Games to play with smart dogs

Nose work games are one of the easiest ways to tire out your dog. Grab some treats and have your dog watch as you place them around the room. Have them stay in another room as you hide the treats, and start hiding them in spots they have to sniff out such as under a rug. The shell game is a simple problem solving game for dogs. To play the shell game with your dog let your dog watch as you place a treat under one of three cups. Praise them like crazy, then rinse and repeat.

If you want to keep your dog busy for awhile try stuffing a Kong with some of their favorite treats. You can freeze some peanut butter or broth inside, or just put some treats in there and give your dog something to work for. Playing a game of tug of war is one of the best ways to engage in meaningful play with our dogs. And contrary to what some people say playing tug will not make your dog aggressive, and letting them win will not make them dominant. Letting your dog win just makes the game more fun for your dog, and it will encourage them to play more.

Dogs that play tug with their owners have been found to be more obedient and have higher confidence. If you want to impress all of your friends teach your dog to fetch you something from the fridge. To keep my dog busy on rainy days I love using interactive games such as tug, find the treats, puzzle games and fetch. Interactive games are an easy way to give your dog plenty of mental stimulation , and they can help cut down on problem behaviors such as excessive chewing or barking.

We give our dogs a nice comfy life — they get a warm bed, lots of attention, and all their meals for free. But our dogs were bred to work alongside us, and a lot of our dogs are missing out on some mentally stimulating activities. You can make your dog perform some tricks before he gets his dinner, or you can have them eat from a food dispensing toy.

Have your dog work for their meals by using food dispensing toys. Have you seen Chaser the Border Collie? Start by playing with one specific toy and giving it a name while you do.

Once your dog has learned that specific toys name you can test their skills by seeing if they can pick it out among their other toys. Dogs have the ability to learn hundreds of words. As your dog gets better at this game you can make it more challenging by increasing the number of toys they have have to sift through. Keep it fun for them by rewarding them handsomely with a treat or quick game of tug when they succeed.

This game will give your dog a great mental workout. Does your dog know how to weave through your legs and jump through a hoop? Does your dog already know a bunch of tricks? Once your dog knows a bunch of tricks you can step it up a notch and combine their learned behaviors into brand new tricks. Teaching your dog a fun new trick like weaving through your legs. One of my favorite tips when it comes to dog training is using a clicker.

When you use a clicker you can mark the exact moment your dog made the right choice. Tip: Chopped up carrots make excellent treats for scent work games and training. Hide and seek might not seem all that complex or entertaining to us, but a lot of dogs get a real kick out of it. Keep you dog mentally stimulated by giving them a puzzle to solve.

There are a ton of dog puzzle toys available, as well as treat dispensing toys like the Kong Wobbler. If you want to give your dog something to chew on for awhile we love Best Bully Sticks and Benebones. Does your dog know all of the basic obedience commands? Does he have a reliable recall and stay? Even well trained dogs need a refresher course now and then to keep them sharp. All dogs should have a reliable sit, down, stay, drop it, and come here.

You can keep your dog interested in his toys by engaging in a game of tug or fetch. Most of us do have some extra room indoors for a simple game of fetch, but if you live on the 5th floor with a St. Bernard you should probably skip this game. When it comes to playing indoor fetch hallways, stairways, and big living rooms are popular choices. My dog and I love playing soccer in the basement with her Jolly ball. Learning how to give a dog massage is enriching for owner and dog alike.

A nice massage can help soothe and relax nearly any dog. And dog massages are great for older dogs or those with arthritis, since it helps soothe sore and achy joints.

Giving your dog a massage reduces anxiety, relieves stress, improves circulation, and creates a great bond between you and your dog. Tip: If your dog has a hard time settling down for a massage you can practice the relaxation protocol. The basic principle of shaping games is to encourage our dogs to try something new.

They get to make their own decisions and increase their mental and physical flexibility. You start out with a box on the ground and without any cues let your dog investigate and decide what to do. Shaping can be used with any item, not just a box. Our dogs need to be brushed, bathed, have their teeth brushed , and have their nails trimmed when they start to get long. Some dogs tolerate grooming better than others, and the more you practice using positive rewards the easier it will become.

Playing tag is a fun interactive game for dogs, but it does require a partner. Each of you will sit or stand at one side of the room with a toy or some treats.

Take turns calling the dog over and rewarding them when he comes. Make sure your dog is receiving lots of positive reinforcement each time they obey. This is a simple and fun way to reinforce a reliable recall. Create your own obstacle course inside your home. Have your dog jump over some towels, weave through his toys, and then lay down on a blanket. Use your imagination and come up with a set of obstacles for your dog to follow.

Once your dog has learned how to jump over the towels you then move onto the toy weave. Building on prior tricks will keep your dog mentally stimulated and encourages focus. Brushing up on dog tricks, making some yummy treats, and playing a game of fetch are all simple ways to keep your dog busy.

And seriously, a few minute sessions of chasing bubbles can work wonders for your dog. Studies have found that dogs get bored with their old toys. You can either buy your dog a new toy to get their enthusiasm going or you can rotate their toys. Instead of giving your dog access to all of their toys all the time give them a couple.

With several different ways to retrieve treats, this dog puzzle should keep your pup happily entertained. Some dogs can entertain themselves for hours with squeaky toys. This interactive toy adds a challenge because your dog has to dig out the squeaky chipmunks from the log.

Great for large dogs. Wooly Snuffle Mat. This is a completely different type of puzzle toy—one that encourages your dog to use his innate sense of smell and foraging abilities. Your dog will be stimulated and challenged by puzzle toys as they offer solo playtime and a chance for bonding between you and your canine friend.

You get the chance to teach him how the puzzle works and play along by adding treats or changing the difficulty level. And of course, we all know how entertaining it is to watch a happy dog at play! Find answers to all your coronavirus concerns, plus at-home activity ideas, training tips, educational resources, and more on our Coping With COVID hub. Compare Breeds Compare up to 5 different breeds side by side. When your dog accurately identifies which container the treat is under, make sure to congratulate them and, of course, reward them with the hidden treasure.

There are multiple pockets to hide treats in and different puzzles with adjustable difficulty. Help mentally stimulate your dog and work on their nose work skills! You likely loved this game when you were a kid, so why not enjoy it with your dog?

For this game to be successful, your dog will have to understand basic commands, such as sit , stay, and come. Lead them to a room and ask them to stay, then leave and hide in a different location. Speaking of basic commands, an obedience training session is a perfect way to stay occupied. Now, this is a fun exercise. While your dog is on a leash, rile them up as much as possible — you can run around cheering, jumping up and down — anything to get your pup as excited as possible.

This may take some practice, depending on how hyperactive your dog is, but after a few tries, your dog should be able to go from a state of excitement to sitting patiently on command. Make him stay and drop the ball at your feet. Once you guys have that part down, you can start throwing the ball or toy further and further, making your doggy stay until you give the go command.

Keep this up until your dog is able to find the ball no matter how far you throw it. One of the best games to play with your dog is Finders Keepers.

Take the ball or a small treat and walk off while your dog stays. Again, if he gets confused and tries to follow you, just reiterate the command and ignore him until he understands that you want him to wait.

Begin by walking off a few feet and dropping the ball. Then tell your dog he can go and let him find the ball, giving lots of lovely praise when he does. Over a few sessions, increase the difficulty by hiding it in ever-harder to figure out places so your pooch has to use his nose and his noggin to work out where it is.

As long as you keep up the praise every time he finds it, he will enjoy the challenge. Too easy? Another great thing is that you can recycle items that you were going to throw away and repurpose them, or use things from your home.

Create jumps from pretty much anything you like. Start out with something small that your dog can easily leap over then move up to something higher and wider like a box or a milk crate. Always increase size increments steadily as a stumble could throw your pooch off wanting to play again. Kitchen chairs, stools and low coffee tables are nice and sturdy and make ideal pause tables. PVC pipes, bamboo stakes with blunt or sanded ends and trellises are all cheap, cheerful and make ideal weave poles.

Start your dog with the poles wider apart until his toys with weaving through them, and steadily decrease the space between each pole. Over time your dog will get faster and more adept at the course and you can make it even more challenging for him. If your dog loves it, maybe even consider signing up for doggy agility classes together? Doggy obstacle courses are certainly one of the best games to play with your dog.

Some doggies will get the gist of this game quickly enough if you tap the toy basket or box when they have the toy in their mouth and drop it in.