Mental Training help

Eagle · 09-03-2011, 11:49 AM

I've read in a few books that GSD need a lot of physical but also mental exercise/training. I wanted to ask you what mental exercises can i use with my 4 month old dog? So far am using the tracking-treat exercise but other than that i am not sure what else i can do with him?
(Tracking-I mean hiding a treat in a place and having the dog to sniff-track it and then he can have it as a reward)

Hillary_Plog · 09-03-2011, 12:15 PM

Join an obedience, agility, rally, etc. class.

Get a treat-dispensing ball or toy.

Make it a habit to make a daily or weekly trip to a new place (a park, dog friendly store, strip mall, the beach, etc.) and have fun going for a walk and discovering this new place (letting your dog sniff new things, encouraging him to walk up to strange things, jump on or walk on strange surfaces). Doing this will make him more confident and metally stimulate him.

Just a few ideas...good luck!

**Castlemaid** · 09-03-2011, 12:16 PM

At this age, just your basic obedience, a few minutes a day for a treat is all your pup needs. The finding the treat is a great game too. You could start some tracking with your pup. Give him mental stimulation by taking him to a lot of new places and expose him to a lot of new people and environments. Places I've taken my dogs for socializing include horse barns, skateboard park, Hockey arena during hockey practice, ski hill (watch the skiers go up the lifts and ski down the hills), outdoor skating rings (Oh, wait!! You're in Cyprus! - well, I guess you'll need to find different venues than the ones I usually go to, LOL).

Outdoor markets? Touristy places? Sport fields? Everywhere you go, think of the opportunity to socialize your pup to something new.

Ucdcrush · 09-03-2011, 08:26 PM

Here is something:
101 Things to Do with a Box | Karen Pryor Clickertraining

That's a long read, not sure if I'm doing it by the book, but I've done it by just grabbing my clicker, some treats, and an object like a ball. The dog gets the idea that he must do something with the ball/box whatever to get the treat. That really gets their mental gears turning, and helps with your timing and approach as a clicker trainer too.

You have a behavior in mind, then shape the dogs behavior by doing various things with the object, little by little, until he's doing what you had in mind.

09-03-2011, 11:49 AM	#1 (permalink)
Eagle New Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Cyprus Posts: 12	Mental Training help I've read in a few books that GSD need a lot of physical but also mental exercise/training. I wanted to ask you what mental exercises can i use with my 4 month old dog? So far am using the tracking-treat exercise but other than that i am not sure what else i can do with him? (Tracking-I mean hiding a treat in a place and having the dog to sniff-track it and then he can have it as a reward)

09-03-2011, 12:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Castlemaid Moderator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Northern British Columbia Posts: 9,089	At this age, just your basic obedience, a few minutes a day for a treat is all your pup needs. The finding the treat is a great game too. You could start some tracking with your pup. Give him mental stimulation by taking him to a lot of new places and expose him to a lot of new people and environments. Places I've taken my dogs for socializing include horse barns, skateboard park, Hockey arena during hockey practice, ski hill (watch the skiers go up the lifts and ski down the hills), outdoor skating rings (Oh, wait!! You're in Cyprus! - well, I guess you'll need to find different venues than the ones I usually go to, LOL). Outdoor markets? Touristy places? Sport fields? Everywhere you go, think of the opportunity to socialize your pup to something new. __________________ Lucia Keeta BH, OB1, TR1, AD (HOT) Rottweiler/Hairy Dog mix?? Shelter rescue Gryffon Vom Wildhaus BH, OFA Good (HOT) "Bites Through the Sleeve" Cuddlebug, b: Mar 2009

09-03-2011, 08:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
Ucdcrush Master Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 661	Here is something: 101 Things to Do with a Box \| Karen Pryor Clickertraining That's a long read, not sure if I'm doing it by the book, but I've done it by just grabbing my clicker, some treats, and an object like a ball. The dog gets the idea that he must do something with the ball/box whatever to get the treat. That really gets their mental gears turning, and helps with your timing and approach as a clicker trainer too. You have a behavior in mind, then shape the dogs behavior by doing various things with the object, little by little, until he's doing what you had in mind. __________________ Proud papa of Riku and Tuki. RIP Dana.

09-03-2011, 12:15 PM	#2 (permalink)
Hillary_Plog Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Rock Island, IL Posts: 379	Join an obedience, agility, rally, etc. class. Get a treat-dispensing ball or toy. Make it a habit to make a daily or weekly trip to a new place (a park, dog friendly store, strip mall, the beach, etc.) and have fun going for a walk and discovering this new place (letting your dog sniff new things, encouraging him to walk up to strange things, jump on or walk on strange surfaces). Doing this will make him more confident and metally stimulate him. Just a few ideas...good luck!

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