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Written by Jean
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Monday, 17 September 2007 12:29 |
My friend Paul gets his dog out almost every day, either to the local dog park or for a long hike. “The problem,” he says, “is wet weather – I hate tramping around in the rain and Roxanne gets FILTHY. A friend suggested putting her on the treadmill but it seems so dull, so sterile. There has to be a better way.”
The key to finding rainy day activities is recognizing what makes for a good outdoor activity in the first place. Hikes and play with other dogs win hands down over treadmills because they stimulate the dog mentally. Hikes are rich with smells, sights and sounds. Navigating a dog social landscape requires constant problem solving. The good news is that certain dog talents, notably the hunting repertoire, can also be worked indoors.
Dogs descend from wolves, whose central occupation is finding food. Read any book on wolf biology and you’ll be immediately struck by how arduous it is to find, keep up with and successfully kill prey animals. Wolves come bundled with brain software to enable them to do this. And dogs, in spite of thousands of generations of human leftovers and, later, USDA approved diets, still for the most part adore chasing balls, Frisbees, squirrels and bicycles, tugging on and eviscerating stuffed animals, and using their noses to seek critters.
Here are three hunting games – one for the search, one for the grab and chase portion and one for the oh-so exciting prey-killing part. Have no fear that playing these games will make your dog aggressive or disobedient – dogs are very context-specific learners and, if anything, the provision of structure and regular outlets for energy will make him a happier, healthier pet.
1)Hide and Seek
Play this nose-intensive game with a favorite toy. If your dog is noncommittal about toys, stash cookies instead. The first several times, let the dog accompany you while you hide the item. Tuck it between seat cushions, in the back of a closet, under his dog bed or any spot the dog can access with just a bit of effort. As soon as the item is hidden, prompt your dog to get it: “OOOOOh, wherrrrre’s Mr. Squeaky Hedgehog???!!! FIND HIM! FIND HIM!” And then encourage the dog to get in there and haul out the toy. Make a huge fuss over any attempts. Some dogs are initially puzzled and take some cheerleading to become pro-active. If it’s a cookie, let him consume it while you tell him how incredibly clever he is. Then play again. If it’s a toy, you can play again or else move on to the chase and kill phase using the same item.
Once he starts to get the idea, gradually reduce the amount of help you give. Prompt less effusively (but always get very, very enthusiastic when he comes up with the toy). Start hiding the toy without him watching. Put him behind a closed door in another room or practice his sit-stay while you stash. Before leaving the house, stuff a Kong Toy with nutritious goodies, hide it and he’ll have a search and unstuff project to complete while you’re away.
2) Indoor Fetch
This is a chase and grab game for small “prey” items like stuffed animals. Station yourself strategically so that you have at least two direction options for throwing. Make sure the footing is good – no slippery floors. The key to tapping into a dog’s fetching software is to make the toy simulate a small critter. Keep it hidden, tease the dog with it for a few seconds, fake him out in one direction and then toss in another. The unexpected “which way will it go this time” aspect is tremendous stuff for most dogs. Play “den trials”: hide the toy behind your back while you sit on the floor and then make it suddenly appear under first one knee and then the other, for a fleeting instant each time. Your dog will soon be diving to not miss the critter’s brief appearance. Then do your throw. Enthusiastically praise any effort. If your dog still won’t fetch there is still hope. Seek out information on behavior shaping, which is a fun and stimulating activity in and of itself!
3)Tug
Many dogs seem to consider the act of pulling on a soft toy their all-time favorite. The seduction, I suspect, lies in the fact that you can make the toy “feel” alive to the dog with movement and resistance (i.e. tugging back). It’s important to understand that this game is not a contest of person against dog over the toy. It’s more accurately viewed as a cooperative venture: the person and the dog working as a pack against the prey item!
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