Is your dog bored? Are you looking for some simple ways to keep your dog busy? Well look no further, we’ve put together a big list of easy ways to keep your dog entertained.
The problem is most of us don’t have actual jobs for our dogs to do. They don’t have to work for their food, affection or toys; they get it all for free. And while getting stuff for free is great, it leaves many of our dogs with a lot of down time.
So what happens when our dogs get bored? They get into trouble. If we don’t keep our dogs mentally stimulated or busy they’ll come up with their own ways to pass the time, and you’re probably not going to like their idea of a good time
Luckily there are a few simple ways to keep your dog busy, entertained and out of trouble. Here’s 26 quick & easy ways to relieve dog boredom.
When dogs get bored they can develop some destructive behaviours such as excessive chewing and barking. For thousands of years we’ve bred dogs to work alongside us, so most of them have developed quite a work ethic
Dogs Need Interactive Play & Fun Games
To keep your dog fit both physically and mentally you’ll need to come up with some interactive activities and dog toys to enjoy together. Whether you have a young or old dog, big or small – they need entertainment. From a simple game of Fetch, working on obedience, or a trip to the local park; it’s up to you . Fetchh has introduced the Pet Bored Game to keep your dog fit mentally.
A recent study found that dogs that don’t engage in a lot of play exhibit more behavioural issues such as anxiety and aggression.
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.
Keeping Your Dog Busy Leads to Better Behaviour
With so many great and simple choices it’s just a matter of finding a few that suit your lifestyle – and making the commitment. From choosing toys that will keep your dog busy, or changing up your walking routine, there’s so many possibilities.
I notice a huge difference in my dogs behaviour after a simple obedience training session, it doesn’t take much time and it’s enjoyable for the both of us. An active, mentally challenged dog will make for a thriving, happy, and less destructive companion.
If you think dogs can’t count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them. – Phil Pastoret
Play Some Tug of War With Your Dog
Tug is a great way to mentally & physically challenge your dog. Short games of tug work wonders for tiring out our canine friends. Minute for minute a nice game of tug is one of the most physically & mentally challenging games you can play. And contrary to myth playing tug of war with your dog will not make him aggressive. If you don’t already have a dog tug toy you can make your own pretty easily with some fleece or old t-shirts.
Change up Your Walking Routine
Daily walks can get a little mundane if you’re going the same route everyday. Switch it up by exploring new neighborhoods and changing your pace. Allowing your dog to smell their surroundings adds mental stimulation. They’re not just visual creatures – they learn a lot from all those interesting smells. Giving them the opportunity to sniff around adds a lot of great mental stimulation.
Use Interactive Dog Toys
Using food dispensing toys, such as the Paw Party and Jurassic Bark are an easy way to give your dog some more mental stimulation and relieve dog boredom at the same time. There’s also a lot of great DIY toys you can make from items around your house like the great dog bottle game. Interactive dog toys are a great way to keep your dog occupied and mentally stimulated.
Work on Some Simple Obedience Training
Training your dog gives your dog quite a mental workout, and it’s a great way to keep them out of trouble. A few 10 minute training sessions a day working with your dog on new tricks or commands burns a lot of mental energy.
If you’re not sure what sort of training to do with your dog, start by teaching your dog a reliable recall & working on some basic impulse control – they’re always a great starting point. After that commands like sit, lay down, shake, stay, and roll over are some other common tricks you can teach.
Give Your Dog a Simple Job
Have them help out with your chores or everyday routines. I’ve taught my dog Theo how to do some chores around the house. He helps me load laundry baskets, he knows how to clean up dog toys, and he’ll carry sticks and logs out to our wood pile. 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.
Give Your Dog a Not So Simple Job
Find jobs for your dog that fulfil 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. It’s a great way to burn off a lot of mental and physical energy, and if your dog loves to chase they’ll love lure coursing. If your dog likes to pull and you’re handy, consider building him his own dog cart.
Arrange a Playdate For Your Dog
Give your dog some meaningful interaction by having a dog play date with your friends or family. If there’s some friendly dogs in your neighbourhood even better – no need to make any special arrangements.
Work on Clicker Training Your Dog
Clicker training your dog can be used for training new behaviours and rewarding ones you didn’t even ask for. It’s a way to clearly communicate with your dog the exact moment they perform a desired behaviour; all the extra mental stimulation makes for a tired doggie. Dogs are always learning from us – just teaching them where to sit while you prepare dinner is mentally stimulating and enforcing good manners.
Practise Some Free Shaping Games
Shaping is building a particular behaviour 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 behaviours. Studies have found that by using positive training techniques such as shaping help a dog learn to make better decisions in the future.
Introduce Your Dog to New People and Places
Exposing your dog to new people and places is an important part of puppy socialisation. It’s great for older dogs, too. Just like any behavior, a dog that isn’t exposed to new sights, sounds, and places can get a bit rusty. Work on their social skills every once in a while with some new dogs and people.
Use a Stuffed Kong to Keep Your Dog Busy
When you leave your dog at home give him a stuffed Kong or another tough interactive toy to keep his mind occupied. One of Laika’s favorite things in the world is a frozen peanut butter filled Kong. When I leave she doesn’t even look up; she’s too busy working on that Kong. I’d recommend a Kong to anyone that’s looking for a simple toy that will keep your dog busy.
Use a Kiddie Pool or Take a Trip to the Lake
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. It’s an amazing exercise for dogs with arthritis since it’s low impact.
Hire a Dog Walker
If your dog’s home alone for long periods of time consider hiring a dog walker. If you don’t want to hire someone, see if one of your neighbours, relatives or friends would be willing to stop by every once and a while to let your dog out for a nice walk or game of tug.
Make Some Frozen Treats For Your Dog
You can freeze dogs treats in ice or make some ice cubes from broth. Frozen dog treats are a great way to occupy your dog when you leave the house or need to do some chores. If you have a full sized Kong it’s pretty amazing how long they can keep a dog occupied.
Give Your Dog Some Extra Attention
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. It’s a great way to bond and keep your dog occupied at the same time.
Alternate Toys to Keep Your Dogs Interest
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. My dog Theo only has access to a couple toys at a time – when we swap them out her enthusiasm for his older “new” toys is high. Keep them interesting by playing a simple game of fetch or tug, interaction will always make a toy much more desirable.
Give Your Dog a Nice View
Dogs like to know what’s happening outside so give them a chance to scope out the yard. A lot of dogs love napping in the warm sunlight in front of windows.
Make Your Dog Work for His Food
When it’s time for his meals you can use a treat dispensing toy or simply make him do a few tricks to work for it. 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.
Teach Your Dog to Relax
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. Sometimes a nice simple belly rub is enough to soothe and relax your dog – it’s also a great bonding experience
Make a Flirt Pole for Energetic & High Drive Dogs
It’s a rod with a lure on the end and many dogs love chasing after them. You can make your own with PVC pipe, bungee cord, and a toy for the lure. Word of caution; flirt pole chasing can be really hard on a dogs joints so keep sessions short and don’t play with dogs under 1 year of age to avoid growth plate injuries.
Dogs aren’t natural couch potatoes; they’ve been bred to work alongside humans. Relieve dog boredom by giving them something to do. With a little bit of imagination you can come up with all sorts of ways to help keep them entertained and busy.
BY PUPPY LEAKS
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