That Dog Needs a Job!

21/06/09

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��

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