Do you ever look at your dog and think: Where do you get all of this energy from? It’s a joy to have a furry friend who wants to spend time with you and play together, but sometimes it can get overwhelming, especially if you have a very high-energy breed. Taking your dog on walks or to the park, or playing with them for short periods, is great for their well-being, but they might be lacking the mental stimulation that helps their brains develop. By providing your pooch with regular emotional and mental stimulation, you are gifting them a priceless bonding experience, and you might tire them out more than just a visit to the park or a walk can do!
How To Curb Boredom and Enrich Your Pup’s Life
What is the saying: Idle hands are the Devil’s playthings? Well, idle, bored dogs can be devilish: chewing, wrecking, ruining, and generally causing havoc within your home. They don’t demonstrate these behaviors to be naughty: they need an outlet for their energy and are probably lacking stimulation. There are a variety of activities and engagements you can offer your bored or under-stimulated dog; it’s just a matter of finding out what interests them and teaching them to partake! Games, puzzles, general training, and taking them to new places are all ways to expand their world and invigorate them, tiring them out thoroughly while helping them grow.
Giving Your Pup a Puzzle
Puzzles are a great way to stimulate your dog, and they are easy for you, too, because you can use them when life doesn’t leave time for walks, play sessions, or other activities that require your attention, too. You can find a variety of pet-friendly puzzles online, but local shops like Healthy Tails LV, Dog Supplies Outlet (all locations around the city), Bogart’s Bone-Appetit, and The Wagging Tail all stock a variety of puzzles and snuffle mats, too!
These are made to encourage dogs to use their problem-solving skills to retrieve treats or food. The style of these puzzles varies: some feature latched tops that need to be nosed or pawed open, while others are rugs with fabric ties or mounds called Snuffle mats that require dogs to ruffle around in them to get their snacks. Both of these offer endless enrichment and are fun for your pet while stimulating their minds! Some dogs might take to one puzzle over the others on the market, and it could require a trial-and-error test on your end to find one they love, so don’t get discouraged if they don’t love one immediately!
Training Your Dog
Whenever you work with your dog on new tricks, habits, or general behavioral training, the actions and commands stimulate their minds. Learning is good for your pup, and it also tires them out faster than a variety of physical activities they can partake in, because they are concentrating and working their brains. Training can help you bond with your pet, and they enjoy figuring out how to do things you want from them.
Classes, like our
Foundation for Obedience, can teach basic commands and manners, and you should also invest between 5 and 30 minutes a day in training your pup. Use praise and treats when teaching your dog new tricks and behaviors, and watch for signs of exhaustion or overstimulation. You can always come back to a new trick, and they will love engaging with you in a new way!
Take Your Dog On A Different Adventure
Did you know that taking your pup on a different route than your usual walks can stimulate them? A dog’s sense of smell is their strongest sense, and some scientists have estimated that its olfactory sensors are 100,000 times more sensitive and strong than ours. When you take them on new paths, to new parks, or just on a “scent walk” where they can sniff to their heart’s content, you’re giving them stimulation that is equal to an hour of exercise!
These walks only need to be twenty minutes, and your pup will come home happy and exhausted (in a good way)! Explore the city by trying parks like Sunset Park in Henderson, which has long walking paths that traverse the whole park, or as the weather cools down, head to Red Rock National Conservation Area. You can use the free trails outside the park, or head into Red Rock to explore the various dog-friendly areas! Mount Charleston is always a good option, with cooler temperatures, lots of pet-friendly hikes, and new scents galore! By training your dog to walk on a leash properly using our classes and practicing around the city, you’ll make outings more enjoyable for all!
These are just a few ways you can help your furry friend learn, grow, and bond with you at the same time. Stimulation is key to a happy pup, so why not try these ideas or research more of your own to add to your list?
