10 Basic and Fun Brain Games to Play with your Dog

Are you looking for fun ways to keep your dog amused and mentally stimulated? If this is the case, you should generally try integrating brain games into their everyday routine. By offering fun experiences for your dog, brain games enhance his or her life. These behaviors will also decrease the risk of the dog having behavioural problems like repetitive biting or barking because they reduce boredom. Here are 10 fun Brain games for dogs if you’re looking for some simple ways to test your dog’s mind and keep them out of trouble.

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Here are 10 brain game ideas for your pup:

1. Get your dog involved in a treasure hunt.

The dog using its nose to locate hidden treasure is an ideal way to stimulate his brain and teach him to use more of his senses. You’ll want to begin by setting your dog up for success so he knows the game and doesn’t get frustrated. Start with a basic mission. Place the dog in a sit/stay pose and hide a treat or pet toy anywhere obvious, even though he can see you do it. After that, give him the go-ahead to go find the toy. Reward the dog handsomely for discovering the lost treasure. Once your dog has found out the game, maximize the challenge by storing the reward or toy in a separate space or somewhere where other scents can cover it, such as the bottom of the laundry bin or under the food bowl. Enable your dog to explore and reward him after he locates the toy or treat.

2. Play hide and seek with your dog

Hide and seek is a fantastic game that the entire family will love. Start by hiding somewhere in the house where your dog would not be able to see you, and then calling your dog. Be sure to give them verbal praise and a fun surprise when they find you. When you have other family friends, send them to another room and call your dog to them. Go for as long as your dog is involved. For a different version of hide and seek, this is a perfect activity to help focus with your dog’s recall.

3. Teach your dog the names of their toys

The name game is another exciting brain game for pets, and the easiest way to play it is with your dog’s toys. Do you have a name for your dog’s toys yet? If that’s the case, you’re way ahead of the game. Start by playing with your dog with one particular toy and naming it. Your dog will equate the verbal name with the selected toy after some practice and encouragement. When your dog has mastered the name of the particular toy, you will put their talents to the test by making them pick it out from their other toys. You should move on to showing the dog the name of another toy after they’ve heard the name of one. Dogs can learn an average of 165 different words, meaning your dog has the ability to learn the names of a number of toys.

Before we get into more brain games, it’s important to remember that teaching your dog is a vital aspect to maintaining his emotional and physical success. You would want to look at the Brain Training For Dogs course, which was developed using well-established theoretical theories that were heavily studied at Harvard. This online course will show you how to psychologically engage your dog by using basic brain games and exercises to enhance their intellect. You’ll be shocked by how easily your dog’s issue habits go away and he begins to follow you.

4. Teach your dog to put their toys away.

Now that your dog knows the names of a couple of her toys, it’s time to show her how to put them back in the toy box and keep everything clean. Teaching your dog new things increases morale and offers mental stimulation. You can start with the drop it command to help your dog understand the game. Having the dog to drop a toy on order is an important step in getting him to drop it in a certain spot. Once your dog has a complete grasp on this order, make them pick up a treat and hand it to them. When they’re stood over their toy box or container, they can give the order. Once they’ve learned this part, progressively raise the amount of toys your dog picks up. Start by thanking your dog for putting a treat away. Then, after he has put away two toys, praise him. After that, just three toys, and so on. The reward will finally arrive just after every toy has been put away, and you’ll have a dog desperately searching the room for every toy in order to win the fantastic jackpot reward with a handful of treats.

5. Play food puzzle games with your dog

Many dogs love working for food. Yeah, they’d rather you only pour their dinner into the dish, but putting in the initiative to identify and release food from its secret location in a food challenge sharpens their problem-solving abilities while also reactivating ancient hunting instincts. Trixie is a fun and demanding flip board puzzle that will provide plenty of mental stimulus while keeping your dog busy while he makes his way to his treats. Cones, drawers, and little hollows to conceal sweets are included in this chess board game. This will really help aggressive dogs redirect their energy in a more constructive way. Cheers to your dog enjoying a good day.

6. Playing the shell game with your dog

Despite its questionable reputation with tricksters, the shell game is a game that will positively challenge your dog’s mind. To play the shell game with your puppy, you’ll need three walnut shells, some bottle caps, or similar little cups, as well as delicious treats sliced into bite-sized bits to go under the shells.

It’s ideal to put a board or hard surface at your dog’s nose level. Obtain the dog’s full attention and, as he watches, carefully line up the shells in a straight line. Take a treat bit and bring it up to him to demonstrate. Raise one of the shells above the treat and put it underneath it. Move deliberately and purposely in a dramatic way to pique his attention. When you shuffle the shells around, you’ll note that he’s keeping an eye on the one with the treat. When the shuffle is over, encourage your dog to guess which shell contains the treat. If he’s right, if he lifts the shell, he’ll get the treat.

7. Teach your dog new tricks

The new trick game is an experience that stimulates your dog’s imagination. It’s a popular clicker training game because it allows a dog to think for himself and come up with his own ideas of what action deserves a reward.

The premise is clear. Ignore an established behavior and click and reward on a new behavior provided by your dog. This is what a traditional game between a dog and its owner looks like. The dog sits while the parent says, “new trick.” The parent clicks and treats, then repeats the expression “new trick.” Click and pet the dog as it lies back. When the parent says “new trick,” the dog sits and spins in a circle, and the parent clicks and treats. When the dog does the same thing again, the owner will remind him, “You already did that,” and will not reward him. He is then expected to come up with something new, for which he is rewarded. Your dog will soon be running through your whole arsenal of tricks and inventing new ones in order to gain your treat for imaginative thinking.

8. Play tricks on your dog with your hands.

This is an easy exercise that has your dog thinking. To play, stand in front of a counter or table with several treats behind you, out of reach of your puppy.

Invite the dog to take a seat in front of you. Ask, “Where are the treats?” while holding both hands palm side in front of her face. Then, in both hands, reach behind you and take a treat in each hand. Now, with both hands clenched, put your hands back in front of her and inquire about the treat. It makes no difference which hand she selects since she will get the treat in any case. Repeat a few times until she’s used to earning a reward. Then start putting just one treat in your hand, switch up the routine, and observe her expression. When she has it right, she beams with joy.

9. Use food dispensing toys

Food Dispensing Toys are another exciting brain game for dogs. Every toy that includes food and allows the dog to try and find out how to get the food is a food dispensing toy. Simply load a food dispensing toy with treats and allow the dog to play with it. It will start dispensing treats as soon as your dog begins rolling the toy around.

A fantastic food dispensing toy is a Pet IQ reward ball that can keep your dog emotionally stimulated for a long time. You can change the level of difficulty when your dog learns how to get treats quicker with this immersive reward dispensing toy, which comes in three and four-inch sizes.

10. Train your dog using an obstacle course

It’s a perfect mental challenge to teach the dog to complete an obstacle course.  This can be a do-it-yourself dog brain game in which you set up some tables, chairs, blankets, and toys to build your own obstacle course, or you can go all out and get some agility equipment for your yard. The outward hound obstacle course, which involves weaving pools, an adjustable jump, and a tunnel, is a cost-effective alternative. It’s a perfect thing for your dog to do.

Brain games are an ideal way to keep the dog emotionally entertained and well-trained. The aim is to be careful and consistent so that your dog gets used to the games. When the dog is accustomed to playing brain games you’ll want to get the dog into a routine.

You’re not going to like the biting, potty accidents, and negative habits that might arise if you leave the dog to come up with his own schedule.