Keeping your dog stimulated

Stop your dog from being bored.

Just like humans, dog’s need stimulation, if they are left alone for long periods of time, they can become stressed. It doesn’t mean that you need to walk them for miles and miles, they often just need attention. Dogs are very social animals.

Here are three fun ideas for stimulating your dog at home.

Remember: It’s about fun and is only rewarded with positive attention. Do not get frustrated with your dog ever when playing games.

Dog hide and seek

This is a simple and really fun game, give your dog some treats to distract him, then quickly find an accessible and safe place to hide. Give your dog a quick call, then be quiet and let them sniff you out. This is a game to stimulate their senses and also for them to really enjoy the excitement experienced when they find you and they see your joy, it will be a huge reward for them.
Hide a toy under three cups.

Get some large plastic cups if possible, and firstly show your dog a small toy, then hide it under one of the cups while the dog is watching. Move the cups around. then say “find it” and see what the dog does, when they find the toy by nudging the cup with their nose, or knocking it over with their paw, reward then with a treat. Repeat. This is a training game.
Teach them to get their lead when it’s walk time.

Some dogs automatically learn this game if their lead is in an accessible place such as a basket on the floor, and when they want to tell their owners “it’s walk time”
You can show them how to do this by simply creating an accessible place. Showing the dog the lead, or harness, and say “fetch the lead” or other suitable words that you prefer, then if they sniff the item, reward them. This will focus their attention to the lead (harness). Then put the lead on the floor by the storage place, then again reward them when they smell the lead. Continue to reinforce this with “fetch the lead”. Then after, take them for a walk. Next session, Continue as above by showing them the lead, but put the lead back in it’s storage place after a sniff, if they sniff the lead again, reward them. Then move away … and watch they may start to pull the lead out, reward them or if they sniff the lead again reward them. If they get the lead reward them and go for a walk. Continue the next few days and depending on the results, the dog will associate the words “fetch the lead” with getting the lead out of the storage place, and giving it to you so they get a treat/reward and also to go for a walk, if you move further away they will start to get the lead and try to get your attention. Even if it does not work as planned this game is stimulating your dog and it’s fun. The ultimate goal, is to take teh lead and bring it to you when you say “fetch the lead”. Of course it may be brought to you many times a day if they have not been for a walk yet, but you have given them a voice!

Sometimes if the weather is bad (especially a strong wind)
a dog may feel anxious when on a walk, try these activities instead.