Katie Saywell is the owner and founder of The Dogs Code find us here www.TheDogsCode.com
Top four games to play indoors during the hot weather to tire your Dachshund rather than a walk.
Three games I’d like to show you now that the summer’s pretty much kicking in, maybe the warm weather is here to stay. Check out the blog relating to, the five ways to keep your dog safe in hot weather.
So if you haven’t seen that video on YouTube, please pop over and have a look the links are at the bottom. Just to show you a few games that you can play with household items and your dachshunds so they can have a little bit of a brain training as well because brain training is really tiring for them. So using the nose and using their brains, having to think and actually having to problem solve is a really good way to tire them out. If you can’t get out for a walk, if it’s too hot but they clearly need an outlet then these games are for you at next to no cost.
Game number 1 the scent envelope
So the first one is with a bog standard envelope a used envelope is fine.
So what to do, what is the purpose of it. Some basic scent training. What you do is pop it on the floor, pop a treat on it and let your dachshund get the treat its really that simple to start. Then slowly open the envelope up pop a treat inside, just pop it back down on the floor and let them get it. They have to have to think for themselves and why they’re doing this they are using their brains and noses. They are processing the information which they can smell and working out what they need to do. They might be a little bit cautious of, of putting the nose straight in, but take those steps slowly. So starting outside the move to the inside and then eventually you can move it down to the corner and you can just pop that on the floor and just let them sniff around in there, it’s a great game and it doesn’t cost anything, your treats this needs to be worthwhile so something your dachshund wants to work for.
Game number 2 tube scent
This game is reward based with treats the toilet roll is the same principle as envelope. You just get your toilet roll just the inner part or that could be a nightmare with toilet roll everywhere, pop a treat in one end near the edge then pop it on the floor and let them put the nose in to get the treat. You can make it more difficult by squeezing in each end and then fold it over. So fold over both ends and then you have like a sort of loose rough looking parcel with the treat in the middle. Then they have to figure how to get the treat out. You can obviously use kitchen roll inners too they’re also quite good. You can put holes in them as well. So the holes allow some of the smell to come out from the treat and is easier to find. To make it even more difficult you could put holes in and fold just one end and then both ends then you get a new one and just put any holes in. So just to make it a little bit more difficult.
Game number 3 whats in the bag.
Get brown or white paper bag, it’s very similar to the envelope, so pop it on his side. You want it on the, the widest part on the ground, pop a treat on the edge. Your dog may be a little bit cautious of this, but this is how to build their confidence up around putting their heads into things so you can pop a treat in and let them get it and move it further inside in stages. Pop the treat on the edge, then pop it further in and then further in until eventually it’s at the bottom. And then when you’re able to put the bag on his end in the right way, then they can then climb in and destroy it if they want. Its only a bit of paper.
Game 4 cones.
With cones, so you can put treats in them, you can put treats underneath them, you can move them around so they have to use their noses to find which cone has the treat. It just encourages them to have fun, to use their noses and problem solve.
To any of these games you can add, distance so you can get your dog into a sit, wait then you can step away from them adding steps to create the distance. Then use a cue to release such as “find it”. You also get a bit of impulse control in there as well, but you’re making it fun for them.
You could always change the cones for cardboard boxes
These games are actually really good fun to watch them doing things like this as well. You will be amazed how fast they pick it up and before you know it, you’ll be playing find it and, and all sorts of things in all sorts of places.
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