How do I mentally stimulate my dog to reduce boredom?
It is a known fact that dogs can get bored and they require some sort of mental stimulation to reduce boredom. Boredom in dogs is something all dog owners should try to avoid because a bored dog can develop some destructive behavior. Thousands of years of evolution made dogs evolve with a natural desire to work. If we fail to provide the appropriate mental stimulation, your dog may turn his attention in the most unwanted directions.
These days many of our dogs don’t have an actual job in our homes. They get all their needs provided for them all for free and so they are rather spoiled. As much as we all love spoiling our dogs it leaves them with lots of idle time and with this idle time there is a good chance they will become bored at some point.
When dogs get bored they will come up with a way to get busy or pass the time and their idea of a good time will differ vastly from yours.
Fortunately, there are so many ways to keep your dog entertained busy, and out of trouble. Here are some methods to stimulate your dog mentally and reduce boredom.
Training
Contrary to the general opinion training is not just for teaching your dog good manners. Training is also an excellent way to provide mental stimulation for your dog. Giving your dog obedience training is a good start but there are only so many behaviors to teach. Once you have completed the obedience training you would have run out of things to teach and then your dog may still get bored. Once your dog has mastered obedience training you can take it a step further by introducing your dog to some tricks. There are so many behaviors you can teach your dog just for fun. These behaviors can match your dog’s interests and abilities. If if you have a large breed for instance you can teach your dog to climb a ladder. If your furry friend is a toy breed crawling under the coffee table may be an amusing trick to mentally stimulate your dog. You can teach your dog other tricks as well the number of tricks you can teach your dog is restricted only by your imagination.
Interactive Dog Toys
Your dog naturally loves to play, and with you’re already busy schedule you may not always be available to play with your dog. To keep your dog from getting bored you need to provide your dog with some interactive dog toys. If you enjoy a game of fetch with your dog you may provide your dog with dog balls. the point of providing your dog with rubber dog toys is to give them something that belongs to them that they can play with as they like. interactive dog toys may provide your dog with a bit of a challenge as a result of stimulating them physically and mentally.
Socialization
Dogs evolved from pack animals and their instinct to interact socially remains quite strong. Although it is general knowledge that puppies require some form of socialization, adult dogs can also benefit immensely from being exposed to new places and people. The experience of seeing a new place or meeting a new person is mentally stimulating and a great way to combat boredom. When you take your dog on regular walks, be open and give your dogs a chance to meet new neighbors and their dogs as well as try other routes. your dog will also benefit immensely from play dates with other dogs. However, ensure that your dog and the other dog are both up-to-date with their vaccinations and do not display any aggression towards one another. Be sure to pair up dogs with matching personalities and attitudes. Matching a timid dog and a rowdy one may end in disaster. If you have dog parks in your locality your dog will benefit immensely from being able to run off-leash and make new friends in an open and safe environment. However, ensure that your dog remains within your line of sight at all times.
Jobs
Most dog breeds evolved to have a specific function with their owners. Some dog breeds were previously used for guarding homesteads or herding animals or pulling carts. Even in smaller companion breeds, all dogs enjoy having a purpose and keeping active. One of the most effective methods to prevent boredom is to provide your dog with a purpose. You do not necessarily need to put your dog to work as a search-and-rescue dog for example. However, if you give your dog a hobby or way to earn rewards you would be stimulating your dog mentally and providing the much-needed purpose. When choosing a hobby for your dog you need to consider your dad’s interest and heritage. Terriers for instance were bread to go to ground hunting for vermin. if you provide this braid with a digging box in the backyard they will appreciate it and work at it tirelessly. A good way to incentivize digging would be to field a day game box with sand and fill it with special rubber dog toys for your dog to find. Your dog will be happy to dig around in the box in search of goodies.
Another idea to provide your dog with a job will be to involve your dog in dog sports. There are quite a few options to consider but you must consider an activity your dog will enjoy. Scent hounds like beagles will find a scent sport exciting and mentally stimulating. Agility is a generally great spot for all breeds because it not only provides both mental and physical exercise it also builds the bond between you and your dog.
Outside help
If you have a demanding job or other demanding obligations that prevent you from spending a great deal of time with your dog. You should consider and listen to some outside help to avoid leaving your dog alone for long periods. You can enlist the services of a dog walker who will take your dog out in the middle of the day for some fresh air and good exercise. A pet sitter can drop in and visit your dog while you’re out a sitter will play with your dog and keep your dog company as well as provide whatever immediate needs your dog may have. You can also register your dog in a doggy daycare where your dog can enjoy supervised socialization with other dogs for hours on end.
There are so many ways to prevent boredom from bringing out the worst in your dog. However, spending quality time with your dog is the best way to bond with your dog while providing excellent physical and mental stimulation for your dog. you may also enjoy playtime when you play games with your dog and teach them tricks you can use interactive dog toys to make things interesting for both you and your dog.