Pal's Pro Pet Tip #5: Mental Stimulation for Dogs
Tiring out a puppy or high-energy dog seems like an impossible task. It feels like they can run or walk or play fetch forever. And you’re so TIRED. How does this dog have more energy than you do?!
Don’t get me wrong; moderate physical exercise is still important, especially for a growing puppy. But relying solely on physical exercise is not recommended for a few reasons, including:
Overexercising a growing puppy can damage their growing joints and muscles
The more you exercise a dog, the stronger it becomes and the more endurance it has. So then you have to exercise your dog more, and more, and more, and more…
The general rule of thumb is 5 minutes of structured exercise for 1 month of age. So, an 8 week old puppy needs ten minutes of structured exercise, a 3 month old puppy needs 15, etc.
But have you ever met a 3 month old puppy? They have so much more energy than 15 minutes of exercise is gonna burn.
That’s where mental stimulation comes in.
Working a dog’s brain actually burns MORE energy than physical exercise. It’s also a good form of enrichment! Think about it: if you spend a day focused and working, you’re more tired than a day doing nothing, right? It’s the same with dogs. So the secret to burning more energy is to use those doggy brains of theirs.
There are just about unlimited ways to keep a dog’s brain busy. Here are a few good ones:
Sniffing walks: take your dog on a walk not focused on exercise, but instead on letting your dog sniff as you go.
Treasure hunts: hide treats around the house or in the yard and have your dog sniff them out, like an easter egg hunt but with their nose. Make sure the area you’re using is clear of things that could be toxic to your dog!
Snuffle mats: these are mats that contain little pockets and flaps that you can hide treats in, and then the dog has to sniff them out. (Note: my dog figured out immediately that he could just pick up the mat and shake it, so now we duct tape our mats to the ground)
Training: make your dog work for their food! Meal time is a great time to work on training, with a few pieces of kibble as a reward. Working through meals this way is a great way, especially for a food motivated dog, to work on brain stimulation, enrichment, AND bonding. Plus you’re hammering in those good behaviors you want to see!
Puzzle toys: pet stores sell plenty of puzzle toys you can teach your dog how to use! Something to note is you DO have to train your dog how to use them—they won’t instinctively know. There are also treat balls, which are another great option!
Destroying things: destruction is good for doggy brains! It’s enrichment and instinct for them. I know we all hate messes, but every once in a while, your dog needs to make a mess.
Cabbages: I’ve heard some dogs love ripping cabbages to shreds! You could also tuck treats into the layers if you wanted for them to find as they rip up.
Cardboard: my dog LOVES destroying cardboard specifically.
Cheap plush toys: you can get cheap toys at thrift stores (or on sale at pet stores) with the explicit purpose of letting your dog destroy them. Just be careful to avoid toys that have tiny pieces your dog could accidentally swallow! Embroidered faces are best.
Frozen treats: you can buy premade treats that you just need to stick in the freezer, or you can make your own! Dogs love Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and wet dog food, and these all work great frozen. Throwing in small amounts of fruits or veggies is also an option, if that’s something your dog enjoys!
Kongs: Kongs and similar toys are such great tools. You can fill them with just about anything: peanut butter, Greek yogurt, wet dog food… If you freeze them, it’ll take them even more time to work through them!.
Chews: At some point, I’m going to make a whole post on chews. In the meantime, bully sticks and beef cheek rolls are great options, or there are toys (like Starmark) that you can refill with edible chews.
Lick mats: work your dog’s brain by getting lick mats with different textures for them to lick clean. Spread their favorite liquidy treat over the mat (again, peanut butter, Greek yogurt, and wet food are all good options!) and either let them go at it, or freeze it to make it last longer.
People on tiktok and reddit have all sorts of tips and tricks for doggy mental stimulation. A lot of these are great! But there are some things to be cautious of when trying new things:
Things that are inedible that your dog can destroy and ingest. Lots of people suggest wrapping treats in towels for the dog to find, but I’ve heard too many stories of dogs eating the towels to be comfortable doing this myself. This really does depend on your dog, though! If your dog is older or very chill, the towel trick may work well for you!
Leaving your dog unattended. Especially with new activities, make sure you’re supervising your dog. This way, you can step in if they’re doing something they’re not supposed to or about to get hurt.
Rawhide, chews that are too hard, or bones that can splinter. Again, I’ll make a post on chews at some point. But all of these options pose potential danger or health risks to dogs. In general, if you can’t indent the chew with your fingernail, it’s too hard and should be avoided as they can chip teeth.
