Discover the secret to having a well-mannered and content dog - Trainer unveils the unexpectedly simple method!
Engaging your dog's predatory instincts can provide an effective means of promoting mental and physical health. A variety of toys cater to different aspects of a dog's natural predatory sequence, offering an enjoyable and enriching play experience.
Toys that Encourage Predatory Behaviour
Flirt Poles, Fetch Toys, and Tug Ropes
These toys encourage social and interactive play, tapping into a dog's natural drive for chasing and pulling. Flirt poles, in particular, mimic prey movement, allowing dogs to chase and pounce, thereby exercising their predatory motor patterns [2].
Squeaky Toys
Squeaky toys attract a dog's attention through sound, simulating prey noises and encouraging biting and shaking behaviours.
Puzzle Toys and Treat-Dispensing Toys
These toys encourage problem-solving by mimicking foraging behaviour, stimulating a dog's sense of smell and intelligence while rewarding them with treats. This helps keep them mentally engaged [1][5].
Snuffle Mats
Snuffle mats, where dogs search for hidden kibble, can simulate hunting and foraging, meeting cognitive needs and extending playtime.
Additional Enrichment Activities
Other enrichment activities, such as hiding toys or treats for dogs to discover, and providing dedicated safe digging or sniffing areas, further support natural behaviours related to predation and exploration [3].
The Importance of Play for Dogs
Award-winning trainer Lisa Burton of Listen Dog Training emphasizes the importance of play for dogs. Burton suggests trying classics like tug and fetch, obstacle courses, hide and seek with treats, using a flirt pole, and structured activities like Treibball and freestyle [4].
Playing with dogs after a training session can improve their learning and slow the progression of cognitive decline, particularly in dogs with dementia. When playing with a dog, you provide them with undivided attention and an opportunity to fulfill their natural drives [4].
Choosing the Right Toys for Your Dog
It's beneficial to find out what your dog likes the most and mix up activities to keep playtime engaging. Depending on the dog's breed, they may feel reinforced by behaviours like grabbing, holding, parading, shaking, shredding, dissecting, scenting, stalking, chasing, and retrieving.
The Chuckit! Fetch Medley, featuring an original fetch ball, rugged ball for rough play, and an ultra ball for land or water play, offers unbeatable value and enhances playtime with your dog [6].
The Benefits of Play for Dogs
Spending time playing with dogs benefits them physically and mentally. Playing with dogs helps tap into their predatory instincts and provides a safe outlet. In cases where walks are not possible due to poor weather conditions, playing with dogs can serve as an alternative exercise [7].
For more ideas, an article titled "I played these 7 fun games to engage my reactive dog and they improved her impulse control" might be useful [8]. There are also eight fun games to play with dogs, and ten great brain games for dogs [9].
In conclusion, a combination of toys that support the full predatory sequence along with routine interactive play contributes to maintaining a dog's mental health and physical fitness effectively [1][3].
- Flirt poles, fetch toys, and tug ropes cater to a dog's natural drive for chasing and pulling, encouraging social and interactive play that exercise predatory motor patterns.
- Squeaky toys stimulate a dog's senses, simulating prey noises and promoting biting and shaking behaviours.
- Puzzle toys and treat-dispersing toys encourage problem-solving, stimulating a dog's sense of smell and intelligence, while also rewarding them with treats.
- Snuffle mats simulate hunting and foraging, meeting cognitive needs, extending playtime, and offering enrichment that mimics natural behaviors.
- Additional enrichment activities, such as hiding toys or treats, and providing safe digging or sniffing areas, support natural behaviors related to predation and exploration.
- Playing with pets, whether it's classics like tug and fetch, or structured activities like Treibball and freestyle, taps into their predatory instincts, offers a safe outlet, and improves learning in dogs, while also slowing the progression of cognitive decline.
