Enriching Your Pup’s Environment
Enriching your pup’s environment keeps them happy and active. Boredom can lead to bad habits, so it’s important to provide mental and physical stimulation. Simple exercises and activities strengthen both their body and your bond.
Tip #1: Kong food dispensing
Making your pup work for their food can be fun. None of our pups eat from a bowl, they always get their meals from some kind of puzzle or dispensing item. Don’t forget to leave them plenty of fresh water to wash their treats down with.
Tip #2: Make your own puzzle
Puzzles really keep the brain going and challenge your pup’s mind. I really like creating my own because once they figure out the purchased puzzle it doesn’t take them long to run through and get everything. You can make them as simple as a box with paper or as complex as twisty PVC pipe with levers and buttons. Just make sure your pup can handle them without getting too frustrated.
Tip #3: Try a game of recall building or the “wait” game
Families that play together, stay together! I make sure to spend a few minutes a day playing with each of them. We get to bond, exercise and learn and practice new things together. Recall games are always a good one to work on inside or outside. We also like to play the wait game which is you wait here while I go find something/ get something then when I release them to get that something.
Tip #4: Put on some relaxing music or tv
If you work outside the home or plan on being away for a while, leave some music on. Our pups often get to listen to Fink or Bear’s Den or movies like The Hobbit and enjoy it. Plus the humans are big fans too! Music is great for enriching the environment but also can tune out other noises that are happening outside the home you may not even know are happening. Make sure it wont be too loud for the pups and whatever you pick to leave on make sure your pup enjoys and it calms them. THROUGH A DOG’S EAR – is also a great option.
Tip #5: Go high-tech!
Of course, in the modern world, leaving to go to work doesn’t have to mean a boring day for your pup anymore. The industry is exploding with high-tech tools and toys that do everything from monitor your dog’s food intake, to watch and speak to them to, yes, enrich their lives! We have and use the Furbo https://furbo.com/ and is all about enrichment, you can also talk and toss treats to your pup.
Here are some other mental games to try with your pup. https://potentialunleashedidaho.com/mental-games-for-your-pup/
Do you have a trick up your sleeve for keeping your pup entertained? Let me know!
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