Games For Dogs That Stimulate Their Brain
Dogs are intelligent animals with a great ability to learn. Their intellectual abilities are similar to those of a two year old child. To keep them healthy and happy it is necessary to offer them some games for dogs that will stimulate their brains. The same goes for physical stimulation, as all dogs have a lot of energy to burn off every day.
Below are some ideas for suitable games for dogs . In addition to this, we’ll also go into the benefits these games can bring to your pet.
These are the advantages of playing with your dog
Games that promote mental and olfactory stimulation in dogs have many benefits for their general wellbeing:
- They help lower their stress levels.
- They prevent boredom and destructive behaviors that can result from a lack of stimuli.
- Games can improve the bond between the owner and the pet.
- Games also help the dogs to release their pent-up energy.
- In addition, games are a good idea to spend meaningful time on cold, rainy, or very hot summer days.
Games for dogs that stimulate their brain
Dogs have enough mental abilities to remember gestures and words, they have a basic computational understanding, and are very good at studying their surroundings and finding resources. Hence, there are a variety of different activities that you can try out with them using their specific qualities and abilities.
Games for dogs that make them think
There are many interactive pet games in the market, or you can make your own. A very popular game consists of a board with notches in which goodies are hidden. These notches have a lid that the dog must open with its mouth or paws.
Sometimes the mechanism works by twisting, pulling, or lifting. With practice, the dog will be able to get its prize in less and less time. You can purchase different types of boards and then use them alternately.
These games stimulate the animal’s intelligence and memory and ensure its mental and emotional health.
Games for dogs that have to smell
The sense of smell is the most developed sense in dogs. You could say that dogs “see” the world with their nose, as more than 50% of the brain is dedicated to this sense and it has more than 220 million olfactory cells. In humans, on the other hand, there are just 5 million. Because of this, it’s important to spend some time smelling games every day.
One of the ways to play smelling games is by placing hidden food balls between old fabrics that you have around the house. You can also distribute them in different rooms without your dog watching you.
Once your pet gets used to the dynamics of the game, increasing the difficulty level is a good idea. One way to do this, for example, is to knot the fabrics or use dog odor rugs.
Games for dogs to look for
You can increase the fun of the game by hiding food on yourself and then asking your dog to look for it. With this game you will develop his sense of smell, obedience and search skills. All of these are very useful when letting your dog run free in a park or field.
Dog training
Dog training is definitely a way to stimulate the dog’s intelligence. Learning new commands or commands, words, and gestures improves communication with your pet.
Some commands are very useful in everyday situations. For example, if your dog knows to sit still when you go out to eat with him or that he has to respond to your call while walking if he is too far away from you.
Training your dog to sit still before he can get his food is a very effective exercise . With this command you also work indirectly on the self-control of the animal.
training
Sometimes physical training also works as mental stimulation. Going through an obstacle course or learning to walk backwards are two good examples of this.
Using communication, trust, and positive reinforcement is key in helping the dog learn how to overcome various obstacles by running, zigzagging, jumping, or crouching. Of course, this only applies until he is able to cope with these tasks himself – motivated by your attention.
In summary, it is important to spend enough time with your dog and to stimulate his brain with physical and mental games to keep him active, fit and happy. In addition, you should always use effective methods. Of course, if you want learning to be a positive experience for your dog, you should reward him regularly and show him your love.
