With the current COVID-19 situation, many people are looking at “Social distancing “ and, more importantly “, self-isolation”. As a result, our dog walks will become shorter and less frequent; consequently, our dogs may get bored and unhappy.
We have previously done an article on DIY Dog Toys and thought it was time to do a follow-up so that dogs everywhere can be happy and get mental exercise.
Unfortunately, a lot of dog owners often overlook Mental stimulation for the more traditional (and still very important) physical stimulation, such as walking the dog or playing fetch.
It has been proven that mental stimulation can easily burn the same amount of energy as physical – if not more – and most dogs, especially working dogs, will be happy, content and tired, so they sleep well at night. The bonus is that while they engage with the enrichment, you tackle boredom and build a stronger bond between you and the dog.
Think about what your particular dog enjoys doing – Sniffing? Searching? Licking? Tearing? Your dog’s breed will often influence this. For example, terriers often enjoy ripping things up, and Beagles, Spaniels, and Labradors generally love to sniff.
Below is a list of effective dog toys and games you can make to help relieve boredom whilst dog walks are limited.
Enrichment doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated, so keep it safe but let your imagination run wild. Enjoyp>
Enrichment doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated, so let your imagination run wild. Enjoy!
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- Do you have a bored dog?
Is your dog mentally as well as physically activated - How to Entertain our dog whilst in self-isolation
- Ditch the bowl
Make mealtimes s fun by ditching the bowel and scattering the food or playing find it. - The Muffin Tin Game
This is a great game of hide and seeks and ideal for scent hounds that like to sniff. Easy to set up with some basic equipment. No Special Skills are required. - Dog Toys from Socks
Some fun and challenging games that are easy to make out of old socks - Rotating Bottles
This game is based on three bottles with dog treats in them, and the dog has to work out how to spin the bottle at the right speed. - Quick and Easy Games
A collection of some quick and easy games using everyday articles - Ideas to mentally entertain your dog
- Do you have a bored dog?
Disclaimer: Always supervise your pet when letting dogs play with homemade or commercial toys. Immediately take the toy away if they start chewing/swallowing any pieces or breaking them apart. Finchley dog walker is not responsible for any harm that may come to your dog.