Mental stimulation is as important for dogs as any physical activity and has been shown to improve their mood, behaviour and even sleep. Incorporating games and play into the time you spend with your dog not only creates bonding moments between you, but can provide that all important mental stimulation and engagement.
As mentioned, exercising your dog’s brain is as important as giving them physical exercise. Without some form of mental engagement, dogs can become easily bored, frustrated, un-confident and in turn develop bad habits.
As we know, many dogs are motivated by food and so it can be easy to incorporate food-based games into your daily routine, using dog treats as a reward.
While vets tend to recommend between 20 – 30 minutes of mental stimulation a day, the amount of mental stimulation your dog needs will depend on a number of factors including age, breed, size and activity level. A larger breed for instance, who typically have more energy, will typically need more mental stimulation than smaller dogs. Equally, an older dog or a dog who has undergone an operation will need more stimulation than normal to counteract the lack of physical activity and engagement they have.
We’ve compiled a few simple but effective games for you to try to provide more mental stimulation for your four-legged friend.
As the name suggests, this game is all about testing your dog’s thinking and scent skills. Hide some tasty treats around the house or outside in the garden and let them use their nose to hunt around for their reward. Each time you play, change up the locations you put the treats to make it more engaging for your dog.
You can also try leaving a scent ‘trail’ by letting the treat touch certain surfaces along the route to where you leave it hidden, so your dog can follow the scent until they reach the treat. A strong-smelling treat like our Meaty Nibbles or Meaty Sausages would work especially well for a game like this.
In this brain game, find a hiding place and signal to your dog to start finding you. When they find you, acknowledge and reward them with treats and praise before repeating the exercise again. To make it even more stimulating, get other friends or family members involved too.
Similar to the Treasure Hunt game, Scatter Feeding encourages your dog to use their sense of smell. By scattering pellets of food around the floor or throughout the garden, dogs are encouraged to use their nose to sniff out and scavenge for food – a much more engaging way of consuming food than simply eating out of their usual bowl.
Obstacle courses not only engage your dog’s mind, but will also provide energetic physical activity for them too. Use any furniture or objects you have at home and position them throughout a room or garden space to create a fun and challenging space for your dog to pass through.
Teaching your dog a new trick is a great way to stimulate their minds and to engage their attention. From teaching them to recognise an object or to recognise a word or number, a new trick is a great way to burn some energy and bond with your dog. Take a look over our top tricks to teach your dog and don’t forget to reward and praise them with some tasty treats too!
Similar to hide and seek, this game is about encouraging recognition and scent engagement in your dog. Use a toy that your dog recognises and uses often, showing it to them before placing it in a hiding spot. Use words like ‘Find the toy’ to prompt your dog to use their small and sniff it out, and don’t forget to reward them with praise and treats once they’ve retrieved it. You can increase the difficulty over time by hiding the toy in more difficult locations too.
There are a number of dog toys that you can purchase for your dog that also provide a great way to train their minds. Dog toys that make noises or bounce, for instance, really gain their attention and drive engagement.
There are also toys that can be paired with food that require the dog to use problem solving in order to release the treat that’s inside. This is a great way to make food last a little longer whilst also providing a great amount of awareness and mental stimulation.
Whichever brain game you choose to play with your dog, having some tasty treats on hand to reward and praise them is a must! Shop our natural dog treats to discover your dog’s new favourite reward treat.
Lick mats are a fantastic way to provide both mental stimulation and a calming experience for your dog. Simply spread a layer of wet food over the textured surface of the mat and let your dog work to lick it clean. The repetitive licking engages their mind as they work to get every last bit of food.
For an extra challenge, try freezing the lick mat for a couple of hours before giving it to your dog, this will make the activity last longer and keep them entertained for even more time. Lick mats are particularly great for dogs that eat too quickly, as they slow down feeding while offering enrichment at the same time.
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