Boredom can be tough to battle, and even more so for dogs. There are many ways to keep your dogs entertained, with or without you at home with them.
Dogs, for centuries, were bred to work long hours. Their intelligence was put to test and many experts and enthusiasts spent time monitoring their brains and evaluating their performance based on the behaviors they would demonstrate. Dogs, like other animals, require a lot of mental exercises to stay healthy. They play an integral role in their well-being and happiness.
We offer you a list of 5 ways on how to tackle the onset of boredom and keep your dog entertained with their tails wagging!
1. Play Hide and Seek
Many dogs enjoy playing hide and seek with their owners. It serves as an excellent bonding experience and it teaches them that staying close to you has its benefits. They find it rewarding, to say the least. Hide and Seek offers physical and mental stimulation that your pooch requires to stay healthy. You can hide and make your dog look for you, or even teach your dog to hide from you! This game also helps with name recall, and other important behaviors.
2. Engage in obedience training
You don’t have to go out of your way to teach your dog ‘complex commands’ that don’t translate to regular life. Going over the basics and mastering those is a great way to keep your dog’s mind stimulated and keep them working on good behaviors. To make the activity entertaining, keep a bag of treats with you and with each objective completed, toss in a doggy biscuit to show that you’re pleased. Teaching them to ‘sit’, ‘stay’, or ‘roll over’ would be an excellent starting point. Always keep it exciting and fun!
3. Turn the TV on
Sometimes, a lazy day is necessary, and your dog won’t always feel like running around the house. You can leave the TV on to their favorite channel or station, and let their eyes wander at the things that appear on the screen. It not only keeps them distracted but also occupies their attention and helps them from feeling isolated or anxious. They’re intelligent beings with terrific motion sensitivity. Plus, with the technology we have in this day and age, the quality of TV is key to the dog’s entertainment.
4. Read them a story
Dogs are great listeners, and reading a good children’s book to them can keep their ears pointing upward and their attention focused. You can make them sit on your lap or the foot of your bed as you leaf through the pages in a cozy atmosphere. Dogs love it when you talk to them, and vocal interaction can leave great room for creativity, too. You can use the tone and pitch of your voice to create a dramatic effect and watch as your dog yelps and jumps up in excitement.
5. Introduce new toys
Dogs enjoy playing with toys, but can become bored of them quickly. Buying a box of new toys for your pooch to play with is always a great way to keep them happy and entertained. Balls, squeaky toys and frisbees are favored by most pups. Show them their purpose and let their excitement get the best of them. You can even fill some toys with treats and keep the dog working on retrieving them for hours at a time.
Final Words:
Whatever games you play or different things you try out with your dog, always remember to supervise them while maintaining a positive attitude. Dogs are highly intelligent beings with a great sense of when something is wrong. If you have a dog, or if you’re thinking about owning one, always remember to be by their sides as they have feelings too. Spend time playing with them and provide them with all the necessities that cater to their little doggy needs.
