Are you looking for quick DIY tips on dog enrichment toys and activities? Then read on!
If one thinks about what dogs truly deeply want, the answer is fairly simple - they want our undivided attention via play or other interactions. Nothing beats playtime with our dogs as it is by far the most fulfilling experience of being a pet parent. So let’s dive into what we can do at home to keep the dogs engaged and pet parents entertained.
Fetch, with a twist: If we have retrievers, then it is hands down the best game to play with them. But for other dogs that want a little more motivation to enjoy playing a game of fetch, maybe have them come to us while we have a treat in our closed fists. Once they approach us they need to drop the ball and sniff which hand has the treat. A wonderful way to get the dog to come all the way back to us, but also learn to enjoy fetch!
Inverted cup game: As kids we have all loved this game, but hey, Fido loves it too! This is a great way for the dog to focus on you and learn self control too. You will need 3-4 cups and a few bite sized treats for this. Place a treat under one inverted cup and line the inverted cups in front of the dog. Get your dogs to wait and then move the cups around. Once done, ask your dog to come up to the cups and sniff the one with the treat under it. Make it more exciting by placing smaller treats
Sniff away: Hiding treats in crumpled newspapers, scavenger hunts around the house, hiding treats in amazon boxes full of paper or dirty clothes is another way to keep the dog engaged.
Hide & Seek: An all-time favourite, not just with us humans, but our dogs too! By hiding around the house and calling them to us, reinforces not just the “come” or recall commands, but also builds a fantastic relationship with our dogs. Start simple and make your hiding places more complex as your dog starts to learn & get better at the game.
Agility: A definite workout for you and your dog! Get a long stick, place it on the ground and teach your dog to walk across it. As your dog gets comfortable doing it, then start increasing the height of the stick so the dog can also begin to enjoy jumping and your praises too! You can also try a hula hoop or a kids tunnel too (check your dog’s size before buying one of these) as fun agility games.
Obedience training! Not only is it life saving for the dog to know basic obedience commands, but once learned, we can quickly add on more tricks to the dog’s repertoire and enjoy the process while the dog is thinking and learning new things. Nothing can beat the rush of adrenaline when you train your dog!
So make sure you keep some time aside for one-on-one fun with your furry friend. With this blog, you need to ask Fido, what shall we play?