Dogs Need Mental Exercise Too!

Many of our most troubling behavior challenges can be helped by tiring out our dog’s brain vs their body! This is especially true during Adolescence.

Often we try to physically tire our puppies out to make them ‘behave’. While they do need physical exercise, working their brain is even more important.

Taking your dog for a long walk, may tire them out mentally too if we let them sniff and smell. That is what truly works their brain. Just pounding the pavement will more likely create endurance so you have to walk you dog longer and longer to get them ‘tired’. Just 10 or 15 minutes of mental work can be more effective than an hour walk!

Did You Know?

Dogs are actually omnivores, not carnivores. They are natural scavengers.

Dogs naturally love to explore the world around them. They love to use their noses, especially if they are hounds! There are many ways you can help them burn off excess energy, improve confidence, and fill their need to hunt and eat. Providing an outlet for hunting, by using their nose, is an EXCELLENT way to work your dog’s brain and body.

Ditch The Food Bowl

It is so hard for humans to comprehend not feeding a puppy from a bowl. Providing at least one meal per day from some other source is actually beneficial for brain development as an adult!

Here are just a few ways you can make your puppy work to eat:

• Snuffle Mat
• Nose Work Puzzles
• Slow Feeders
• Puzzle Toys

Watch these videos to see some dogs “in action” as they “hunt” for their meals…