And if their pet parents are having fun too, they are more likely to keep on positively enriching their dog’s life. Before we go for a walk I have my dog go and grab her leash, then she has to fetch me my boots and her harness. Hopefully, you have come across so new ideas for ways to keep your dog occupied, provide so mental stimulation and burn off a little extra energy in this list of 50 Boredom Busters and Games for Dogs.

A good object to begin with is a stick because it can demonstrate to the dog not just where to jump but also how much space there is to work with on either side so it can stay within the boundaries of the rope. One of the best things about trick training is that there’s always room to improvise and make it more challenging. To play, you’ll need to teach your dog the difference between “red light,” or stop, and “green light,” or go. An agile dog can learn to balance a treat on their nose and hold it there until they are given permission to flip it into the air and eat it. From a classic bath to a spa treatment, your fur baby can get the services they need to look like a million bones.You can freeze some peanut butter or broth inside, or just put some treats in there and give your dog something to work for. We play so that the person handling Laila has no idea where the person hiding is, so there’s no opportunity to cheat and help her out! You can make them feel even more useful by teaching them the names of some items you wouldn’t mind having retrieved. Don’t be afraid to hand out lots of treats during a grooming session – you want to ensure your dog will associate grooming habits with a positive experience.

If your dog already knows “drop it” have them pick up a toy and give them their drop it command once they’re standing over the container. Just as we make sure our dogs get the right amount of physical exercise, we need to make time to give their brain a work out too.I play hide and seek with mine now: they wait in the bathroom while I hide bits of treats around the living room. A line of treats was set out for each dog and then they were ‘released’ to eat their way to the end.

If you want to really stimulate your dog’s brain and nose, you’ll need an empty kiddie pool and a lot of balls! Long leash walks – Following the beach, there are many great places to let your dog run “free” on a long leash. Scent work – This can be done with treats and toys or you can also use essential oils, cinnamon, or mint. Give your dog the cue to “find the treats” and encourage your dog to pick them up, remembering to praise them every time they find one.He has produced fashion, lifestyle and animal photography for a wide variety of clients within editorial, TV and advertising. These should be great for a lot of the dogs I get in, but I currently have a 10 month old foster that gets bored with things easily unless it’s something he isn’t supposed to have. If your dog doesn’t have a good stay command down you can ask a friend to help by having them distract your dog as you go and hide (or you can practice your “stay” before you get started. Brushing up on dog tricks, making some yummy treats, and playing a game of fetch are all simple ways to keep your dog busy. We've not played hide and seek for too long and I love that there are so many new options for us as well.