5 ways to stop dog boredom at home

1. Hunting and jerking

A natural instinct makes most of our dogs willing to follow and catch a moving prey. Treat the toy at the end of the rope (or the rope on the stick) as a moving target for our pet. Move it dynamically to make it interested in it, and from time to time let the dog hunt it (otherwise it will give up playing). Practice letting go of the toy on command (rewarding it with a snack or other interchangeable toy). Some dogs will enjoy jerking off the most, exercise moderation in this game with them. Slow pursuit, it will help your dog exercise concentration and composure.

What to play with? [click to expand

You can tie a knot on a tennis ball in an old T-shirt, you can make a braid from old tights and at the end you can tie the end of a mop or an old stuffed animal. When making toys yourself, make sure that they are safe and your pet is not left alone with them, as there is always a risk of choking.

2. Hiding and finding

The game of hiding favorite toys or specific items previously shown to the dog (advanced version) is very rewarding fun, allowing you to practice your dog's composure and concentration. Despite the fact that it is apparently not a physically exhausting game - it gives our dog a substitute for work and a sense of fatigue. Hide the toy / item in an area that is difficult to get to and leave a trace of the smell by rubbing it in several places leading to the hideout.

When your dog is searching - you can use phrases like "cold " or "hot ", smile or make a harsh face - when your dog is looking for your support, looking while searching. This will further strengthen your bond and cooperation, also in different circumstances on a daily basis.

In a large apartment or house, and with the participation of other people, you can play hide and seek with the dog - that is, hide yourself, not a toy. Such exercises also help to train commands such as "stay " and "come ".

3. Bringing items

Bringing items is great fun for energetic dogs. Combined with walking the distance, it allows our dog to run out. However, be careful not to overstimulate your dog unnecessarily. It is worth complicating the game and adding elements that help to practice self-control.

The simplest version of this game is when we throw a ball (or another toy or a flying disc) and our dog runs and catches it on the ground or in flight. A more advanced and convenient version for confined spaces, when our dog is waiting in a sitting position or lying down, and we throw the object (roll or take it) and only on command we let the dog jump up and run after the prey. We can also throw two things and recommend catching one of them (as long as our pooch can distinguish between basic items - scientific research proves that a dozen can easily distinguish even without exercise).

The crowning glory of this game is collecting toys around the room in the evening and transferring them to a basket or bucket. To strengthen the desire to play, we can first help the dog by scattering it around the room or pointing with the finger and enthusiastically rewarding for throwing it into the container. Such fun makes it easier for us to clean the apartment, and over time it can also help in collecting socks and clothes in our child's room (if it is a mess).

4. Playing with a cutter

The exercise is very rewarding and usually recommended as dynamic outdoor fun. However, at home, we can also play with a jerk, if your dog loves to play. It is important to teach our dog moderation in this game and not to wind him up too much. The key is to practice the command "leave " so that our dog knows moderation and knows when the fun ends. As a cutter, we can use a group, a rope, a rolled up towel, a braid made of old tights, cut T-shirts or a blanket. We can sit on a pillow and let the dog drag ourselves around the apartment, and we can jerk with one hand while doing various exercises. The most popular is a plank on one hand, while in the other we can hold a jerk that our dog may want to tear from us - making it difficult for us to keep balance.

5. Agility training (home agility)

Some dogs love to jump over obstacles that you have to jump over, tunnel building boxes or slalom around rolls of toilet paper. Especially with smaller dogs, it is easy to set up a home obstacle course with the help of pillows, pots or toilet paper, which will give you and your dog a lot of satisfaction. Sometimes such training can tire your dog more than a long walk.

You can also encourage your dog to jump over a hula hoop or a long pole. Remember to always reward your dog with lots of praise and enthusiasm. It is also worth adding delicacies that are easily shared, such as Purina Pro Plan PRO Nuggets or Adventuros Nuggets, which will strengthen the sense of reward and satisfaction with the tasks performed.