Mental Exercise is Just as Important as Physical Exercise!
Mental stimulation is just as important as physical exercise for your dog! No matter what stage of life they are in, being mentally active goes a long way.
If you’re stuck inside on a rainy day or have some extra time in the morning before heading to work, here are some activities you can do with your Dachshund to make sure they are getting the mental exercise they need.
More than the mental exercise, these activities are another wonderful way to bond with your four-legged buddy!
Toy Game
This game might take some practice, but it can provide an abundance of fun once your Dachshund gets the hang of it!
Here’s how to start: choose one of your Dachshund’s favorite toys and let them get a good sniff of it.
Then drop it several steps away and say “Get it.” Your Dachshund will naturally go to the toy, so when he goes to touch it, be sure to give him praise, give him a tickle, and a yummy treat!
“Find the Toy” Game
If your doxie tires of the toy game, here’s a more advanced level of play. Instead of placing the toy within reach, get your Dachshund to “stay” or “wait” and put it on the floor in another room. Release him from “stay” or “wait,” say “find it”, and then give praise and/or treat when he finds the toy!
“Name the Toy” Game
This is a variation of the “Find The Toy” game. The goal is to teach your Dachshund the name of a few favorite toys. By the end, he should be able to retrieve a toy by name, even when it’s surrounded by other toys!
Remember to start slowly with this game, as learning new words takes a lot of patience and repetition. To prevent confusion, when you first teach the name, for example, “ball”, be sure that the ball is the only toy he sees, to prevent confusion. As your Dachshund starts to associate the word with the toy, start slowly adding other toys around it.
Time to Take it to the Next Level
Once your Dachshund has learned one toy’s name, you can build his toy vocabulary to make the game more challenging. The vocabulary record is held by a Border Collie named Chaser who knows over 1,000 words! But keep in mind, even learning two or three words can be rather tiring for most dogs!
“Treat Under Cup” Game
This is paws down one of the best games for getting your Dachshund’s brain working on overdrive.
Begin with three plastic cups and one of your Dachshund’s favorite treats. Line up the cups in a row, then make it very obvious you are placing the treat under one of the cups.
When your Dachshund touches the correct cup with his paw or nose, praise him and reveal what’s under the cup so he can eat the treat!
Time to Mix Things Up
Once your Dachshund understands the point of the game, start moving the correct cup a short distance away and try again.
Once you’ve repeated this multiple times, you can even try building up the difficulty by mixing all the cups around!
We hope you enjoyed learning about these three ways to keep your Dachshund mentally stimulated! And, stimulation goes both ways. Spending time with your doxie is also good for your own mental health! If you have any fun games you like to play, let us know in the comments below.
80% of Dogs Develop Arthritis or Joint Pain by 7 Years old – Here’s How to Protect Them
Most of us train our dogs when they are puppies to jump up on furniture. We think it’s harmless (and easier than always lifting them), but for dogs, couches and beds are very high compared to the size of their bodies.
Every time they jump it compresses their back and applies enormous force to their joints.
It’s no wonder that an incredible 80% of dogs experience arthritis or joint pain by only 7 years old.
Luckily, there is a vet-recommended solution.
It’s the PawRamp by Alpha Paw. An adjustable ramp that allows dogs to safely get on and off couches and beds. PawRamp makes joining you in bed or on the couch effortless and fun.
As a bonus, you can use code SAVE35 to get $35 off the PawRamp today.
