Happy mind, happy dog
A dog needs mental stimulation in order to stop him becoming bored. A bored dog will find ways to try and stimulate himself, but by leaving a dog to find ways to mentally stimulate himself can cause problems and it won’t be long until you need to invest in a new pair of slippers or furniture.
Luckily stimulating your dog is very easy to do. Every dog is different so what stimulates your dog may not necessarily stimulate another and taking your dog’s behaviour patterns into account will always help.
Some of the easiest ways to keep a dog stimulated are:
Exercise: all dogs love to exercise and the more they get the better. However, just like when we go to the gym doing the same thing over and over, it will start to become boring. Try to make it different all the time so that your dog gets more enjoyment out of it and maintains his interest. Incorporating games into exercise will make it much more fun for your dog fetching a ball or agility exercises would be perfect in this scenario.
Brain teaser toys are becoming much more popular for dogs now and this is a perfect way to keep them occupied and quiet for a while. One of the most popular brain teaser toys for dogs is the “Buster Cube”. This will release a small treat every third or fourth time the dog roles it over and can keep a dog stimulated for hours.
If you have a small set of rituals that you can incorporate into you and your dog’s daily routine then don’t change it. If you give them a treat at the same time every day or brush their coats, then continue to do so.
By teaching your dog little tricks that he can do will also do wonders. Try to train your dog to bring the mail or fetch your slippers rather than chewing them.
Lastly, by doing obedience training with your dog will force them to think about the decisions that they make. Knowing that they will get praise and a treat for making the right decision, and the chance to correct themselves if they make the wrong one, will be constantly keeping your dogs brain active.
By doing this you will have a much happier, healthier and more fun dog.
