Game: Hide treats and have your dog find them
What you will need:
- treats
How to Play
Step 1: Have your dog in a Stay position
Step 2: Hide a treat in an open place on the ground
Step 3: Release your dog and let them search for the treat
Step 4: Repeat hiding the treat farther into the room and in more discreet places
Step 3: Have your dog search for his treat!
Step 4: Repeat, increasing the difficulty by making the treat harder to find.
Why do it:
Sniffing is mentally stimulating and rewarding for the dog. It is a "dog thing to do" so it also helps increase confidence and independence.
Stay is the ultimate control command; this is a good way to know how long your dog can stay. Practice going into different rooms, on different floors, and even outside to increase the distance and duration your dog can hold the Stay.
Exercise Notes:
- To make the game more challenging, hide treats higher off the ground. Dogs naturally sniff on the ground, so sniffing up is a challenge for them.
- You can hide toys, more treats, or even yourself!
- If your dog can not hold the Stay, you can keep your dog behind a door or have someone else hold your dog while you hide the treats.
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