Boost Your Dog's Happiness Using Mental Stimulation
Did you know that using physical exercise alone is not always enough to keep your dog well behaved and happy? Long walks and outdoor play are essential, but mental stimulation is also very important for a dog’s wellbeing. According to PetMD, you need to Engage your dog’s mind to help prevent boredom, reduce behavioral issues, and strengthen the bond between you and your fur baby.
Does Mental Stimulation Matter?
Dogs are certainly intelligent animals and they require more than just physical activity to stay content. Without enough mental challenges dogs can become bored. This leads to destructive behavior, which can include; excessive barking, acting out around the home, and anxiety. A mentally engaged dog tends to be happier, calmer, and overall better behaved. In fact, using mental stimulation can wear out a dog just as much—if not more—than the use of physical exercise. This tells us that incorporating mental games into your dog’s daily routine is essential for your pup to have a well-rounded and fulfilled life. We have a ton of suggestions for toys that we love!
By offering mental stimulation, you’re helping your dog problem-solve, build confidence, and feel secure in their environment.
Types of Mental Stimulation
There are various ways to mentally stimulate your dog, from simple commands to engaging puzzles. Here are some training recommendations to help, based on our balanced training philosophy:
1. Puzzle Toys
Puzzle toys are an excellent way to keep your dog’s brain engaged and challenged. Dog toys like KONGs, Toppls, and other treat-dispensing balls, or interactive puzzle boards challenge your dog to think critically and work for a reward. These toys cater to your dog’s natural instincts to forage and solve problems. Check out our 15+ best dog puzzles from Amazon.
2. Obedience Training
Training sessions don’t just teach your dog new tricks. They are a great way to give your dog a mental workout. Commands like "sit," "stay," and "down" require focus and discipline from your pup. You should always keep advancing and challenging your pup with new obedience commands. This could include off-leash commands, which strengthen your dog’s ability to listen and respond in various situations. When that becomes easy, think about commands like “Stand Stay” and “Down” from a “Stand Stay”. These new challenges will keep even the best trained pup guessing. Learn more about obedience training with your dog.
3. Hide and Seek
A fun game to play with your dog is hide and seek. You can engage your dog’s natural hunting instincts as they try and find you around your house or backyard. To mix the game up, you can also hide treats or toys, then encourage your dog to search for them. This activity taps into their innate curiosity and problem-solving skills while keeping them entertained for hours. Matt Covey talks about Hide and Seek with your dog here.
4. Scent Work
Dogs have an incredible sense of smell, and scent games are an excellent way to engage their brain. You can create a simple scent work activity by hiding small treats around your home and encouraging your dog to find them using their nose. This game keeps your dog’s mind active and helps reduce anxiety by giving them a focused task.
5. Puppy Pushups
Another fantastic way to engage with your dog mentally and physically is by teaching them puppy pushups. Puppy Pushups involve alternating between "sit" and "down" commands quickly. Check out a more in-depth description on how to have fun with pushups. This exercise helps improve obedience and focus, while giving your pup a stimulating challenge .
How to Incorporate Mental Stimulation into Your Dog’s Routine
At Suburban K9, we highly recommend incorporating mental exercises into your dog’s daily routine. Using mental stimulation to engage your dog’s brain can reduce unwanted behaviors such as; chewing, digging, and excessive barking. Whether you use puzzle toys, training sessions, or interactive games, keeping your dog’s mind well engaged will lead to a happy, healthy, and overall better-behaved pup. We recommend that you incorporate each of these strategies at different times to keep your put guessing. Mental activities provide a great outlet for high-energy dogs. By helping to manage their excitement levels. Additionally, mentally stimulated dogs tend to be more confident and less anxious. This makes them more adaptable to new environments and experiences
If you are looking for some help to boost your dog's mental stimulation, contact us to set up a consultation. Our expert trainers will guide you through the strategies for keeping your dog mentally engaged while promoting balanced behavior at home.
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