Ways to Work Your Dog’s Brain

You wake up in the morning ready to take your dog to the park. The plan is to throw the ball around and lose some of that never-ending energy your dog seems to possess. Then you open up the blinds only to find it cold and pouring rain. How will you possibly get rid of that pent-up liveliness your dog has? Thankfully, working your dog’s brain can be just as effective as working the body. A mind game with your dog will challenge and tire him out just the same as going for a long walk would. For those colder days when you have to stay inside, help your dog release that energy with these fun brain exercises:

Chewing and Licking

Unlike physical stimulation that a run would provide, chewing gives dogs a mental stimulation. The act of chewing on a bone or working to get treats out of a toy keeps her mind busy and her taste buds happy. When dogs are puppies they chew to help them explore the world. When given chewable items it can provide dogs a stress-relief option, energy release, and a delicious challenge. Of course, chewing does not simply have to be a generic bone; there are many options available that will work your dog’s brain. Using any of these toys will keep hyper Fido busy and happy all afternoon.

Kong filled with peanut butter or another yummy snack.
Puzzle balls or mazes filled with treats.
Soak a rope in chicken broth and freeze for a cold flavorful chew.
Nylabones (high in flavour but longer lasting than average bones).

Sniffing Games

A dog’s main sensory stimulation comes from smells. How often do you see your dog pulling at the lead to smell a bush, or wiggling his nose at your bad morning breath? Dogs use the millions of olfactory receptors in his nose to receive most of the information he needs about his surroundings. With these receptors, dogs are able to distinguish the significance of each smell and understand the world better. Because smelling offers dogs so much mental stimulation, it is a great way to work your dog’s brain and rid that excess energy. Use his sense of smell to play games – activities that use his nose are not only fun but also challenging. Play any of these games for a few minutes and your dog should be ready to relax until the next game!

Snuffle Mat: A mat made of many strips of fabric, making it easy to hide treats in for your dog to find.

Pick a Hand: Be the magician and ask your dog where the treat went. Hold out your closed fists and make him use his nose to find which hand has the treat inside.

Hide a Treat Under a Blanket: Hiding a treat under a blanket will encourage your dog to use his sense of smell. He will have to find the location of the treat through the blanket and also navigate how to get under the blanket to take it.

Hide and Seek: Tell your dog to stay while you hide and then call him to come sniff you out. A fun game for the whole family!

NOTE: Ensure that when you hide, your dog does not exhibit excessive stress. When you notice that he is whining uncontrollably or looking panicked, this could indicate that your dog is highly anxious at being left alone. If this is the case, separation anxiety may be the cause. When your dog exhibits these behaviours, it is good to reassure him you are there and work towards lessening the anxiety. Try other sniffing games until the separation anxiety is managed.

Training

Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Spend some time working with your dog on a new trick to work her brain – just as you trained her when she was young. When teaching a new trick, you will have to show her a few times what behaviour you want. For example, “shake a paw” will start out with you saying the command, grabbing her paw, shaking it, then rewarding and praising her. Do it enough times and she will begin to understand that the command and action leads to reward. It can be fun to teach your pup new tricks and it is an enjoyable way to activate brain stimulation. You can teach any new tricks you want, such as: roll over, shake, play dead, dance, or even “get me a soda!” If she already knows all the tricks (like the pro she is), simply repeating them and giving the commands will still stimulate her mind. After 30 minutes or so of training, your dog will be ready to cuddle up by your side.

Go For a Ride

Getting out of the house is a simple and effective way to exercise your dog’s mind. Your dog will appreciate the change of view and gratefully inhale those new smells. Different sights will stimulate the brain as he works to understand what is going on. For example, on a car ride, he will hear a voice from the order window, see the drive-thru worker, and smell the food coming into the car. Each experience outside of the home is a moment to excite the senses! Just as you worked to introduce new experiences to your dog when he was a puppy, your dog will never stop learning. Find those new and fun things to do that will be enjoyable for both of you!

Go to a friend’s house.
Visit a new pet store.
Drive outside the city with the windows down.
Check out a nearby farm.

Any way you choose to get your dog’s brain moving will allow him to avoid going stir-crazy at home. New experiences, tastes, smells, and tricks are wonderful opportunities to not only reduce energy, but also to bond with your dog. Spend that time together and you may notice that being cooped up in the house isn’t so bad after all!