Rainy Day Dog Games
It's raining, it's pouring - and Fido definitely isn't snoring.
Preschool teachers and dog owners absolutely dread rainy days (and I speak from experience on both counts).
I used to teach preschool in Massachusetts and on the days my class could not go outside, the kids would quite literally try to the climb the walls.
As a dog owner, my experience has been that boredom and pent-up energy causes dogs to eat the walls instead of climbing them (and I mean this literally - my parents had a Hungarian Sheepdog who literally chewed a big chunk out of their wall one day when he was a puppy and bored).
Since much of the United States is still in the grip of winter weather, and many dogs find themselves stuck indoors for days at a time, I would like to present a great game to keep your dog active and mentally stimulated - no wall eating required! How To Play Treat Hide-And-Seek This suggestion comes certified dog trainer, Mark Goldberg.
Begin with a hungry dog.
Show her a tasty treat, something high value like a small bit of chicken, and toss it on the floor in front of her.
Tell her "find it.
" Toss the next treat around a corner so it lands out of sight.
Tell her "find it" again and help get her started by pointing in the right direction.
Slowly work your way up to hiding the treats behind curtains, under furniture, and eventually in other rooms.
Increase the challenge by hiding the treat inside a toy.
Although this activity might seem less exhausting that a run in the park, the fact is that your dog will be actively using her strongest sense, the sense of smell.
The olfactory center of your dog's brain occupies a tremendous amount of resources.
This means that working scent busily for 15 or 20 minutes can be quite tiring!
Preschool teachers and dog owners absolutely dread rainy days (and I speak from experience on both counts).
I used to teach preschool in Massachusetts and on the days my class could not go outside, the kids would quite literally try to the climb the walls.
As a dog owner, my experience has been that boredom and pent-up energy causes dogs to eat the walls instead of climbing them (and I mean this literally - my parents had a Hungarian Sheepdog who literally chewed a big chunk out of their wall one day when he was a puppy and bored).
Since much of the United States is still in the grip of winter weather, and many dogs find themselves stuck indoors for days at a time, I would like to present a great game to keep your dog active and mentally stimulated - no wall eating required! How To Play Treat Hide-And-Seek This suggestion comes certified dog trainer, Mark Goldberg.
Begin with a hungry dog.
Show her a tasty treat, something high value like a small bit of chicken, and toss it on the floor in front of her.
Tell her "find it.
" Toss the next treat around a corner so it lands out of sight.
Tell her "find it" again and help get her started by pointing in the right direction.
Slowly work your way up to hiding the treats behind curtains, under furniture, and eventually in other rooms.
Increase the challenge by hiding the treat inside a toy.
Although this activity might seem less exhausting that a run in the park, the fact is that your dog will be actively using her strongest sense, the sense of smell.
The olfactory center of your dog's brain occupies a tremendous amount of resources.
This means that working scent busily for 15 or 20 minutes can be quite tiring!
