Stimulating, Mentally

[SamanthaBrynn]

So I just read some posts about the weather, etc. I'm wondering, on those days where it's just to nasty to get out, what do you do inside to stimulate your GSD's mentally? Especially for a puppy? We have a food cube that she loves but now she's bored with it and the teaser ball is a chew toy to her. She isn't ball driven...better now than a few months ago and I can't figure out if she gets hide and seek or not lol. So, let us know how you stimulate your pups!

[N Smith]

Google "101 things to do with a box"...its super fun! And quite amuzing for the human...LOL

Also, I do a lot of targeting on a flipped over rubber dog bowl. I have used this to teach amazing left and right turns, my front position, heel position and send outs!

[LaRen616]

I use 2 different dog puzzles
I use the Everlasting Treatball
I use the Everlasting Fun Ball
I have the Tug-A-Jug and use it to feed them with 1 meal daily


I play "hide n seek" with my GSDs. I'll tell them to sit in their crates in my room and then I'll hide somewhere else in the house and yell out "ok" to release them and they come looking for me.

We also play "find it" with treats. I have my male go sit in his kennel while I drag a treat on the ground creating a scent trail and then I'll hide it out of sight. I'll yell out "find it!" and then he comes out and sniffs the ground and follows the trail until he finds it.

We play another form of "find it" too. I have him go sit in his kennel and wait and I take all the shoes in the house and scatter them around, I put the treat in one shoe and he has to find which shoe it is. But I have him check every single shoe until he finds it.

[SamanthaBrynn]

Originally Posted by LaRen616

I use 2 different dog puzzles
I use the Everlasting Treatball
I use the Everlasting Fun Ball
I have the Tug-A-Jug and use it to feed them with 1 meal daily


I play "hide n seek" with my GSDs. I'll tell them to sit in their crates in my room and then I'll hide somewhere else in the house and yell out "ok" to release them and they come looking for me.

We also play "find it" with treats. I have my male go sit in his kennel while I drag a treat on the ground creating a scent trail and then I'll hide it out of sight. I'll yell out "find it!" and then he comes out and sniffs the ground and follows the trail until he finds it.

We play another form of "find it" too. I have him go sit in his kennel and wait and I take all the shoes in the house and scatter them around, I put the treat in one shoe and he has to find which shoe it is. But I have him check every single shoe until he finds it.

These are GREAT ideas...Thank you!

[mntmoses]

i absolutely love the hide and seek one and i think it really helps develop the bond when your dogs goal is to find you! great great time...you just have to find the time to teach them a good stay or wait... mine still has a difficult time with that. =)