Brain Games Make For a Happier and Healthier Dog
We all know that dogs need exercise, but where we sometimes fall short is in thinking that dogs only need physical exercise – like to run around after a ball or chasing doggy friends, or to go for heeled walks around the neighborhood. While moving their large muscle groups regularly is certainly important, dogs also need mental exercise. This means thinking, processing, problem-solving, training, socialization and exposure to get their mental muscles working too.
Mental exercise and stimulation is important for a number of reasons. It can help your dog stay emotionally balanced on a day when you are busy or the weather is bad (so he doesn’t build up with boredom or frustration, which can lead to a slew of other undesirable outcomes like destruction or demand barking). Exploring and processing new environments and novel objects in the right way builds confidence and decreases stress and anxiety, playing a critical role in creating a comfortable and well-behaved canine companion. This kind of enrichment, training and learning new complex skills builds myelin in a dog’s brain – which affects a young dog’s cognitive development and keeps an older dog’s mind and central nervous system functioning properly as he ages. So many benefits! |
Here are some “Brain Games” that can make it fun to practice your dog’s skills and provide mental stimulation (in a way that doesn’t really feel like “training”)…
Hide and Seek:
This can be one of the most effective (and fun!) ways to build up a good recall because it stems from many dogs’ natural desire to find you and sniff you out. If your dog has a good understanding of the “stay” command and will hold the position while you leave the room, you can do this. Even if your dog’s “stay” isn’t stellar, you just need a “helper” to hold onto the dog as you go hide. This is a great game for kids to play with the dog too!
Just like in the traditional game, as you ask your dog to “stay” in one room, go to another room and hide somewhere. Start out easy on your dog at first by hiding just around the corner, crouching down beside a coffee table in the middle of your living room, or sitting at the dining room table. Once you are in your hiding spot, enthusiastically call your pup to “come!” He will be on the prowl to find you – let him look around and sniff you out. When he finds you, make a big deal with lots of praise, pets and a tasty treat or two.
Once your pup gets the hang of this activity, you can increase the difficulty of your hiding spots – like behind a closet door, underneath the bed, or in the bathtub. Be creative! You’ll have fun being a kid again and your dog will enjoy demonstrating his natural desire to track you down! You’ll also make a pleasant association with the “come” command instead of just using it to call your dog in from the yard or away from something he finds rewarding (but we don’t want him to have) – meaning he won’t think twice when you ask him to “come,” he’ll just want to do it!
This can be one of the most effective (and fun!) ways to build up a good recall because it stems from many dogs’ natural desire to find you and sniff you out. If your dog has a good understanding of the “stay” command and will hold the position while you leave the room, you can do this. Even if your dog’s “stay” isn’t stellar, you just need a “helper” to hold onto the dog as you go hide. This is a great game for kids to play with the dog too!
Just like in the traditional game, as you ask your dog to “stay” in one room, go to another room and hide somewhere. Start out easy on your dog at first by hiding just around the corner, crouching down beside a coffee table in the middle of your living room, or sitting at the dining room table. Once you are in your hiding spot, enthusiastically call your pup to “come!” He will be on the prowl to find you – let him look around and sniff you out. When he finds you, make a big deal with lots of praise, pets and a tasty treat or two.
Once your pup gets the hang of this activity, you can increase the difficulty of your hiding spots – like behind a closet door, underneath the bed, or in the bathtub. Be creative! You’ll have fun being a kid again and your dog will enjoy demonstrating his natural desire to track you down! You’ll also make a pleasant association with the “come” command instead of just using it to call your dog in from the yard or away from something he finds rewarding (but we don’t want him to have) – meaning he won’t think twice when you ask him to “come,” he’ll just want to do it!
GO Find:
This tracking game also uses a dog’s natural ability to sniff out scents, and there are two different ways you can play:
This tracking game also uses a dog’s natural ability to sniff out scents, and there are two different ways you can play:
- When you are leaving your dog alone in the house for a while, this is something you can do to keep him occupied while you’re gone (just make sure he demonstrates good house manners before you unleash him on your home unattended!). I do this often with my own dog and he loves it! It involves using a few of his puzzle toys - or if you don’t have puzzle toys to stuff with some treats, you could just use the treats by themselves (though the game won’t last as long). Ask your dog to stay while you go hide the puzzle toys in areas around your home – such as behind a door, under the bed, between the couch and coffee table, or in a cubby. Key tip: Be sure to make the puzzle toys accessible to your dog! If your dog doesn’t fit under the bed, don’t hide a puzzle toy there – otherwise he will just become frustrated that he can’t get to it and you may come home to a chewed comforter or bedframe! Initially, you may have to let your dog watch you as you hide the items if he has never played the game before. As you walk out the door, release your dog to “go find” his toys and let the tracking begin!
- Many breeds typically used for tracking (such as hounds, beagles and retrievers just to name a few) LOVE to follow a scent trail. In fact, it’s hard for them to keep their noses off of the ground. Take advantage of this innate skill by playing Hansel and Gretel and dropping/hiding treats ahead of time for your dog to follow and find. If you have a large yard or property, you can make this happen right at home! (See my silly hand-drawn yard map for an example.) Start easy and make the treats not so far apart the first few times so your dog can be successful finding your trail. If you don’t have a fenced-in area but you like to take your dog hiking or to the park, see if you could scout out the area ahead of time to drop your goodies. Show your dog a version of what he is tracking, then let him “go find”!
Simon Says:
Some dogs aren’t content to just lay around lazily while you go about doing all your household activities and unintentionally ignore them. This often leads to dogs finding ways to occupy themselves – like counter-surfing, grabbing items they shouldn’t, or destruction – or unpleasant demanding behaviors such as barking or mouthing.
So for dogs that need a little more mental stimulation, play this game to involve him in what you are doing. I find it has two big benefits - first, your dog will get to practice his skills in a variety of circumstances (which means these skills will grow stronger); and second, it gives your dog an idea of what you expect him to do while you are doing something else (so he may start offering these behaviors on his own rather than stealing toilet paper or chewing on your favorite sneaker, etc).
As you go about your tasks, ask your dog to go along with you and give him a skill to perform each step of the way. For example…
These are only a few examples, but the possibilities are endless. And if your dog knows additional obedience commands (like heel, touch, down and under, close, over, etc) there are so many ways to integrate these skills in real-life application.
Some dogs aren’t content to just lay around lazily while you go about doing all your household activities and unintentionally ignore them. This often leads to dogs finding ways to occupy themselves – like counter-surfing, grabbing items they shouldn’t, or destruction – or unpleasant demanding behaviors such as barking or mouthing.
So for dogs that need a little more mental stimulation, play this game to involve him in what you are doing. I find it has two big benefits - first, your dog will get to practice his skills in a variety of circumstances (which means these skills will grow stronger); and second, it gives your dog an idea of what you expect him to do while you are doing something else (so he may start offering these behaviors on his own rather than stealing toilet paper or chewing on your favorite sneaker, etc).
As you go about your tasks, ask your dog to go along with you and give him a skill to perform each step of the way. For example…
- To move from the kitchen to the laundry room, tell your dog “let’s go” to invite him to walk with you (which he may naturally want to do anyway).
- When you get to the laundry room, ask your dog to “sit” (and hold this position) while you open the dryer door, take out all the clothes, and fill the laundry basket. You may even accidentally drop a sock so he can work on impulse control (rather than snagging it and running off).
- Invite him to go with you to the bedroom and ask him for a “down stay” while you fold each piece of laundry and then walk to the linen closet to put it away.
- When you’re done, ask him to “stay” in the bedroom while you walk back to the kitchen, then call him to “come” to you in the kitchen so you can make dinner.
- Ask him to “go place” and remain on his doggy mat outside the kitchen while you cook dinner.
- After dinner when you’re loading the dishwasher, practice his ability to maintain a “down” with the distraction of food-soaked dishes at his level (no heads or tongues in the dishwasher allowed, haha!)
These are only a few examples, but the possibilities are endless. And if your dog knows additional obedience commands (like heel, touch, down and under, close, over, etc) there are so many ways to integrate these skills in real-life application.
Red Light/Green Light:
Sometimes, a dog gets so excited that he just doesn’t know how to turn it off. Playing this quick “on/off” game can help your dog’s body and brain get used to going from “on” to not in a shorter amount of time. Plus then you can have a well-ingrained default behavior to use in an emergency or high-stress situation.
There can be many applications of this game. One of the simplest is to use a behavior that your dog already knows well (like sit). Get your dog romping a little bit with you outside in the yard, or revved up with play inside (this is the “green light”), then quickly stop, turn off, and ask your dog for a “sit” (this is the “red light”). It may take him a few seconds to respond, but when he does praise him calmly with an even tone of voice and a tasty treat. If he cannot respond, then he may be too worked up; try again but either lessen the intensity of the activity or decrease the duration of the green light so your dog can be more successful.
Sometimes, a dog gets so excited that he just doesn’t know how to turn it off. Playing this quick “on/off” game can help your dog’s body and brain get used to going from “on” to not in a shorter amount of time. Plus then you can have a well-ingrained default behavior to use in an emergency or high-stress situation.
There can be many applications of this game. One of the simplest is to use a behavior that your dog already knows well (like sit). Get your dog romping a little bit with you outside in the yard, or revved up with play inside (this is the “green light”), then quickly stop, turn off, and ask your dog for a “sit” (this is the “red light”). It may take him a few seconds to respond, but when he does praise him calmly with an even tone of voice and a tasty treat. If he cannot respond, then he may be too worked up; try again but either lessen the intensity of the activity or decrease the duration of the green light so your dog can be more successful.
Urban Agility:
If taking a formal agility course doesn’t fit into your schedule or finances, you can still practice building your dog’s physical prowess (and confidence) and burning some mental energy by taking advantage of objects in your environment! Look for tunnels, construction horses, A-frame signs, or other items your dog has to crawl through or under. Find poles to weave between (like bike racks or parking meter poles), benches and walls (to jump on or play over/under), mazes, or new underfootings/wobbly surfaces such as playground equipment, cobblestone or an upside-down garbage can lid.
If taking a formal agility course doesn’t fit into your schedule or finances, you can still practice building your dog’s physical prowess (and confidence) and burning some mental energy by taking advantage of objects in your environment! Look for tunnels, construction horses, A-frame signs, or other items your dog has to crawl through or under. Find poles to weave between (like bike racks or parking meter poles), benches and walls (to jump on or play over/under), mazes, or new underfootings/wobbly surfaces such as playground equipment, cobblestone or an upside-down garbage can lid.
Puzzles:
Most puzzle toys are food-based games for dogs – they take advantage of a dog’s natural desire to use his nose and that food is a primary reinforcer by nature. You can either fill with some healthy, limited ingredient treats for your dog, or you can fill with half of your dog’s breakfast or dinner and let him work for his kibble (feeding him and burning off some mental energy at the same time!). In today’s market, there are many puzzle-type toys available online or in stores – but not all of them are created equal.
Some are relatively simple and don’t offer room for advancement, meaning that once your dog figures out the puzzle, it no longer has an ability to challenge him (he may solve it too quickly to work out any energy or he may lose interest). I find this most often with puzzle boards (where most flaps or levers are fixed and there’s not as much room for customization). On the opposite side of the spectrum, however, are more advanced puzzle toys, like those that are weighted on the bottom so they wobble but don’t roll over. This may pose too difficult of a challenge to smaller dogs, dogs that are just starting to build their problem-solving skills, or dogs that are not as food-motivated (it’s simply too much work and they quit out of frustration or laziness).
Most puzzle toys are food-based games for dogs – they take advantage of a dog’s natural desire to use his nose and that food is a primary reinforcer by nature. You can either fill with some healthy, limited ingredient treats for your dog, or you can fill with half of your dog’s breakfast or dinner and let him work for his kibble (feeding him and burning off some mental energy at the same time!). In today’s market, there are many puzzle-type toys available online or in stores – but not all of them are created equal.
Some are relatively simple and don’t offer room for advancement, meaning that once your dog figures out the puzzle, it no longer has an ability to challenge him (he may solve it too quickly to work out any energy or he may lose interest). I find this most often with puzzle boards (where most flaps or levers are fixed and there’s not as much room for customization). On the opposite side of the spectrum, however, are more advanced puzzle toys, like those that are weighted on the bottom so they wobble but don’t roll over. This may pose too difficult of a challenge to smaller dogs, dogs that are just starting to build their problem-solving skills, or dogs that are not as food-motivated (it’s simply too much work and they quit out of frustration or laziness).
I recommend selecting some options that will challenge your dog just enough to keep him interested, but that you can make adjustments to (for example: the size of the opening, the size or value of the treats used, etc). Then you can go from easy to more difficult with the same toy! Just keep in mind: if you can’t get the treats out by moving the toy around like a dog would (pushing it with his nose or picking it up and dropping it with his mouth), he’s likely not going to be successful with the toy. Dogs don’t have fingers, so if you can’t get a treat out of an opening unless you do use your fingers, opt for a different size or type of treat.
Some puzzle toys are made of a more durable rubber so can withstand longer periods of mouthing, while some are made of a hard plastic that will crack and break if left for too long (many are not meant to be chew toys). With that said, those options can still be quite useful to use up some of your dog’s mental energy, but be sure your dog has access to them only under your supervision – such as when you are cooking dinner or watching TV in the evening (not when you leave for work for several hours).
For a list of some of my favorite commercially-available puzzle toys and to purchase them on Amazon, see my Supply Shop. |
You could even get creative and make your OWN puzzles for your dog to solve! Have you seen the videos of a soda bottle treat dispenser on a tension rod? Just take an old soda bottle, remove the cap and cut a few holes in the body of the bottle (big enough for a treat to get through). Cut two larger holes in the soda bottle, wide enough for a tension curtain rod to fit through. Put the tension rod through the large holes and attach curtain rod in a doorway, or build a sturdy wooden stand if you’re especially handy. Fill the soda bottle with some treats and let the fun begin! One of my clients did a similar thing with some PVC pipe – she capped the ends and drilled holes sporadically throughout the pipe, just big enough for some kibble to topple out when the dog rolled it around.
Obstacle Courses:
Just like puzzles, an obstacle course or maze can encourage your dog to use his problem-solving skills to get what he wants. It can be fun to see how creative you can get with the items around your home – and to see those wheels turning in your dog’s mind as he works through it! By now you’ve probably seen the Maze Challenge that has gone viral… why not create your own? Here’s Scout matching up to the other corgis in his very own Maze Challenge… |
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Scavenger Hunts:
Getting your dog out and about in different environments and exposure to novelties he doesn’t experience at home has a huge benefit on his confidence – and provides mental stimulation too! What better way to make that happen than on a quest to complete a treasure map of clues and items to find! There are many versions of scavenger hunts available…
You could complete a photo scavenger hunt, challenging you to find the mentioned items and take a photo of your dog with the items to share with others (like one of my Doggy Scavenger Hunts, which are designed specifically to get your dog to see places/things he may not experience every day). Who doesn’t like to take cute photos of their dog and show him off to others? This option can be more effective for less confident dogs, who may feel too much pressure by racing through a competition – instead, you can leisurely search for these items around your community a little at a time. Below are some photos of Scout during our various scavenger hunts... |
I recently did a themed scavenger hunt through www.scavengerhunt.com – a company that has hundreds of scavenger hunts set up all over the country! You just download their Let’s Roam app, buy your tickets (which can be used on any date in any of their 300+ cities) and let the fun begin! If you desire a healthy competition, you can race against the clock to score points and beat the time of other online participants. Just be sure your pup can keep up with you! It’s supposed to be FUN remember, not stressful!
Lastly, I know several people who go geocaching with their dog – an outdoor activity in which you use GPS to follow clues and coordinates to locate hidden treasures, known as geocaches (or caches). This can be a great way to stay physically fit and explore new places (or discover hidden spaces right there in your own community!).
Whichever activity you choose to try, I’m sure you’ll find these games can help keep your dog sharp mentally, balanced emotionally, and fit physically. And having some fun with your dog can do the same for you!
Written by Maria Huntoon, Maria G. Huntoon Canine Consulting Services