5 Mental Exercises for Your Dog
Our furry friends are not just beauties, they’re brains as well and it’s your duty as a dog owner to keep that brain sharp and bright by these mental exercises for your dog
Physical exercise is commonly preached and it’s a well-known fact that your dog can’t go on without his playtime sessions and his vigorous running around even if it’s just in circles. On the other hand, some dog owners often forget about exercising their pawed buddy’s brain as well.
Why Do Mental Exercise is Important?
Adding mental exercise to your dog’s routine has been proved to decrease their destructive behaviors, alleviate their moods and quite frankly keep your dog from destroying your house!
A lot of people don’t know that dogs are tired the most when they use their brains. Mental exercise and fatigue can wear your dog out more than physical fatigue.
So if your dog’s stamina survives his vigorous physical exercise session, you might want to level it up and force your dog to use his brain as well.
Here are a bunch of dog-friendly mental games that you can play along with your furry friend!
Mental Exercises for Your Dog
1. Fetch & Tug of war
You might be already playing this with your pawed buddy, it’s a classic after all and your dog probably loves it so much that he can happily do it all day. It’s very likely that you’re the one that will pull a muscle before your dog even starts panting!
However, do you know that you’re not just working your dog’s muscles by this exercise and that he’s using his brain as well? Level up the mental puzzle and make your dog squeeze his brain to predict and try to beat you to your next move!
2. Hide and Seek
Awaken your inner child as you duck and take cover behind trees or even furniture as your furry friend runs around frantically trying to find out where you’ve gone.
Your dog is after all a hunter, who enjoys chasing prey or toys. Hide and seek is a great way to trigger that prey drive in your dog and keep his mind sharp and on the look.
Remember to shower your dog with praise and treats when you find him to keep his ego boosted as well!
3. Obstacle Courses
You can buy your own obstacle course for your dog or DIY with things you’ve already got around the house like chairs, boxes, and tables.
Obstacle courses are a great way to practice the basic commands with your furry friend and carve the meanings of ‘lie, sit, stay, and down’ into his mind.
Let your dog take his time in the beginning until he knows the basic commands like the back of his paw, that’s when you level it up with increasing the speed and adding new obstacles.
4. Cup game
Cup games are a lot of fun and not only for children who like to show off their smarts but for your doggo as well!
Hide a treat under a cup (because that’s the only way to keep a dog interested) and move the cups around then make your dog guess which one has it.
Bonus: It’s also a lot of fun to watch!
5. Snuffle mats
This is another exercise that will get your dog thinking as well as satisfy his hunting instinct. Snuffle mats are quite inexpensive and easy to make by yourself.
Stash it with your furry friend’s favorite treats and watch them sniff and search for their rewards!
So these are the mentally stimulating games that you can play with your pawed buddy. They’re not exactly chess and spelling contests, but they keep your dog sharp and bright while also being a great way for you and your dog to bond and have fun together!
You can also find a lot of trainers out there if you need some external help!
Have you played any of these games with your furry friend? Let us know in the comments below!
For more furry destinations, latest blogs, events, and providers you can stay updated by following us on Instagram and signing up for our newsletters.
