If there is one thing I’ve learned working with dogs its that physical exercise is not the complete answer to giving our dogs a ‘work out’. They also need a mental work out.
Dogs need to use their brains more often than we give them opportunity to.
Unfortunately, its often not considered as important as physical exercise. There is no Sudoku for dogs or crossword puzzles or books. That leaves it up to us, their guardians, to provide much needed mental exercise.
In an effort to help my dog work out stress or excess energy AND to allow her to do what she does naturally, I’ve incorporated 2 techniques into her life that keep her on her game, mentally.
Sniffer walks
When Sadie Mae and I walk anywhere, I allow her lots of time to smell along the way to our destination but sometimes, when time or weather is an issue, we don the usual gear of harness and long line and venture out for a short ‘sniffer walk’, right outside our door. Sniffer walks are not about my need for exercise but Sadie Mae’s need to exercise her brain and do what dogs do so well. And honestly, all dog walks should be about the dog NOT the person at the end of the leash. IMO!
You’d be surprised what this type of activity can do for a dog in a short period of time.
Dogs smell everything and consider every smell they meet. THAT is allot of processing and it takes intense focus. So when we return from out 1/2 hr sniffer walk, she is ready to settle down and rest. And having her on a 15′ long line, allows her the freedom to go where ever she wants and I don’t have to tag along into the bush or ditch or wherever her nose takes her.
The leash work is fluid and I work on keeping her free from feeling pressure or from tripping over the line. I take up the slack when necessary and allow it when she wants to go further from me. Its a very fluid motion and my goal is that she not even notice that she is in fact, on a long line. I want it to be invisible and Sadie Mae unfazed; focused on the job at hand: sniffing.
Brain Games
Another option to help exercise the brain are brain games.
A few examples of brain games:
*A skeletal ball (left) stuffed with cookies wrapped in material.
*Kibble dinner hidden in a plastic ball that spills it out when the dog knocks it, or you could use a margarin container with a small hole in the top just large enough for a kibble to spill out.
*Plastic containers with treats underneath so the dog has to tip the containers, working for the food.
My girl also knows ‘find it’. I hide treats around the living room OR I throw them in the yard and say ‘find it’. I also take some on our Sniffer walks and toss them into the brush and ask her to ‘find it’.
Forging is natural for dogs and it’s something that comes to them instinctually. However, we’ve taken that away as we domesticated them and they need to look no further than their bowl for supper.
Creative games are great for dogs on so many levels and its something I encourage clients to incorporate into their dogs life regularly. Its problem solving for dogs thus it allows them to think for themselves. That helps relieve boredom, builds confidence, patience and impulse control and helps all dogs but especially the ones that need it the most: anxious reactive dogs who have a hard time relaxing, fearful and shy dogs who need to build confidence without human involvement and over stimulated dogs to build focus and control.
We do so much for our dogs including solving most of their problems.
Dogs can get a sense of ‘learned helplessness’ because we are so quick to do for them. What we should be doing is presenting problem solving games in an effort to help them.
Remember, helping your dog mentally is just as important as physical exercise.
Are you incorporating games already? Share your ideas and photos and help get those creative juices flowing for other dog guardians.