I really, adamantly, firmly believe that dogs need to think, to solve problems, to figure things out, to be ultimately happy, healthy dogs. Dogs need exercise, but they also need to exercise their little grey cells. Anyone who has taken their dog to any training class will tell you how one hour of class will exhaust their dog so much more that one hour of walking on a leash - it's because the dog is thinking that entire hour. I cannot stress enough how much I believe in mental exercise for dogs. Do I do enough of it with Kip? No. But I do try to create "problems" for him every day, even if it's just inside for a few minutes.
In addition to providing Kip with a challenge, those exercises provide me with some amusement. One of my favourites is placing things on top of the kennel, and having Kip figure out how to get them down. I use a variety of sizes and stiffnesses, so some can be pulled through, and some have to be taken from outside.
Here is the armadillo. Kip passes this test well. (Yes, yes, this is my messy dining room. Please keep in mind that I am doing renos!)
And here is a nylabone - not such a good try as the armadillo, but it amused me! Silly boy!
Oh, I love seeing a dog think!!
(And please ignore the ladies of The View discussing orgasms in the background...)
No comments:
Post a Comment