Sick Day Play List
Whether you are waiting out the Coronavirus pandemic working from home, taking a mental health day, or starting to feel better after having been sick, you may need some low impact ways to keep your dog busy. Here are some training games to try!
Dinner Drone
When I see my dog and cat on their mats while I prep meals in the kitchen or eat dinner, I say they’re ordering takeout. They know the treat drone (my hand) will deliver right to them on their mats. Place your dog's bed close enough where you dine so that you can toss food onto the bed. Place a pile of dog treats or his kibble next to your plate. Cue your dog to lay down on the bed. Toss treats to your dog, increasing the time between treats. How long will your dog lay on his bed while you eat before you give him a treat? Work up to only tossing a treat at the end of your meal.
Gotcha!
With the zombie apocalypse upon us, what happens if your dog escapes? If your dog ever escapes your home, will someone be able to grab her collar and check her ID? Some dogs shy away from being reached for. Whether your dog has stranger danger or not, this game gives dogs a positive association with being reached for. Say "Gotcha" as you reach for and touch her collar. Feed the entire time you're touching the collar. Stop feeding when you stop touching the collar. Repeat ten times. On the eleventh time, gently slide one finger under her collar after saying "gotcha" and feed while touching. Work your way towards gently sliding two fingers beneath the collar. If at any time your dog freezes, growls, or lifts her lip, stop and call a force-free professional dog trainer.
Totally Tubular
If you have stocked up on toilet paper and paper towels, you now potentially have a large supply of boredom busters. As long as your dog doesn't ingest cardboard, toss some treats/kibble into the empty toilet paper or paper towel cardboard tubes. Fold down the edges of the tube. You can place the tube into another box, creating a cardboard rubble pile. Or, you can hide the tube in the house for your dog to hunt for. The same things can be done with empty cardboard egg cartons. Can your dog maintain a sit stay before releasing his inner search and rescue K-9?
Creative Combinations
Use the toys your dogs already have in new ways. Have one of those toys where smaller toys can be stuffed into? Teach your dog to stick his nose into one of the openings on cue! Take one of those same toys and put it over a food puzzle that wobbles.
I hope these ideas help keep your dogs busy and tire them out. Below are video examples of me teaching these games to clients' dogs. I'd love to hear your ideas for entertaining your dogs while you are working from home or are recovering from illness. You can let me know here, on social media, and via video chat in my Behavior Anywhere service!