back garden

Dr Emma's pre-training tips

Dr Emma's training tips

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Wet weather enrichment games to entertain your pup

Play hide and seek

Make a DIY enrichment toy

Build an indoor agility course

Have a spa day

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Tags