Exercise is essential for keeping every part of the body healthy and happy—for humans and for dogs alike. And this includes exercising the brain! You may be taking your furry friend for lots of walks, but what are you doing to keep your pup’s brain in great shape?
Let’s take a look at some fun, brain-stimulating activities that you can add to your canine companion’s daily routine. Training or teaching your pup new tricks is a surefire way to exercise the brain and increase both intelligence and activity. In addition to training your furry friend to recognize and follow verbal commands, you can teach your dog to give and retain eye contact using hand signals, which is great for cognitive development and bonding!
You can also exercise your pup’s brain while exercising its body by setting up a fun agility course at home using chairs or other household objects. Or take the learning fun outside by switching up your walking route to expose your dog to new sights and smells!
Dogs can be engaged and mentally stimulated with some problem-solving challenges and ample treats! Try hiding treats around the home or under some opaque cups to put your pup’s problem-solving skills to work.
Other easy brain games to play with your dog include treasure hunting and toy tidy up—which can be done together! Hide some of your dog’s favorite toys around the room, and use the command “hunt” to encourage your pup to find each toy. Then, once all the toys are found (and played with), use the “fetch” command to get your pup to bring each toy to you to put away.
For all of these activities, consistent routine and rewarding your dog with ample treats while he’s learning are key to keeping your pup engaged and learning!
Like you, we make your furry friend’s safety and comfort our No. 1 priority! Visit the Airpets International website to learn more about our services and request your moving estimate.
