Brain Boosting Activities for Dogs 

Dogs need mental stimulation just as much as humans do!  It keeps their wheels spinning while making them smarter.  It can also keep their memories sharp, slow down age-related brain changes, and allows them to be more trainable.  There are many activities in which you can participate in with your dog.  We are here to help with our list of some of the most common brain boosting activities.

Name the Toy!  Do you think that your dog knows the names of all their toys?  Increase their vocabulary by teaching them to retrieve toys by name.  Once you advance in the lesson, you can put multiple toys on the floor and have them choose by name.  Praise them for a job well done!

Hot-Cold Game!  Grab a handful of treats and get ready for the magic to happen.  Think of a doggie action, like walking over to the water bowl and taking a drink.  If your dog is heading towards the right direction, shout, “Hot!”.  If they are not, should, “Cold!”.  Continue to shout “Hot!” until they reach their destination.  Give them a treat as an award!

Numbers!  Put a larger number of treats in one hand, and a smaller amount in the other.  Direct your dog to sit.  Open your palms and say “larger” or “smaller”.  Their objective is to go for the treats that you advised them to.  For example, if you say “smaller”, your dog should be able to decipher the difference and choose wisely!

These are just a few brain boosting activities for your pup.  However, there are so many more to choose from!  The greatest thing about these activities is that they encourage healthy mental exercise while having fun!   Try one with your four-legged friend today.