Luckily there are a few simple ways to keep your dog busy, entertained and out of trouble. Dogs that are bored tend to get into trouble by looking for ways to entertain themselves. Boredom can lead to excessive chewing, barking, digging, and other destructive behaviors.
Our dogs were bred to work alongside humans, so without proper stimulation they can easily become bored. Instead of having a job to do most of our canine companions are left alone while we work — and then when we get home we hand them a free meal.
Luckily there are a few simple games you can play, toys you can try, treats you can make, and tricks you can teach to quickly relieve your dogs boredom. Whether you have a young or old dog, big or small — they need entertainment. Dogs are social animals and they really enjoy being with us. Play is good for your dog physically, mentally and emotionally.
Your dog gets exercise, they get to work their brain and it helps to build your bond. Everybody benefits from play. An active, mentally challenged dog will make for a thriving, happy, and less destructive companion. Check out this list of 26 easy ways to keep your dog busy and relieve dog boredom:.
Hiding treats around the house or playing a game of hide and seek with your dog is a fun way to add in some extra mental stimulation to their routine. It can be played anywhere, with toys or treats you already have. Short games of tug work wonders for tiring out our canine friends.
And contrary to myth playing tug of war with your dog will not make him aggressive. Tip : Tug is a great interactive game for dogs, but there are a few basic rules to follow to keep it safe and fun.
Switch it up by exploring new neighborhoods and changing your pace. Allowing your dog to smell their surroundings adds mental stimulation. Giving them the opportunity to sniff around adds a lot of great mental stimulation. Tip : Does your get dog have good leash manners? If not check out these 10 dog walking tips that make for a better dog walk. Using food dispensing toys, such as the Kong Wobbler and Bob-A-Lot Treat Dispenser , are an easy way to give your dog some more mental stimulation and relieve dog boredom at the same time.
Interactive dog toys are a great way to keep your dog occupied and mentally stimulated. Training your dog any new command gives their brain a workout. A few 10 minute sessions a day working with your dog on new tricks or commands burns a lot of mental energy. Sit, lay down, shake, stay, and come here are the basic commands to start with. Have them help out with your chores or everyday routines. Incorporating your dog into everyday tasks can help relieve boredom.
It also helps build their confidence; a dog that feels useful is a happy, confident dog. Find jobs for your dog that fulfill their breed tendencies.
Retrievers tend to love fetching and Border Collies usually excel in agility. Find out what your dog absolutely loves doing and make it into a job for them. I personally love lure coursing for dogs — you can even set up a simple coursing track in your own yard. Give your dog some meaningful interaction by having a dog play date with your friends or family. If your dog loves digging build them their own personal digging box in your yard. Bury toys in it and let them find it; some dogs love digging so much this can keep them entertained for hours.
Any big ball toy can be a lot of fun, and jolly balls just tend to be more durable than a soccer ball if your dog is a tough chewer make sure you get one without a handle. Some dogs love playing with these all by themselves, but of course you can always make it more interesting by playing with them.
Dogs are always learning from us — just teaching them where to sit while you prepare dinner is mentally stimulating and enforcing good manners. Shaping is building a particular behavior by using a series of small steps to achieve it. Letting your dog make their own choices burns an amazing amount of mental energy and helps your dog develop learning behaviors. Studies have found that by using positive training techniques such as shaping help a dog learn to make better decisions in the future.
Check out Dr. Exposing your dog to new people and places is an important part of puppy socialization. Work on their social skills every once in while with some new dogs and people. When you leave your dog at home give him a stuffed Kong or another tough interactive toy to keep his mind occupied.
Tip : Not sure what to put in your Kong? Check out 39 healthy foods you can stuff in a Kong. A lot of dogs naturally love water; on a summer day these dogs will love just splashing around and wading in a shallow pool. If you live by a dog friendly beach or lake even better.
Many dogs love a good swim — not just Labs. You can freeze dogs treats in ice or make some ice cubes from broth. Just like a stuffed Kong , frozen dog treats are a great way to occupy your dog when you leave the house or need to do some chores. Dogs are social creatures, so a nice belly rub, massage, or grooming session is an easy way to create a meaningful interaction with your dog.
According to studies dogs get bored with the same old toys. To keep your dog interested in his toys only give him access to a few at a time. Keep them interesting by playing a simple game of fetch or tug, interaction will always make a toy much more desirable.
A lot of dogs love napping in the warm sunlight in front of windows. Of course if you have cats they might have to compete for the nice sun spot. If you feed kibble you can also try hiding pieces around the house. Studies have found that dogs prefer earning treats to simply being given extras. It goes back to the fact that dogs have been bred to work alongside us; working is not only something to keep the occupied — it gives them a purpose.
Not all dogs are naturals at relaxing. The relaxation protocol is a useful technique to teach your dog to sit and stay in a variety of situations. You can make your own with PVC pipe, bungee cord, and a toy for the lure. One simple way to relieve dog boredom is by making a DIY puzzle toy for your dog. Get some chew Toys, bones, or Bully Sticks. Most dogs love chewing, but be sure to keep an eye out for their safety. If they start to break them into pieces they become a choking hazard.
Another fun way to relieve dog boredom is by making your own DIY agility course to. Weave poles, a ramp, tunnel, or just a simple jump. Great List! Please do not Use stairs to keep your dog busy. Stairs are not a healthy choice for pretty much all the breeds. Stay away from Stairs if you really love your pooch. There are some great ideas here for keeping dogs occupied. Keeping dogs active both mentally and physically is so important. The only one of those games i would be very careful playing is the dog catching bubbles game.
My pup had a lovely time catching bubbles that one of my children got in a party bag when they were small and as the dog caught the bubble it popped causing a tiny amount of the liquid to go in her eye. The next day her eye was double the size and very oozy. Two eye operations and a huge bill later it turned out that the detergent in the liquid had done damage to her eyeballs and had irritated it so much she had to have a layer of her eye peeled away, eww. Wow thankyou for sharing the story regarding bubbles.
I never knew. Most people just love their dogs. They are so special. She will smell the air an if there is a sprinkel, she most definitely does not want to get her hair wet. They are so smart more than a lot of people think.
I lost my previous girl to cancer, never got over it. It eases the pain to have another love. Casey was born with ataxia an has hard time getting up on things but we loyally help her every day. She thumps the floor three times when she has to go out an potty.
I never knew dogs could tell time but every day at straight up Casey tells my husband time for a tummy rub. They go out on the covered deck sit on the couch an get tummy rub.
I thought day light savings would mess up the time????? Looks forward to it or else she pouts. Really enjoyed all those tips for activities, games and great things to do with your doggie. You can never have enough ideas when it comes to trying to entertain those little rascals.
Brain games are the best! Thanks for sharing! Thanks for this article. This is a life saver, thank you! Now I can leave the house for an hour without worrying that my pup will tear it all to pieces!
Awesome and creative information! I always create my own little games to play with my puppy. Thanks for sharing???? I am happy to read your post. You have shared 33 awesome and simple ways to keep a dog entertained and busy. I love all of your tips and tricks. I found this article looking for ways to teach my month-old Pup how to entertain himself for a couple of hours.
Thank you for sharing! I hope my dog can learn all these tricks, it must be fun. Many thanks for this great list, I especially love the one about teaching your dog to clean up after themselves….. Sounds like something I can add to my blog if I can get Dudley to perform this trick…. This is a really precious info or tips. Quite a lot of them i never think about that. Sadly to say, due to the busy of work lifestyle, i only play fetch game with my dog i mean the most favorite ones, beside there are other games as well.
Patience is virtue, i think it need time before my dog can adapt a new games, not just fetch a thing. It is too common. Thanks again for the great list. The one thing I did leave for her every morning was a frozen stuffed Kong; those keep her busy for a long time. Yes I hate the crate but it not only keeps him safe but my house safe as he is like three toddlers rolled into one!!
This is a huge list. Lots of great ideas for keeping your dog busy. We use many of them ourselves. This is a good list! Definitely going to try some of these.
We have 2 heelers. Just turned a year old last month. I swear she is tireless and when she does sleep, she has 1 eye open. She is a super super smart dog all heelers are and would love the treat games. She quickly learned all basic commands along with shake and hi-5 by the time she was 9 months old.
When you have heelers, nothing is indestructible. They have such strong jaws. Love these tips!! My dog hates rain so on rainy days we have to make fun of our own!! Thank you for sharing. So these tips have been amazing, and i thank you so much!!
So these tips have been amazing and i will must apply it from today hope so it will work for me. Thanks for the sharing. What an inspiring blog! I love making things, Hope my dog love this too and you certainly have many good ideas:.
Love these ideas, although I will avoid showing the children otherwise they will all be trying to get Merrie to do their chores for them! Although she would probably do a better job! She tries to capture the bottle, but because it is full of air and the lid is on tight, this makes it nice and bouncy and challenging to catch.
Katy loves to bump the bottle and make it fly off into the air so she can chase it. She will play this game non-stop until I either lower the bottle so she can catch it and enjoy her reward, or until she figures out how to capture the prize on her own. The line is always kept up high so she never gets close enough to it to get entangled.
This is a fun and safe activity, though I never let my dog play it alone. Play Interactive Games With Your Dog is the nice way to interact with the dog, by this the dog will get mentally stimulated.
I love your list Jen! I created my own list of indoor dog games we use at Team Doggy. I also love the idea of training your dog to enjoy grooming sessions with positive reinforcement and even treats — the concept of teaching a dog to enjoy a good teeth brushing could really be useful around here.
Incredible rundown. I am certain my canines can gain proficiency with each one of those stunts. Alternatively freeze a toy like a knotted rope in some water. As the ice melts, toys and treats become available for your dog. Schedule a Puppy Playdate! Schedule playdates with the pets of a trusted neighbor or family member. Allow a pet parent you trust — and who owns a dog that your pet knows well — to come over and have a playdate with your pup.
Enroll you pooch in doggy daycare. Reputable pet care facilities employ staff trained in ways to keep your pup safe and active. Find one in your area that fits your schedule and schedule a tour and an interview with management and staff. Make sure you get references and recommendations from pet owners that use the facility before you leave your precious companion for the day. Employ a dog walker to exercise your pet daily. Many reputable pet care facilities include a dog walking service.
They send a bonded, experienced person to your home to walk your pooch on regularly scheduled visits. For those pet parents whose workdays run long, a dog walker may be the only way your pooch can get some much needed exercise. If you do empoy a dog walker I highly recommend that you also get a GPS tracker for your dog, that way when your dog is out walking with the dog walker you know exactly where your pooch is every step of the way.
The tracker I have for my dogs is Whistle. Works well, easy to use app and affordable. Purchase Dog Dental Chews. Giving your dog plenty of her own toys and dental chews will help prevent her from gnawing on your things. Additionally, dental chews help to keep her teeth clean and freshen her breath. Check them out here. A new toy can add some excitement during the day while your dog is home alone. Check out these awesome toys from Fuzz Yard. Buy Best Dog Toys.
Many dogs love water and the running water of a fountain can create a diversion for your dog.
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