Check out this cool video to learn what else you can do for your dogs mental stimulation:if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'petsfunnies_com-leader-1','ezslot_12',156,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-petsfunnies_com-leader-1-0')}; Who says the only games you can play with your Border Collie are fetch and tug of war? Your email address will not be published. Another good way to provide a really good challenge for your Border Collie is to make them an enrichment box. Your dog has to concentrate on the pace of the rope, on targeting a certain spot on the ground, and of course, on jumping. Have them find treats, retrieve hidden items, or even play hide and seek or go through obstacle courses! You can even tag team the hiding! Your email address will not be published. I like giving my Border Collie herding balls to imitate the activity of herding sheep without any sheep around. One person distracts the dog and gives it the sit-stay cue while the other person hides. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, vol 232, 2020, p. 105141. Read on as I show you six of my pets favorite ones! Here are 10 brain games for dogs to get you started. Dogs are social animals and off-leash play with other dogs improves their skills at interacting. If he takes over as nanny dog, my job is done. When you say red light, immediately tell your dog to sit or lie down. After this part is mastered, build up the number of toys your dog picks up. A typical game between a dog and its owner goes something like this: Say "new trick" and the dog might sit. You'll need at least two people to play. Wiggle your treat do this several times and soon they will be at your back before you finish saying back Begin by having your dog sit or stay, say green light and encourage your dog to chase a toy, follow a lure, or run around. These breeds are highly intelligent and if not challenged will become bored very quickly. Reward only if your dog chooses Tug. It just takes a lot of repetition to hammer home the name. Some dogs may never quite get how the treat magically switches sides this is a tough game that requires visual tracking and not all dogs make the connection. Let them out and tell them, Find the treats! This can also be done outside. Think it can't be done? Do your best to stay safe and stay positive, everyone! Its great to work on their senses, which also plays a role in cognitive development. Even if you dont normally do social media, I highly recommend joining this online forum of Collie lovers, owners, breeders, and trainers from around the world. While we may not be able to publicly go out and make friends, at least we can still make long-distance friends! To learn more about this fascinating sport check out the video below. As animal behaviorist Julie Bond says, Both dogs and cats like to sniff and explore, so simply spreading out their food or snacks in your grass allows them to use their noses as nature intended. You may have to give them hints when you first introduce this game, but eventually theyll be finding all the hidden goodies on their own like a pro! (Clever Smooth Collie @wow.its.westley modeled this game quite nicely in the Collie Tricks video.). Let the imagination go wild, and the Internet is a big help, too! Boost the excitement and reward level of the popular treasure hunt game by making yourself the treasure your dog is tasked to find. After they find the first human, the second says, come find me! You can repeat this cycle as often as you want, or until the dogs are sufficiently worn out. This provides the opportunity for your dog to spend time with other dogs and animals, and people often in different environments. It doesnt have to be elaborate: a good hiding place can just be standing in a closet or behind an open door. Ive also heard great things about DIY snuffle mats and snuffle balls made with strips of fleece fabric. The game improves a dog's impulse control and reminds it to pay attention to you no matter how much fun it's having. more food enrichment ideas and activities, How to exercise a Poodle Toy, Miniature and Standard. Hopefully, this list on the best mental exercises for Border Collies gave you an idea on what you can try with your pet! The tips and information provided on this website are the opinions of the author. You can try exercises which work his mind like interactive dog toys and puzzles, which are the best ways to keep your dog occupies. If the dogdoesn't select the correct cup (which will happen, even when it sees you placing the treat under the cup), show the dog the treat under the correct cup but don't let the dog have the treat. If your dog masters this, it's time for even more of a challenge. By using your dogs nose and brain, you can encourage them to use their natural hunting and foraging skills at meal time. Once your dog is consistently selecting Tug, place Tug next to another different toy, and repeat the steps until your dog is always choosing Tug over other toys of equal value. Clicker training is ideal for learning to stack rings since your dog is feeling, rather than seeing, what its doing. To stay occupied, Collie mom Lora Schasel said, Weve been practicing agility (threadles and wraps), obedience (off-leash heeling with good eye contact and nice straight fronts), rear end awareness with perch work, and finishing up an online canine fitness course. Chevy Manchester, owner of blue merle Collie Rocco, said she has Just been polishing up some obedience and starting to teach back up, because he is CLUMSY and needs better awareness of himself!. This helps build trust and self-confidence while developing communication skills. You can do this by adding new items to your dogs personal space to keep their lives a bit more interesting. If youre not already doing so, follow Julie C. Bond on Facebook (@K9freud on Instagram) or check out her blog! Literally standing in the lawn with the hose nozzle intermittently squirting in different spots while he chases it. Pretty soon, your dog will be going through your entire repertoire of tricks and coming up with new ones just to earn that treat for creative thinking. Once you've established Rope and Tug and your dog knows the names of these two toys, it's time for a test. Required fields are marked *. This is an ideal game for dogs who tend to get wound up during play and become overly enthusiastic. To learn more about how to deal with herding breed behavior issues see here. These 4 Factors Play a Role, How to Teach Your Dog to Walk on a Loose Leash, 9 Tips for Sleeping Soundly With a Dog in the Bed, 5 Games That Will Improve Your Next Dog Walk, 6 Ways to Improve Your Bond With Your Dog. All About Energetic Pets, Finding the Best Dog Walkers and Tips to Keep Your Dogs Safe, How to Give Your Dog the Best Life Possible, Why Is Your Dog Acting Weird After Grooming? With a Border Collie or herding dog, it is best to select puzzle toys that provide a true challenge. I recommend that you give them new toys now and then, which adds to their mental stimulation and sense of exploration. You can also make the game really hard by using cardboard boxes. When a dog chews it releases endorphins to their brain. It's important to find wooden rings with natural dyes rather than plastic, since your dog will be biting down on the rings quite a bit. Dogs love this simple but challenging game because, as with all good games, there are treats involved. They could especially use the boost right now! Once your dog has mastered targeting, teach it to jump on that spot on a cue. When it comes to Pearson, He thankfully has calmed some, but I have done a lot of things like this with him.. You can give your Border Collie two hours of physical exercise and they could go for another two hours. Simply sending your dogs into the backyard isnt always enough entertainment. Offer your dog two closed fists and have them bump your fist with their nose or a paw to try to find the treat. After they find the first human, the second says, come find me! You can repeat this cycle as often as you want, or until the dogs are sufficiently worn out. For toys you can order online, see our blog post specifically on favorite Collie-approved items. Collies love tug! Put treats the toilet rolls, smaller boxes or wrap in newspaper and fill the box up. Eye and body coordination meet with this game. Keep trying until your dog is successful a few times, then switch to asking for Rope. "Balancing Skill Against Difficulty - Behavior, Heart Rate And Heart Rate Variability Of Shelter Dogs During Two Different Introductions Of An Interactive Game". You dont have to join a club or compete in Treiball to provide the benefit of this activity for your dog. ), Dog trainer and Collie owner Julie Bond said, If you are out there walking your dogs, please please PLEASE let them sniff. My Beagle puppy is incredibly high-energy, and anything that gets that nose working does wonders to help tire her out, she said. Watching the video montage should give you some inspiration, and reading the post will give more details. A Snuffle mat or rug is a mat that is made of fleece and you can hide dry food or treats into it. You dont have to feed your dog in a bowl. Sometimes I also put a ball in a sock for an added level of fun. So what if you only get 2 blocks on your walk? It is not true that an old dog cant learn new tricks. She is the author of "The Ethiopian Wolf: Hope at the Edge of Extinction.". The game continues as long as the dog does a new trick each time. Julie also recommends the shell game for both canines and felines. Have any game or activity ideas you didnt see on my list? Let's say it's a rubber tug toy named Tug. Silence, or just a tiny bit of encouragement when your dog gets frustrated, goes a long way in helping it figure out the trick while also gaining confidence. The person who is not hiding then gives the release cue for the dog to start looking. Continue repeating the sequence until your dog ultimately learns the red light and green light commands without assistance. Let your dog investigate all of the boxes and provide the reward or a jackpot treat when it selects the correct box. (Her theme song is Tiggers song, swapped out for her name. Wiggle until they see it and come for it. Say 'new trick' and see what your dog offers. This game works wonderfully both indoors and outdoors, and is a fun way to spend a rainy afternoon playing with your dog. Set up 10 to 20 cardboard boxes of different sizes and, without your dog seeing, place the reward in only one box. Puzzle dishes can also be created with an old muffin tin and tennis balls (whole or cut in half) as covers for the holes. To learn how much exercise a Border Collie needs see here. I can picture this in my head, and it made me smile! This provides the opportunity for thinking and problem-solving activities that challenge the brain. For more environmental enrichment ideas see here. After all, you wouldnt want a smart Border Collie who defies your commands!if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'petsfunnies_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_6',143,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position!='undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-petsfunnies_com-medrectangle-3-0')}; Besides this, they also need mental stimulation to maintain their intelligence and understanding of commands. Springer Science And Business Media LLC, doi:10.1038/s41598-021-81699-2. What we refer to as a football really spends very little time in contact with feet. Try doing exercises which enhances your Border Collies living area. Plus, theres nothing wrong with your pet making a lot of new friends along the way! Give your dog challenges like a puzzle or interactive toy is probably one of the best ways to provide cognitive challenges for your dog. Sensory enrichment is anything that stimulates your dogs five senses which are sight, sound, taste, smell, and touch. If youre fleetfooted and spry, you can mix things up by running and letting them tag you for a change. Giving your dog new toys from time to time will be of great benefit to providing mental stimulation and enrichment. See if your dog can pick out Tug or Rope from the small pile.