Tips to keep our dogs having fun

When it comes to looking for entertainment options for our pets, we tend to go for the more traditional ones, which are the classic leather bones. And very few people are aware that these bones contain many artificial colourings and chemicals, and if our furry friend ingests them on a daily basis, they can cause gastrointestinal problems, and depending on the bone, they may even be made with toxic products.

There are many times when our furry friend needs to be entertained, or we need them to stop chewing our things, furniture, etc, especially when they are puppies. Even when our furry friend is more excited than usual, finding ways to relax it is vital.

Benefits of keeping your dog busy

Bored dogs get into trouble. This is a reality. We are their main source of entertainment, so if we don’t give them things to do, they will come up with activities of their own, and that’s when our shoes or our furniture will suffer.

By playing with your dog several times a day, you can decrease the likelihood that it will develop destructive habits, such as excessive barking or chewing.

Simple tricks to keep your dog busy

1.Play to find the awards

Games that make them work with their sense of smell are one of the easiest ways to tire your dog out. When you teach your dog some basic games like “find the treats”, you are mentally tiring it out and helping it to hone some of its natural skills.

Pick up some dog treats and have your dog watch you place them around the room. Give them the signal “look for the treats” and encourage them to pick them up, congratulate them every time they find one. You can also make it more challenging. Let your furry friend out of the room while you hide the treats in places he has to sniff, such as under a rug.

2. Play a tug-of-war game

Playing a game of tug-of-war is one of the best ways to engage in meaningful play with our dogs. It is an excellent way to exercise your dog mentally and physically. And because it doesn’t require much space, you can play indoors.

And contrary to what some people say, playing tug won’t make your dog aggressive, and letting him win won’t make him dominant. Letting your dog win just makes the game more fun and will encourage it to play more. Dogs that play tug with their owners have been found to be more obedient and more confident.

Pulling is an excellent way to exercise your dog as long as you get it to follow some basic rules such as “the game stops if your teeth touch my hand”.

3. Teach your dog to ” retrieve ” its toys.

First teach them the name of each toy, what it is. And then teach them the game of “go get x toy”. Put its toys in a pile or in a container and tell it to “fetch” its favourite toy. As your dog gets better at this game, you can make it more challenging by increasing the number of toys it has to examine.

Make it fun by rewarding them generously with a healthy dog treat or a quick game of tug-of-war when they succeed. This game will give your dog a great mental workout.

4. Play hide and seek

Playing hide and seek is, by far, one of the favourite games of many furry dogs. Hide-and-seek may not seem that complex or entertaining, but many dogs love it.

If your dog does not respond well to a command to stay still, you can ask someone to help you distract it while you hide.

5. Master the basic commands of obedience training.

Does your dog know all the basic obedience commands? Does it have a reliable memory and does it stay? Even well-trained dogs need a refresher course from time to time to keep them alert. All dogs must have a reliable seat, sit, stay, release and come here.

A few quick training sessions (5 to 10 minutes) each day are an excellent way to help your dog master the basics and will help keep it mentally stimulated.

6. Create your own indoor obstacle course for dogs

Create your own obstacle course indoors. Get your dog to jump on some towels, raffle their toys and then lie down on a blanket. Use your imagination and create a series of obstacles to be followed by your dog. Once your dog has learned to jump on towels etc., build on the above tricks, it will keep your dog mentally stimulated and encourage concentration.

7. Fun, healthy and satiating treats for dogs

Among the options on the market, not all of them are the most suitable for the health of our furry friends.

As mentioned above, traditional leather bones may seem like a valid option, but there are several drawbacks to this type of dog treat.

At MAIKAI we are very conscious of offering our furry friends the most fun, healthy and satiating options. Dried pig’s ear, dried beef trachea, dried lamb trotters or bull’s nerves are some of the options that provide long moments of enjoyment, while at the same time bringing them other benefits.

These natural dehydrated snacks are nutritious, low in fat and high in protein, free of gluten, cereals, additives and preservatives. Chewing helps to strengthen the jaw and promotes oral hygiene. It helps them to release endorphins, so our furry friends will be even happier while they are eating these snacks, and it will help them to release stress.

It is important, whatever the snack, that our furry friend is under our supervision and has fresh water within reach.

The most fun, healthy and satiating treats for dogs.