That Dog Needs a Job!

How often I heard that statement about a few of my dogs.  It was usually uttered by my mentor as she was being jumped on or muddied by one of my rowdy crew of Irish Setters.  She didn't mean I should hire out the dog to dig holes or work in a fast food restaurant, she was referring to keeping the dog  out of trouble by occupying his brain!  A bored dog is a dog primed and ready to find something to do on his own, usually, something you don't want him to do.  If you don't occupy your dog's mind, as he ages, he will become constantly bored and lose some of his zest for life. 

The brain of a dog is just like the brain of a human in one important way:  Use it or lose it!  Happily, there are dozens of things you can do to exercise your buddy's gray matter as well as his body   While fetch is fine, and taking a walk is wonderful, what about teaching your dog to do something a little more challenging?

Obedience and agility classes are obvious choices that get a dog thinking and strengthen the bond between dog and owner.  Hunting and tracking are another outlet, but there are more simple things you can do at home with a puppy or especially an older dog to keep them sharp.

Hide and Seek

In his mind, there's nothing better for your pet than to be with you!  With a puppy, just wait until the little tyke is out of your sight, go around a corner with treats and call  him.  Be prepared to give him a little help and then a big enthusiastic reward when he does find you.  It's the same with an older dog, except you might be able to put him in a stay to get away.  As both get better at it, you might have to get creative about getting out of their sight, possibly throwing a ball or providing some other distraction.  Soon, this game might have to go outside because you'll run out of places to hide!

Name the Toy

Start by taking his two favorite toys into a room with no other toys, and using the names you already call them, throw them one at a time saying "go get the ___".  Once you think he understands, set them across the room and tell him which one to bring back.  Reward the right choice; prompt him towards the other if he doesn't get it right.  End the session if it's not going well, and try again another time.  Make sure it's FUN!  When he knows the names of the two toys, try adding another,  and another……