All dogs need exercise, both physical and mental. If your dog isn’t feeling mentally stimulated, then this can lead to boredom and frustration which in turn can lead to unwanted habits.
Mental stimulation is particularly important for both young dogs, as it helps them to build confidence, as well as old or the infirm to help keep them active when they slow in pace or are unable to move with ease.
As you know, most dogs are motivated by food so it will be relatively easy to incorporate these food-based games into their daily routine. It is important not to overfeed your pet so we recommend using a portion of your dog’s daily food for these games or if not, additional treats can be used but we suggest speaking to your vet to see if you need to adjust their diet.
Scatter or Snuffle Feeding
This is exactly what it sounds like, instead of in a bowl scatter your dogs’ food in a controlled space to encourage foraging behaviours. You can also hide tasty morsels in unexpected places to make this more fun and engaging.
Interactive Toys
These are Puzzle feeder games or balls which you fill with treats that can be pushed and pawed around the floor until treats fall out. Puzzle Feeders are slightly more complex and require your dog to get involved in some problem solving which we suggest only using once your dog has got the hang of things and make sure you show them what to do if needed.
If you are interested in making your own activity toy you could fill a cardboard box with toys and scrunched up paper and hide the treats or food in between the layers and toys. Hours of fun.
Toy Stuffing
Toy stuffing is also a great way to make meals times more engaging. Fill with dry food that can easily fall out first and once your dog has got the hang of it you can move on to something more challenging like soaked treats or tinned meat. You can also use sticky substances like Peanut Butter and Marmite, spreadable cheese and pate. If it hot a nice idea would be to freeze tinned food in gravy. Great fun for them but messy for you!
Of course, all dogs will respond to toys and food games differently. If you notice any negative reactions or if your dog becomes possessive with food then this is a sign to stop or take it more slowly.
Remember this is meant to be fun for them, something for them to enjoy not something that makes them feel that they are fighting for their food. Always supervise your dog when they are playing with food in puzzles or activity feeders just to ensure they don’t swallow or chew something that could be harmful!
Bethany 🐾X
Luvbug.tv 