Rainy days and dogs

Get a dog ‘they’ said.  It’ll be fun ‘they’ said.  Well the truth is, it is fun, most of the time.  I wouldn’t be without my dog.  However, there are always those days, when the rain is beating down all day with no let up, or the snow has made the pathways icy or slushy, which makes you question just how much fun it is!  As I trudge through the waterlogged fields of public rights of way, mud caked several inches thick around my boots, drenched with rain dripping from my hood into my face, I reflect that this is one of those times when owning a dog is perhaps not so much fun!

Unlike children, you can’t explain to a dog that it’s too wet and miserable to go out today.  They don’t understand and they still have ‘business’ to attend to and energy to burn, no matter what the weather. 

Something I’ve learnt since owning my dog though, is that ‘brain games’ wear them out just as much as a long walk can.  In fact, just 10-15 minutes of good, positive, mental stimulation can wear them out more so than a 30-minute walk.   Mental stimulation doesn’t just come in the form of training or their own toybox.  You can enrich your dog’s life with games and activities too – and we’re not just talking ‘fetch’.  What’s important, is choosing games and activities which make your dog need to stop, think and use use their brain.

So here is a quick ‘Dear Diary’ Blog for the dog owners amongst us;

As well as having access to my fantastic, experienced dog trainer and the hints and tips she has to offer,  I also joined a Facebook group about three years ago, called ‘Canine Enrichment’ which contains loads of indoor (& outdoor) games and ideas to play with your dog. ‘Absolute Dogs’ is another great site to try and maybe you know of other groups too?

It’s really important that you start any new game slowly and at a super easy level for your dog, in order to get their engagement.  Not all dogs enjoy all games.  The fun and what will serve to strengthen the bond between you and your dog, is working out what your dog likes and is good at, then enjoying that time, playing together.

You must remember that it’s ALWAYS supposed to be fun!  If it’s too hard for the dog then it will infuriate and frustrate them, they won’t want to play, they won’t be interested in listening to you and in turn, that will likely infuriate or frustrate you, which is not object of the exercise.

So, when training any new games, activities or tricks, an owner must remember that the dog doesn’t know what they are supposed to do or what the rules are and again, unlike children, you can’t sit them down and explain.  This is why you need to start off really slow and basic in order to show your dog, whilst you let them work it out a step at a time, using just your cue words along with praise and reward.  It’s ok though…. all the learning steps are using your dog’s brain power, which still serves to tire them and the positive time you’re spending together always increases your bond.

Before I share some quick starter games that are great for a rainy or snowy day, it’s important to add the following disclaimers:

• I am not a dog-trainer, I have no professional canine qualifications. I am simply a dog owner and the activities I suggest below are games that I have been taught, learned or read about and have had success with.
• ALL games & activities listed here, should always be fully supervised. NEVER leave a dog alone with anything that could potentially cause harm or danger.
• Not all games suit all dogs. Not all dogs will like all games.  Your dog will have strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes just as any human does.  Never force or push your dog to play a game it doesn’t like or want to.
• Remember to positively encourage and praise your dog. Have patience! Getting cross, frustrated or shouting is not fun!
• When playing games with treats or food, remember to reduce your dog’s meal quantities accordingly – the last thing you want is for your dog to pile on the pounds!
• Lastly, with time, patience and your guidance, old dogs CAN learn new tricks!

Here are some game ideas for beginners:

SAVE EMPTY EGG BOXES:  Pop some kibble or a treat into an empty egg box, and put it on the floor for your dog, leaving it open – let your dog get the food out.  Repeat a couple of times until they are confident to put their nose into the box to get the treat.

Next stage: Put some treats or kibble into the box and this time, close the lid (maybe not clicking it shut yet, depending on your dog).  Dog has to work out flipping open the lid and then getting the treat.  Different dogs will do this in different ways.  Some will gently knock it open with their nose, others will pick it up, paw it or knock it over – all ways are fine, dogs will find their own way of problem solving. 

Next Stage:  Put the treat or kibble into the box and close the lid, shutting it securely.  Dog has to work out opening the box. This may mean ripping it with their mouth which is completely fine (just make sure if they are a ripper, that they spit it out.  If you suspect they will eat/swallow the cardboard then this is not the game for them). 

Next Stage:  Hide the closed egg box containing the treats (super easy to start with, then increase difficulty as your dog gets better at using their nose to find it).

Next Stage:  Try multiple boxes. 

1. Either lots of egg boxes inside a bigger box, so dog has to take them out, get it open, eat treats, go back and get the next box or they may get all the boxes out, make a massive mess and then start ripping them open, whichever way, all fine.
2. Hide the boxes around the garden/house and dog has to find them first, then get them open to get the treat.

SNUFFLE MATS:

You can buy these (or you can just buy a cheap bathroom mat – one of those ones with really long/fluffy/woggly bits) spread their dinner, or a few treats over it.  They have to work using their nose to sniff out the food.  Alternatively you can use a box, filled with packing paper and scatter the dried food or treats amongst it.

LICKY MAT:

Buy a ‘licky mat’ from your pet shop or online, smear it with Greek yogurt or mashed banana, whatever they like (which is safe for dogs) that is soft and spreadable, then your dog licks it off.  Due to the texture & pattern of the licky mat, this can take them a while and keep them amused.  (Ensure you always supervise, to make sure they aren’t eating or chewing the actual mat).

Next Stage: Once they’ve got the hang of it, you can freeze your licky mat so that it takes longer to lick clean and dog needs to work that bit harder.

BRING THE OUTDOORS HOME:

When you go for a walk, take an empty bag & collect items from your walk, such as sticks, stones, leaves, moss, acorns, conker shells, weeds etc.  Pop them around your own garden at home on a rainy day or a day you cannot get out to walk…gives your dog new smells to explore in their own garden.  This one is also great if you go to the beach, bring some shells, sand, pebbles, driftwood, seaweed etc home and pop it around your garden.

This basically brings a walk to your dog, giving them new things to explore within their own back yard, new scents to investigate.

Supervise to ensure that they don’t actually eat any of these items, otherwise this is not the game for them.

KONGS:

Stuff Kong’s or marrowbone shells with yummy homemade fillings. Some ideas could be; soaked kibble (or raw if they are raw fed), mashed banana, low-fat Greek yogurt, salmon paste, mashed sardines or pilchards, green beans, peas, blueberries, mashed carrots or broccoli.

If you’ve never tried this before, test your dog out with a lick of some of the options above to see what they like and then start by giving the Kong or marrowbone unfrozen, until they have comfortably grasped the idea of getting all the filling out and are engaged with the game.

NEXT STEP: Freeze the Kong or marrowbone shell once it is stuffed with your dogs favourite filling.  It will last your dog longer and they’ll need to work on it that extra bit harder.

STUFFED HOLEY ROLLER BALL:

You can purchase these from pet shops or online. Also buy a cheap fleece blanket for a couple of pounds/dollars and cut it into squares.  Wrap up one bit of kibble in each square, stuff it in the holey roller ball until it’s full.  Dog has to pull out each bit of fleece from the ball and snuffle it ‘open’ in order to get the food out.   Again, start easy…perhaps just with a square of blanket not in the holey roller, but just on the floor.  Let them work out snuffling it open to get the treat out, helping them if necessary, to gently show and encourage them.

NEXT STEP: Move up to stuffing the ball with the fleece sections, a few pieces first and then packing it fuller and tighter once they’ve got the hang of it.

Do not let them chew up or swallow the fleece squares, if they are inclined to do this, this may not be the game for them.

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