Mental Stimulation

Most people know that a dog needs physical excercise, but how many fall into the trap of taking their dog out for 4 or 5 hours a day, getting them real tired, but don't give them something to 'do'?

Especially with a breed like the stafford, mental activity is very high even when a dog is physically tired. If this isn't addressed then the dog can become destructive, noisy, even agressive.

So, what to do? I've always used the 'seek'. As a pup all my dogs have been given things to find - to start with their favourite treats hidden around the room and then objects. (Always use the same word - "Seek", which is my preference as the word sounds for exciting, or "Find it" etc). This can lead on to more complex scent discrimination excercises which dogs generally love & people find facinating! It's also useful. Years ago I helped run a dog training club which was held in a hall opposite a reasonable size green. A lady was walking over the green & lost her car keys. She saw people going into the hall & wondered if anyone had a torch she could borrow - she ended up with me & my dog! I let my dog sniff the lady's cadigan & then sent her out over the green, working carefully in strips. A short while later, she came back with the car keys!

Nice post Caryll, and yes I agree is very important. Seek games actually tire a dog out more than 2 hour romp! Thats clever about the keys, even though we play "find it" I doubt very much she could do that!

Haha what a good girl lol. We have always done the 'seek' training with both our dogs since we got them and whilst they absolutley love it as a game they would be the worst sniffer dogs ever they are completley crap at it. Me and the hubby just sit there p***ing our selfs laughing, it sooooooo funny! x

Janey wrote: I doubt very much she could do that!

Any dog, and breed, can do it.

It's just that it takes a little more work with some than others before they cotton on.

Well I'll keep trying! May not be back online for years if I wait for it happen though!

To get to that stage, though, you also need a really good retrieve & that's what often causes the problem - a dog will sniff out an object but either doesn't bring it back, or just picks it up & plays with it!

She's great with sticks, always finds them where ever I've hidden them and brings them back and thrusts them at your feet, but anything else as you said she'll play with it, leave it, or just play tuggsies with it.

Janey wrote:Well I'll keep trying! May not be back online for years if I wait for it happen though!

Haha im with u on that one janey!! Both mine can fetch brilliantly but are just sooooooo rubbish and seek lol

We never got to the advanced stuff with Bandit & I doubt we'll get that far with Dempsey, but that's because, in both cases, I didn't spend enough time & effort! Lazy!

It is fun, though, seeing your dog frantically sniffing around the room for any treats you've left hidden!

i kind of do that with memphis but usally it find his way back to the car his head goes down and he will find his way back never failed yet impresive as we never do the same route on are walks and he even does it if hes went to a new place he never been how i learnt he could do this is a diff matter lol

It's surprising sometimes just what the little guys can do, given the chance!

I do the seek game with kaiser me and my fella hide in the house in places and he has to find us he loves it its amazing how they sniff u out u can hear there noses going when ur hiding we have always said it keeps his mind active and u can see he loves it

youngkaiser wrote:I do the seek game with kaiser me and my fella hide in the house in places and he has to find us he loves it its amazing how they sniff u out u can hear there noses going when ur hiding we have always said it keeps his mind active and u can see he loves it

Yes, you see from there you can alter it to seeking out favourite toys etc. It's a lot of fun for the dog & us!

I shall try it with a toy i do do it with his ball when he has left it somewhere in the house and we cant find it he always hunts it out but will try it with all sorts of stuff they do like there minds being kept busy

I play find it with miley quite alot. never used treats mailny just her favourite rat but might try the treats idea as that could be more rewarding. I agree it tires her out more than a walk/run and she loves learning new tricks, she is very eager to please. So far she knows, paw, safe (touch fists lol) high five down sit and up