Why Mental Exercise is Important for Your Dog and Puppy
Dogs are intelligent animals that need both physical and mental stimulation. While physical exercise is important for keeping your dog fit and healthy, mental exercise is just as important for their overall well-being.
Mental exercise helps to keep your dog's mind active and engaged, which can prevent boredom and destructive behavior. It can also help to improve your dog's obedience skills, reduce stress, and make them more well-rounded companions.
There are many different ways to provide your dog with mental exercise. Some popular options include:
- Training. Training your dog is a great way to stimulate their mind and keep them engaged. You can train your dog basic obedience commands, such as sit, stay, and come, or you can teach them more advanced tricks. When you sense your dog has extra energy or is bored: jump into a training session.
- Puzzle toys. Puzzle toys are a great way to challenge your dog's mind and provide them with some mental stimulation. There are many different types of puzzle toys available, so you can find one that is appropriate for your dog's age and skill level. Newman’s Dog Training really likes Snuffle Mats. Your dog has to find all the treats laid out in the folds of the mat. Treat dispensing toys are a great option as well like the Kong Wobbler or the Tug a Jug. There are a ton of options out there. Have fun finding your dog’s favorite.
- Sniffing games. Dogs have a very strong sense of smell, so sniffing games are a great way to stimulate their minds. You can hide treats around your house or yard for your dog to find, or you can take them to a new park or hiking trail so they can explore and sniff around. We really encourage you to just follow your dog and let them explore using their noses. A 30 minute sniff walk can do wonders.
- Trick training. Trick training is a great way to keep your dog's mind active and engaged. There are many different tricks you can teach your dog, such as rolling over, playing dead, and shaking hands. If you think they have learned everything they can, reach out to us and we can give you more ideas!
- Canine sports. Canine sports, such as agility, obedience, and rally, are a great way to provide your dog with both physical and mental exercise. These sports can be a lot of fun for both you and your dog, and they can help to build a strong bond between you.
No matter what method you choose, providing your dog with mental exercise is a great way to keep them happy and healthy and helps ward off nuisance behaviors. So get creative and have some fun with it! Your dog will thank you for it.
Here are some additional benefits of mental exercise for dogs:
- Reduces boredom and destructive behavior. When dogs are bored, they may engage in destructive behaviors, such as chewing on furniture or barking excessively. Providing your dog with mental exercise can help to keep them occupied and prevent these behaviors.
- Improves obedience skills. When dogs are mentally stimulated, they are more likely to be attentive and obedient. This is because they are more engaged in the training process and are more likely to understand what you are asking of them.
- Reduces stress. Mental exercise can help to reduce stress in dogs. This is because it helps to keep their minds active and engaged, which can help to take their minds off of whatever is causing them stress.
- Makes them more well-rounded companions. Mental exercise can help to make your dog a more well-rounded companion. This is because it helps to improve their cognitive abilities, which can make them more responsive to training and more enjoyable to be around.
If you are looking for ways to provide your dog with mental exercise, there are many different options available. You can find toys, games, and activities that are appropriate for your dog's age, skill level, and interests. By providing your dog with mental exercise, you can help to keep them happy, healthy, and well-behaved.
If you are having trouble with training new behaviors, Newman’s Dog Training is happy to help! We can help you every step of the way to train your dog whether it is for obedience or fun tricks for enrichment.
Happy Training!
Jena Newman
