Treat Hunt: A treat hunt stimulates their sense of smell and engages their problem-solving abilities. Hide treats or kibble around the house or in a specific room and let your pet use their nose to find them. Start with easy hiding spots and gradually increase the difficulty.
Puzzle Toys: You can purchase them or make them from home. Puzzle toys often have hidden compartments or mechanisms that require your pet to figure out how to access the treats inside. If you'd rather use some of what you have around the house, try taking a muffin tin and placing a few treats or small toys in a few of the cups. Then cover each cup with a tennis ball. Your pet will have to figure out how to remove the balls to get to the treats or toys.
Hide-and-Seek: Just like with kids, playing hide-and-seek is not only great fun but it encourages problem-solving and pushes them to use their senses. Hide yourself or a favorite toy in a specific room while your pet waits. Then call out their name or use a specific command to encourage them to come and find you or the toy. If running and hiding throughout the house isn't possible for you, try a scaled down version with cups. Place three identical cups or containers upside down on the floor. Let your pet watch as you place a treat under one of the cups. Then, shuffle the cups around and encourage your pet to indicate which cup the treat is under. It's just the magic tricks you see with the ping pong ball, but it is actually a great test of their memory and smell.
Obstacle Course: If you have a dog that dreams of being in a dog show, or one that needs to exercise their bodies more too, set up a mini obstacle course in your backyard or living room. Using household items such as pillows, boxes, or plastic tunnels, build them an obstacle course which challenges their problem-solving skills and co-ordination. If your pet needs it, don't be afraid to guide your pet through the course, encouraging them to climb, jump, or crawl.
