Fun tricks to teach your dog for mental stimulation

You've probably heard a lot about why it's important to keep your dog physically active. But mental stimulation is just as important. Bored dogs are unhappy dogs, and it doesn't take much to keep their brains happy and stimulated.

Teaching them new tricks is an excellent way to entertain them, and it keeps their brain fit, happy and firing; it's an essential part of pet health. It also makes them much less likely to destroy your house, which is a nice bonus.

Here, we discuss the importance of dog mental stimulation, share some fun tricks to teach your dog and how to make learning a part of you and your dog's routine.

Why mental stimulation is crucial for dogs

Mental stimulation can reduce anxiety, entertain your dog and keep them engaged, happy and healthy. Consistent mental stimulation gives your dog:  

• A stronger bond with you

• Better response to training

• Calmness

• Delayed cognitive decline

• Increased confidence

• Reduced stress

We've discussed enrichment ideas to entertain your dog before, but another way to guarantee stimulation is to teach them some tricks.

Fun dog tricks to start with

Sit and stay

This classic trick acts as a solid foundation to learn other tricks. It's important for teaching your dog recall, as well as making sure they respect your commands.

Shake hands/paw

A simple, fun trick which boosts your dog’s attention to commands.

Spin

Encourages mental focus and body awareness. High-energy dog breeds are likely to do well with this.

Roll over

Builds on basic obedience and coordination.

Advanced tricks

Fetch specific toys

All dogs love to play fetch, but can yours fetch specific toys? This helps your dog understand language, allowing them to distinguish between different toys by name.

Play dead

Stimulates memory and gives your dog an opportunity to follow complex commands.

Weave through legs

Allows your dog a chance to follow complex movements.

Bow

A trick that's fun to show off, but requires strong attention and focus.

Interactive mental stimulation games for dogs

Hide-and-seek

We all know how to play hide-and-seek. Hide hidden objects for them to find or sneak away yourself and see if your dog can find you!

Puzzle toys

You can use interactive toys like puzzle feeders and KONGs to promote mental engagement.

Treasure hunt

Hide treats or toys around the house for your dog to find, offering both physical and mental stimulation.

Incorporating tricks into your daily routine

Training your dog to do tricks needs consistency, which is why we recommend making it a part of a routine with your dog. It's not hard to work out how to mentally stimulate them once it becomes a habit.

You should:

• Focus on one thing at a time: You don't need to teach your dog everything at once.

• Involve others: Getting family involved is a way to make things more fun for your dog too.

• Keep sessions short: You only need about five minutes per session, as longer sessions can frustrate both you and your dog!

• Train at the same time every day: Dogs thrive on routine, so pick a time to do training and stick to it. Before or after a walk is a good time.

• Use positive reinforcement: Always use this when training your dog to do anything, especially when it's meant to be fun.

If your dog starts getting bored, teach them a new game, change your praise or vary up your routine and location.

Basic dog training doesn't need to be time-consuming or hard; you need to do it regularly and proactively.

The link between mental and physical health

As we all now know, mental health is just as important as physical health. This isn't true for just us humans; it's true for dogs, too. That's why you need to commit to mental stimulation as part of your dog's routine.

If your vet told you there was a way to manage your dog's energy level, stress and excitement for life with just a few minutes a day, you'd jump at the chance to know what it was. Well, it's mental stimulation.

We always encourage you to keep a close eye on your dog's health, including their mental and cognitive function.

As always, if you think something is off, see a vet. Preventative pet care is the cornerstone of keeping dogs healthy, and changes in personality and energy can indicate a deeper problem.

Dog insurance helps with up to £15,000 vet fee cover, unlimited 24/7 vet calls with FirstVet and a host of other perks.

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