For many people, living with a dog usually simply means two or three walks in the park and two meals a day.
However, dogs need stimuli that will keep them alert and make them think and also get creatively engaged.
In this way, a better relationship with their guardian will be built, it will help them release any tension and stress they may have, and at the same time, the risk of boredom will be reduced, with all that this entails (destruction inside the house, depression, etc.).
Some smart and inexpensive tricks to keep your dog occupied and entertained are:
- There are toys on the market (e.g., balls or Kongs) with holes in which we can put treats or even their food.
- We wrap treats in a towel and leave it on the floor. We let the dog discover the treats on its own.
- We hide a treat in our hands and present both hands to the dog. We let it sniff our hands to find the treat and give it to it, rewarding with petting and praise.
- We can hide treats in various places around the house.
- We can give the dog treats or even its meal inside paper packaging.
- We can build a toy especially for dogs with three planks, a pipe, and two or three bottles. We place one plank as a base, support the other two on its ends, and hang the pipe from the two upright planks after passing the bottles through it. We fill the bottles with treats and let the dog discover on its own how to get them out!
- We place paper rolls inside a crate or a cardboard box, filling some of them with treats.
- We inflate balloons and put treats inside them.
All of these will delight your dog and help you have a happy pet.
Have fun!
