Brain Training for Your Dog

Dogs are incredibly intelligent creatures who love learning. Get a few dog owners together and they'll soon be sharing stories about their "genius" dogs.

Unfortunately, dog owners seldom put in the effort to provide mental stimulation for their canine companions. This is a pity, because with very little effort you can get your dog thinking and solving problems.

The pay-off? A happier, calmer, more balanced dog.

Listed below are 7 simple activities you can use to train your dog's brain.

1. Canine IQ: Go to Google and enter "canine iq". The search turns up a series of tests designed to find out how smart your dog is. The results are less important than the activities that will work your dog's brain.

2. Solving Simple Problems: Hide an object and get him to search for it. Place a treat just out of reach and let him find a way to get to it. Dogs are great puzzle solvers, so he'll enjoy this activity.

3. Basic Training: Training is a must for all dogs but an added benefit is that training forces the dog to think. It requires a considerable amount of focus to understand commands and know how to respond.

4. Tricks and Treats: You would be amazed at the complex tricks a dog can perform by combining just a few basic commands.

Now, obviously some breeds are better at this than others. Hounds in particular are known for their obstinacy, and short attention spans when training.

But if your dog is reasonably bright, and learns quickly, you can teach any number of "movie-type" stunts and tricks.

5. Put Your Dog to Work: In the wild, there is no such thing as a free meal. Even pampered dogs know this instinctively and will soon get used to "working" for a meal or treat.

Always make your dog do something to receive something in return. This could simply mean instructing him to sit before he gets a treat or a walk.

6. What's Your Dogs Day Job? Just about every breed of dog was bred with a particular job in mind. They still have the ingrained traits needed to do those jobs, so use this to your advantage.

Sled dogs love to pull, sheep dogs are natural herders, hunting dogs track out of habit, retrievers fetch things.

Find creative ways to put these natural instincts to work.

7. Sporting Dogs: Basic exercise may exercise more brawn than brain, but there are exercises that work both. These include activities like agility, fly-ball and coursing.

These sports are great for working both body and brain, dogs seem to absolutely love them and they're great fun for humans too.

Dogs are intelligent animals you love to take on new challenges. Try out these seven exercises on your dog. You'll be amazed at the results.

Click here to visit http://www.dogsanddogtraining.com where you'll find lots more dog training tips, including advice on all aspects of canine behavior.