As a behaviourst I find that a large majority of behaviour problems come about out of sheer boredom and frustration, and just supplying your dog with some things to do while you are out (in addition to walks and sufficient social interaction) , can go a long way to reducing behaviour concerns and keep your dog happily stimulated. What is crucial is to ensure that the activities you supply are safe and that in the case of any chew toys, they are of high quality and are checked daily for wear and tear to prevent accidental chewing off pieces and swallowing same.
Of course, these suggestions are in addition to daily walks!
Bearing in mind that our dogs spend a good amount of time alone at home when we are at work, you will realize how important it is to give them things to do to keep them busy and one of the most important things we can do for them is to give them things to chew. Toys such as ropes, ball, stuffy toys etc can only really provide entertainment when somebody is throwing the ball, pulling the rope and so forth – apart from these times, toys such as these really do not give a dog the stimulation it needs.
Dogs chew naturally and not only does this give them something rewarding to do, it keeps them busy. As the mouth is connected to the limbic section of the brain which governs emotions and is the seat of all learning – chewing helps a dog to de-stress – think of a dog with separation anxiety – it will chew and destroy as the chewing action makes it feel better. The dog only gets these special chew toys when owener is not at home on average. Some ideas:-
Of course, these suggestions are in addition to daily walks!
Bearing in mind that our dogs spend a good amount of time alone at home when we are at work, you will realize how important it is to give them things to do to keep them busy and one of the most important things we can do for them is to give them things to chew. Toys such as ropes, ball, stuffy toys etc can only really provide entertainment when somebody is throwing the ball, pulling the rope and so forth – apart from these times, toys such as these really do not give a dog the stimulation it needs.
Dogs chew naturally and not only does this give them something rewarding to do, it keeps them busy. As the mouth is connected to the limbic section of the brain which governs emotions and is the seat of all learning – chewing helps a dog to de-stress – think of a dog with separation anxiety – it will chew and destroy as the chewing action makes it feel better. The dog only gets these special chew toys when owener is not at home on average. Some ideas:-
- Our first choice are toys such as Busy Buddies and Kong’s. The reason for this is that they can be stuffed daily with different things (see recipes below) and are the safest for dogs to chew on. It is recommended that these are checked daily for wear and tear. http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/50-ways-with-a-kong.html
- The chew toys should be taken away when you come home and rotated daily to avoid boredom. Once the dog is used to them, they can be frozen – instant Konsicles and the coolness helps the dog to keep cool and brilliant for pups that are teething.
- You can even purchase a few large sized Marrow bones and give a little to the dog daily (very rich and not for pups). Once the bone is empty, this can be used for stuffing as in the Kong’s above. Do make sure however if that more than one dog that fighting will not occur.
- If you are at home and want the dog outside for a while (better to supervise) - take a 1 or 2L empty plastic bottle and cut holes in it big enough for pieces of kibble to fall out. Put in a handful of kibble and give to the dog. The dog will enjoy pushing this around the garden and chewing on it and is additionally rewarded when pieces of kibble fall out. I only give this to dogs when I am around to ensure that bottle is not chewed, so please supervise.
- While at home and if dog outside - Starting with a 1lt plastic bottle – measure out 750ml of boiling water and to this add about 1 teaspoon of marmite or Bovril (if your dog is allergic ensure this will irritate further). Allow to cool, then put in the plastic bottle and add in some pieces of kibble, chicken, biltong etc and when cool freeze. The reason for only 750ml is that the liquid will increase in volume when frozen. When frozen take off the top and give to the dog to play with. As in point above, supervise.
- If you have an area that is tiled, then take a hardy plastic contained which is circular in design (or even use a metal one) and place this on the tiles with some kibble underneath. Your dog will have great fun pushing this along the tiles to get to the treats below – you can do more than one of these.
- On a similar vein as above, follow the procedure above but instead of putting into a bottle, put into a plastic container about the size of a lunch box container or similar and freeze. This is then given to the dog outside on the grass to lick happily - definitely not recommend for inside!
- Interactive Toys – you can buy ready made variations of above at vet shops, pet shops etc – just ensure that the material is of a good quality.
- Scenting – it is very easy to teach your dog to follow a simple scent trail saying ‘findies’ or similar and at the same time toss a treat just in front of the dog and gradually build up the distance and the difficulty. As the dog becomes proficient in this (and on average it does not take long) start to make the trail harder and you will eventually be able to hide treats all over the garden which will keep your dog happily doing what it does in nature – scenting and scavenging for food.
- Pull Toys – by hanging a rope and small tyre from a tree or making a bracket against the wall of your house, you can keep your dog happily playing at ‘pullies’ while alone in the garden when you eventually leave them there – this should hang at about the same level as the dogs mouth, or slightly higher – see what is best for your dog and just because small breed does not mean they do not like it – you will just use appropriate toys such as a soft toy or rope. You will have to get involved initially to show your dog what to do and then you can leave alone to play. Rather buy the tyres that are sold in Pet and Vet shops as apart from Hot Rod/ Drag tyres, the majority of tyres contain metal. You should also check this on a daily basis for wear and tear.
- Digging Pit – these can provide hours of entertainment but do remember do need to be restocked daily. Here is a link to find out how to go about it. http://www.friendsofthedog.co.za/digging-problems.html
- Even consider the services of people that will walk your dog for you – just remember to do your homework and make sure that the person has the knowledge and experience required to do this and that they are recommended.