Dog stimulation is a vital factor that you should learn in order to keep your pet's physical and mental faculties sharp and in good condition in all phases of its development. A daily walk is necessary for your pet to have exercise where it could spend its excess energy but it is not enough because the activity doesn't provide your pet with mental stimulation.
Some of the ways to physically stimulate your dog
One of the methods to physically stimulate your dog is to train it to engage in physical games with you. This will give your pet the kind of physical stimulation that it needs. Among the games that you and your dog can enjoy playing together are:
"FETCH!"
Firstly, command your dog to sit, then throw your dog's favorite toy or a ball about six steps away from it and say "fetch." Follow your dog for a few steps as he runs to retrieve the item.
GIVE & TAKE
By the time your dog picks up the toy, catch its attention and let it chase you as you run away. By the time it catches up with you, turn towards it and with an extended hand, you order it to "give" the toy to you.
Reward your pet accordingly as it obeys you.
Increase the stake
Repeat the process over and over until your dog can successfully perform the task. Remember that being consistent with your rules helps in preventing your pet from getting confused. You can throw the toy farther away gradually for a change, but you must stop the game immediately upon seeing signs that your dog is getting bored. You can also make a little variation to your command by replacing the toy with new items, such as a shoe, a towel, or a lead. But this should only be done when your dog has mastered the "fetch" and "give and take" jobs.
Repeat the practice by specifically mentioning the name of the item that you want your dog to retrieve, like "fetch the shoe/towel/lead!" as you pitch it. Your dog should be able to identify these items by name with constant practice.
Other games which you could also try to keep your pet away from feeling bored are tug of war or hide and seek.
Use food to train and Stimulate your dog
To many, food is taken solely as an instrument of survival. But this can also be used to stimulate your pet's mind, and all that's needed is your creativeness when feeding them.
Instead of feeding your dog outright in a bowl, try feeding it in little portions hidden around your house. This will give your dog a chance to hunt for its meal with its sniffing ability.
Kongs or hollow toys are great for persuading your dog to hunt for treats. Place your dog's food inside the kong and let your pet figure out how to go about it in order to get the food inside. You can also hide the kong somewhere in the house to make your dog occupied searching for its food.
Another tool that stimulates your dog's mind is the activity ball. Like kongs, you can also place the treats inside, and as your pet rolls the ball on the floor, the treats fall out for your dog to eat. You can let your dog eat from activity balls when you're planning to leave the house. This will keep your pet busy it won't notice that you're gone.
Stimulating your dog physically and mentally is a very effective way to prevent it from getting bored. Walking it frequently is a recommended routine to provide it with the exercise to keep it in top shape. Mentally stimulating games that involve you and your pet are also suggested. This will make you spend time together in order to cement a bonding that lasts a lifetime.
Some of the ways to physically stimulate your dog
One of the methods to physically stimulate your dog is to train it to engage in physical games with you. This will give your pet the kind of physical stimulation that it needs. Among the games that you and your dog can enjoy playing together are:
"FETCH!"
Firstly, command your dog to sit, then throw your dog's favorite toy or a ball about six steps away from it and say "fetch." Follow your dog for a few steps as he runs to retrieve the item.
GIVE & TAKE
By the time your dog picks up the toy, catch its attention and let it chase you as you run away. By the time it catches up with you, turn towards it and with an extended hand, you order it to "give" the toy to you.
Reward your pet accordingly as it obeys you.
Increase the stake
Repeat the process over and over until your dog can successfully perform the task. Remember that being consistent with your rules helps in preventing your pet from getting confused. You can throw the toy farther away gradually for a change, but you must stop the game immediately upon seeing signs that your dog is getting bored. You can also make a little variation to your command by replacing the toy with new items, such as a shoe, a towel, or a lead. But this should only be done when your dog has mastered the "fetch" and "give and take" jobs.
Repeat the practice by specifically mentioning the name of the item that you want your dog to retrieve, like "fetch the shoe/towel/lead!" as you pitch it. Your dog should be able to identify these items by name with constant practice.
Other games which you could also try to keep your pet away from feeling bored are tug of war or hide and seek.
Use food to train and Stimulate your dog
To many, food is taken solely as an instrument of survival. But this can also be used to stimulate your pet's mind, and all that's needed is your creativeness when feeding them.
Instead of feeding your dog outright in a bowl, try feeding it in little portions hidden around your house. This will give your dog a chance to hunt for its meal with its sniffing ability.
Kongs or hollow toys are great for persuading your dog to hunt for treats. Place your dog's food inside the kong and let your pet figure out how to go about it in order to get the food inside. You can also hide the kong somewhere in the house to make your dog occupied searching for its food.
Another tool that stimulates your dog's mind is the activity ball. Like kongs, you can also place the treats inside, and as your pet rolls the ball on the floor, the treats fall out for your dog to eat. You can let your dog eat from activity balls when you're planning to leave the house. This will keep your pet busy it won't notice that you're gone.
Stimulating your dog physically and mentally is a very effective way to prevent it from getting bored. Walking it frequently is a recommended routine to provide it with the exercise to keep it in top shape. Mentally stimulating games that involve you and your pet are also suggested. This will make you spend time together in order to cement a bonding that lasts a lifetime.
About the Author:
Stan Beck is offering his Dog Training Guide for free, as he wants you make your dog a well-rounded happy pet. He also maintains a website filled with useful dog training articles which can give you useful insights about dog behavior formation and training.
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