Dogs are intelligent, creative animals and need mental as well as physical exercise. An under-stimulated dog becomes easily bored, and this in turn leads to him trying to find something to do to occupy himself. Invariably the dog will find something to do that is inappropriate, like chewing the chair legs, wall paper, or barking to relieve frustration. Some dogs even chew themselves out of desperation.
Most dogs want to do what they were bred for, yet we get cross when our Terriers dig, when our Border Collies herd cyclists, and when our Retrievers keep bringing us things. Having selected our particular breed, we then do everything in our power to stop them displaying their natural behaviour. Little wonder then that they become bored, frustrated and even stressed.
These behaviours are not wrong, they are just inappropriate in some situations. By offering our dogs an alternative, they have something to occupy their mind and are less likely to repeat the unwanted behaviour. Too many owners feel that if they exercise their dog each day he will be happy. This is often NOT the case as it is essential that our dogs exercise their brains as well as their bodies to avoid stress.
There are other benefits to getting your dog to use his brain. Mental activity is tiring, which means that the dog’s physical activity levels may be lowered. Once a dog becomes used to mental challenge his ability to concentrate will increase, making training easier.
Dogs love to start off by searching for items of food.
Begin by hiding titbits around the room in easily accessible places.
Don’t show the dog where the food is, but encourage him by telling him how clever he is when he has found it. Then limit the number of pieces of food on offer, or make it a little more difficult for him by hiding the titbits under cushions or under a chair.
To transfer this to a toy you may need to place a toy near the food, so that the dog associates the toy with what he has just learnt to do.
In no time you can have you dog finding lost keys or other items. He can really help! Penny the labrador did when her owner lost her car and house keys on a grass pitch one day. She sent Penny to find them and she did! What a clever dog she was! But if Penny hadn’t been taught this ‘find game’ the keys may well have been lost forever!! So train for every possibility.
Hiding food in toys is also a great way to keep your dog busy. There are several toys on the market designed to help stimulate your dog. Sterilised bones stuffed with food also offer hours of activity, particularly if the dog first has to find them. Home made toys can be equally effective, but must be supervised. Try putting some dry food into a large plastic bottle, cutting holes in the bottle so the food can roll out - the dog has to figure how to get the treats out at first.
When you need to keep your dog busy, why not try a safe cardboard box (check that there are no staples etc before giving it to your dog). Hiding toys inside, or sandwiching them between a “nest” of boxes will keep him occupied for some time. Be prepared to clean up a mess of broken and chewed box though!!
Help your dog earn his keep!
Use his daily rations to keep him occupied. The most simple exercise is to scatter your dogs dry food on the grass. Dogs love to forage - this will keep him occupied for ages! Note how he improves over a number of sessions. Why not get him to search for his toys in the long grass, or hide them under flower pots. Or for a dog that loves to dig, fill an area with sand, bury a bone or two or a toy, and you should find that he is less likely to dig up your prize dahlias!
When on a walk, try hiding from your dog behind a tree or bush this is fun and you are interacting with your dog in the “Hunt” whilst he is interested in a scent. He will soon learn to keep his attention on YOU. Call your dog or clap your hands or whistle to let the dog find you. When he does say something like “You found me” and be really thrilled with him. The dog has to work out and learn to keep an eye on you.
A great way of discouraging dogs from wandering off, this will also benefit the training for the RECALL exercise, so when you call him to you, your little darling will come and simply race over quickly to find you and be rewarded with a treat.
Whilst you are walking along, you could drop your dog’s favourite toy and encourage him back to find it. Make sure you remember where you left it!. You could even lay a simple trail for your dog which is called tracking, to go back to find treats etc.