It is no secret that physical exercise is important for keeping your dog healthy and happy. Taking your dog for a walk every day helps them fight obesity and allows you to bond with them.
Although physical activity is important for your dog, mental stimulation is extremely important to a dog’s overall health as well.
Keeping your dog mentally stimulated offers them many benefits such as alleviating boredom, lowering stress levels, and increasing happiness. Mental stimulation can also help decrease hyperactivity and destructive behavior.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to stimulate your pup’s mind including games!
Switch Up Your Routine
Dogs, just like humans, get bored doing the same thing every day. If you take your dog for a daily walk on the same route, consider switching up your routine. Find new neighborhoods to explore, walk on a hiking path, or switch from jogging to walking. New places can stimulate your dog’s brain by giving them different surroundings and smells to process.
Challenge with Interactive Games
Challenge your dog by getting them some interactive games that force them to solve problems independently. You can find many dog toys that allow you to hide treats where you simply insert a treat and your dog has to figure out how to get it. Play games like hide-and-seek by hiding your dog’s favorite toy (or yourself!) and letting them find it.
Try New Tricks and Play Dates
Many dogs know basic commands such as “sit” and “stay.” However, consider advancing to more complex tricks to challenge your dog. If you’re feeling really ambitious, teach your dog new words, such as different colors!
Consider setting up play dates with other dogs and let the dogs learn from each other. Take your dog to a dog park and allow them to interact with other dogs which can also help achieve mental stimulation.
At Lankas Labs, we start socializing our Pointing Labrador puppies at a young age to help them grow into strong companions. Contact us today for more information!
