Busy Dog Games

Hello Fellow Dog Enthusiasts!
I have had so many people ask about how to keep their dog's mind busy. It's not an easy feat. However, it's so important, that I've compiled a list of my favorite treat ideas and games. Your dog doesn't need to gain weight while playing these games, and it's a concern of many of the pet parents I work with when I mention "treat games". You'll notice that with these games I suggest to use the dog's food. Many dogs also tend to inhale their food, and are not satisfied after they eat. What better way than games to keep your dog busy, lean, and happy? Check out these ideas, and let me know if you have any favorite games that I can add to this list.

Busy Dog Games

It’s highly important to keep both your dog’s body and mind active. By giving their minds and mouths a job to do, you can help your dog be a more well behaved companion as they expend all their energy and need to chew on an object of your choice. Why not use their daily meals to keep them entertained? Here are some ideas I use to help keep my dogs’ minds busy.

Filled, Frozen Kong - Kongs, and other toys that can be stuffed, are a wonderful way for your dog or puppy to relieve stress and the need to chew. Using the dogs meal, I mix it together with a small amount of canned dog food, mixing it until all of the pieces are well coated. Then I stuff the kong, and make sure I pack it well with a spoon. Into the freezer it goes. It freezes in about an hour, or you can prepare it the night before to keep them busy in the early morning hours.

Frozen Bowl - Another great frozen treat, this one is great for traveling because it lasts even longer than the frozen Kong. After stuffing the Kong, place it in a ceramic bowl. Put treats, dog food, or even toys in the bowl. Fill the bowl part way with water, leaving room for it to expand. To make the water more desirable, pour in some chicken or beef broth, or mix in a scoop of your dog’s favorite canned food. Freeze overnight.

Frozen Dog Food Ball - A great way to keep your dog from inhaling his bowl of food, this frozen treat ball is easy to make. Taking your dog’s meal, mix it together with plenty of wet food, enough to coat all the pieces well. If there’s not enough, it won’t stick together. For best results, use a smoothly ground canned food. Next, find a ball the size you want this treat to be, and form aluminum foil half way around it. You can also form a half ball with your hands if you prefer.  Now you have a “bowl” to put the dog food mixture into. Pack it all together well, rounding it with your hands. Next you’ll need something to put it on in the freezer. You can use a cookie sheet with wax paper, or something else it will come off of easily. Roll the ball onto it, out of the aluminum foil. Freeze hard.

Trail of Treats - let your dog find the treasure, following the clues with this fun and always changing game. With your dog in another room, drop a trail of food leading to a bowl with a jackpot of food in it. You can gradually put the food further apart, so that your dog has to hunt for the next one. Try different ways of hiding the bowl. Remember to start easy so your dog succeeds. Then gradually hide it in harder places, like under a blanket or behind a chair!

The Muffin Tin Challenge - Can your dog figure out how to get the food? In this fun, homemade game, all you need is a muffin tin and balls for each hole. Sometimes it’s fun to use different balls with unique textures. Put treats in each hole of the tin, cover with the balls. Then cheer your dog on as the push and grab the balls. As they learn that removing the balls is the key to getting the treats underneath, you can test their sense of smell by randomly placing the treats, instead of filling each muffin hole.

The Mad Scramble - If you have multiple dogs, it’s important to only have one dog in a room for this game. This game will slow your dog down if they scarf their food. Toss the food over a wide area allowing them to fall randomly. If you have a hard surface floor, toss them all and let them cover the floor. You may want to double check when your dog has finished picking them up, just to make sure you aren’t leaving bate down for the ants!

Fetch the food - toss food away from you and tell your dog to “take it!” Even if they won’t fetch toys, if they love food, they’ll become masters of fetching treats. And who knows? Perhaps after learning to take food, they’ll be willing to take treat filled toys, and then before they know it they’ll be out playing fetch with you!

Hide and seek - This is a game of fun for two or more people, so get the family together for a new game of hide and seek. Kids love to play this constructive game with the family pet. Keep the dog in a room, and allow the “hider” to grab a handful of food and go hide. Let the dog’s nose do it’s work to find you, or call softly to help them on their way. When they find you celebrate with them and offer them the food you have. Remember to only reward gentle behaviors when they find you. Put the food on the floor if the dog is over aroused, so that the dog won't bite your fingers.