Most owners get into the habit of feeding their dogs at dinner time from their bowl. All the dog has to do is do a 'sit' and they get a whole bowl full of yummy food. You can mix up mealtimes a bit by giving your dog a bit more of a challenge. It's an opportunity to do some really great training and it will increase the bond between you and your pet. It's good to teach them patience and that they might not always get all their food at once. Playing different games and working on things like obedience can also help to give dogs the mental stimulation they need.
Turn mealtimes into an exciting and fun time for your dog. When giving treats, don't simply give them away. Make your dog work for their treat every time, whether that means doing a special trick or a routine of different tricks. You don't have to feed your dog all their dinner in one go, you can do it slowly by playing games and using toys. This is especially useful if they tend to wolf down their food. Here are some different ways you can make your dog work for their food.
Tricks
Teach your dog a few different tricks and you can get them to perform them in order to receive their dinner. This will be a good challenge for you and your dog and you can constantly teach them new and exciting tricks.
Kongs
Get your dog some different Kong toys, choose from the selection here. You can put treats inside these toys and your dog has to move them around to try and get the treats to fall out. They will enjoy playing with the toy and getting a tasty reward when they succeed.
Interactive Dog Games
If you want to really push your dog then get them an interactive dog game. Choose from Dog Twister, Dog Brick, Dog Magic and Dog Spinny. These clever games by Nina Ottosson are fantastic fun for your dog. They have to do something really smart and solve the game to get the treats. View Nina Ottosson's games here
Obedience
Use treats to work on your dog's obedience. You can always make them do a bit of obedience practice before meal times. It's great training for your dog and will help to improve their overall behaviour.
Scent Games
There are loads of different scent games you can play using food. From hiding treats round your house to getting your dog to find food hidden under different cups. This will help improve their scenting ability and it's a lot of fun for both you and your dog.