SEVEN GAMES

TO INCREASE CANINE MENTAL STIMULATION

Studies have shown that dogs are more intuitive than we think. They can read people's faces, pick up on our moods and even develop counting skills. When dogs get bored, they begin to make up their own games, which often involve destroying your belongings. So, why not engage in mental stimulation games with your pooch? You're likely to find they enrich your relationship and create a more relaxed and obedient best friend.

Just think about how much calmer your dog is after going on a nice walk once he's been allowed to sniff around, explore, and engage his mind. Plenty of games you can play in the comfort of your home will provide the same mental stimulation. Your four-legged friend will reap massive benefits from just 30 minutes of daily play. If this sounds like a lot, you can always split playtime into two shorter sessions.

Take a look at our top seven mental stimulation games. It's oodles of fun to watch your dog learn and master these little puzzles, and in time, you'll notice his manners and attention span get better too. Once you get the hang of our suggestions, the sky's the limit. You can make up as many of your own games to play as you'd like.

1. FIND THE TREATS

Find the treats is great fun, especially around feeding time. Start by hiding kibble or treats around the house or garden. Your dog must rely on his sense of smell rather than his eyesight and sniff out the hidden treasures. Start slowly by hiding your treats in easy-to-reach places. Give your dog a simple command, like 'search', and watch him figure out the object of the game.

You might have to help him out a little initially, but once he gets the hang of it, you can slowly increase the difficulty. Give him more of a challenge each time to keep him entertained.

2. WHICH HAND?

This is a simple game you can play at any time. Grab a treat, and start by showing your dog it's in your hand. Close your fist and ask him, 'Which hand?' If he paws at the correct hand, open your hand and give him his reward. Like all new tricks, it may take a while for him to figure out what's happening, and he might get so excited he misses the point completely. Stay calm — this is supposed to be fun. You must also stay consistent, and only give him his treat if he paws at the correct hand. If you find he's too excited to play, try again after a nice long walk when his mind is a bit calmer.

3. LEARN NEW TRICKS

This one may sound obvious, but it is a wonderful way to teach your dog new things, stimulate him mentally, and boost his confidence. There's no end to the tricks you can train your dog to perform. Here are a few of our favourites:

· Spinning: Get your dog to spin around clockwise for one circle and then stop. Too easy? Get him to go in the other direction too. Now that's impressive!

· Shy: Get your dog to touch his paw to his nose as if he is shy.

· Speak and quiet: Teach your dog to bark on command. Now teach him to be quiet.

· Bow: Teach your dog how to bow on command. This one comes in handy after he has performed all his other tricks well. How cute!

4. FOOD DISPENSING TOYS

In the wild, dogs spend a lot of time hunting and searching for food. Food dispensing toys stimulate dogs' brains, making them think and figure out how to get the toy to release the food. There are plenty of these toys on the market for all types of dogs, and depending on your requirements, some are more challenging than others. These toys are fantastic, as your dog can engage in independent play. Just fill the toy, sit back, and enjoy watching the inner workings of your dog's mind!

5. THE MUFFIN TIN GAME

There are many puzzle games you can buy, but if you aren't sure your dog is going to embrace this new challenge, you can make some at home to get him started. The muffin tin is simple and inexpensive. Here's what you'll need to get the ball rolling:

1. A muffin tin with 6-12 holes.

2. Enough tennis balls to fill all the holes on the tray.

3. Some tasty, high-value treats.

Start by putting your dog's favourite treat in each one of the muffin holes and placing a tennis ball in the hole. Place the tin on the floor and let your dog inspect it. If your dog does not immediately try and get to the treats, you can pick up one of the tennis balls and show him the treat underneath. Stand back and watch your pooch figure out how to get to the treats by removing the balls from the tin. Once he has got the hang of the game, you can increase the difficulty by placing the balls back in the tin once your dog has removed them and recovered the treat. This will force him to try and remember which treats he has already removed.

6. PACK AWAY YOUR TOYS

I know what you are thinking - this does not sound fun at all for us, but if done in the correct way, this will be a lot of fun for your dog. It will teach him new skills and is mentally stimulating. This is an advanced game to play with your dog. He should already know basic obedience commands, like how to return an item while playing fetch and the 'drop it' command.

Teach your dog this new skill by asking him to fetch one of his toys off the floor, guide him to the toy basket and give him the command to 'drop it'. If he drops the toy in the basket, reward him like crazy. This may take some getting used to, so be patient, and in no time, you will have your pooch cleaning up his toys and packing them away. Now that's a good boy!

7. THE NAME GAME

Your dog can learn over 100 words, so why not teach him the names of all the wonderful toys he has? Start by using his favourite toy and giving it a name. When playing, associate the name with the toy. He will soon start to associate the toy with the name. Clever, hey!? Test him by asking him to fetch the toy from a pile of his other toys. Once he has achieved this, you can move on to naming more of his other toys. Take this one step further by teaching him the names of other things around the house and ask him to fetch them for you.

THE SEVEN GAMES

These are just a few of the mental stimulation games out there. You can combine these games with each other or makeup ones. You will build your dog's confidence, flex his brain cells and strengthen the bond between you both. Enjoy!