Mental Stimulation for Dogs: 8 Ways to Fight Boredom

Let’s talk about mental stimulation for dogs. Physical exercise alone just isn’t enough for your dog to thrive. Do you walk your dog a few times a day or let them run around your backyard by themselves? But when you get home, your dog starts doing zoomies?

Maybe you leave for work, and when you come back, you find out your dog destroyed your home (you can read here to see how I prevent my husky from destroying my home). Or, what if you’re working from home all day and your pup is restless? Does this all sound familiar? We have TVs to watch, work on our laptops all day and scroll endlessly on social media. But what about our pups? They only have us. It’s essential that your dog’s needs are being met.

Signs that your dog is bored out of their mind

• Getting into trouble
• Barking non-stop
• Digging or trying to escape your yard
• Chewing everything and being destructive 
• Following you everywhere
• Overly excited greetings

Seven ways to provide mental stimulation for dogs to fight boredom

Fight boredom together

1. Let your dog sniff and explore during your walks together

Dogs see the world through scent, which is a great way to stimulate their minds. Sniffing is also calming to a dog. Did you know that just 20 minutes of sniffing is the same as walking your dog for an hour? Don’t rush on your walks with them. With everything you have to entertain yourself, your dog doesn’t. Give them the time they need to explore. 

2. Have a training session

Learning is tiring because it engages your dog’s mind. I learned this from Gatsby’s trainer when he was just a little pup. Teaching your dog a new trick or going over all the tricks they know will put them to sleep real fast!

3. Use a flirt-pole to play with your dog

I guarantee your dog will sleep for hours after playing with a flirt pole! A flirt pole is a rod with a lure attached to the end, allowing your dog to chase after it. It’s great physical exercise for your dog, and you get a lot of mental stimulation here. You can practice cues like sit, down, wait, take it, leave it, drop it in a super fun way. For example, give a cue to drop the lure once they catch it. Or, you can work on self-control. Ask your pup to lay down and stay while you move the flirt pole around. Using a flirt pole to play with your dog allows you to be present and spend quality time together, strengthening your bond.

Self Entertaining Ways To Fight Boredom

We all have jobs that pay the bills and can’t be with our dogs 24/7. Whether you’re working from home or having someone watch your dog while you’re away, here are some treats, toys, and puzzles for your dog to fight boredom. Remember to keep an eye on your pup while they enjoy any treats. Never leave them unattended while they play with toys.

4. Stuffed Kong Treat

Ever try giving your dog a stuffed frozen Kong treat? Stuffed Kong’s are mentally stimulating because it challenges your dog’s ability to get to the treat. It’s also a great way to keep your dog busy when working from home. Make sure you pick the right size Kong for your dog because if the Kong is too small, it can pose a choking hazard. Gatsby’s favorite frozen Kong consists of pumpkin puree, plain yogurt (no sugar added), and peanut butter (no xylitol because it’s toxic to dogs). 

5. Hide and Seek Treats “Go find it!”

I love to play hide and seek treats with Gatsby! I would hide treats all around the apartment and tell him to “find it”! He started to get pretty clever and knew where I was hiding his treats, so I had to keep switching up my hiding spots! 

6. Snuffle Mat

Snuffle mats are designed to hide treats. It encourages your dog to use its nose and hunting instincts to forage for food. It’s one of the best things I ever bought for Gatsby, especially when he was a puppy around six months to a year old. The mat kept him busy, and he would always fall right to sleep after that. TIP: Dirty snuffle mat? Just chuck your snuffle mat into the washer to clean it. 

7. Puzzle Toys

There are so many benefits to having your dog play with puzzle toys. Each puzzle encourages your dog to solve a problem. It helps to relieve stress and anxiety too. Get a few of these and put them in different areas in your home. These puzzle toys will keep your pup busy for a while. 

8. Bully Stick Treat (and use bully stick holder to prevent your dog from choking)

Bully sticks are long-lasting chews that provide hours of chew time and help stimulate a release of endorphins which promotes mental health. Other benefits include the removal of tartar buildup, reducing bacteria on teeth, and nurturing strong jaw muscles. Make sure to use a bully stick holder for your dog. I didn’t use one, Gatsby vomited blood and we ended up going to the emergency vet. Read about that awful story here. TIP: Don’t ever give your dog rawhide chews! They’re made of TOXIC ingredients and are extremely dangerous for your pups. “Rawhide chews start out hard, but as your dog chews, it gets softer, until it is the consistency taffy or bubble gum. By that point, it is nothing more than a choking and intestinal obstruction hazard, offering no benefits for your dog.” – Dogs Naturally

Healthy Treats for Snuffle mats, puzzle games, and training

Now that we covered the eight ways to provide mental stimulation for dogs, let’s talk about the treats you’ll use for the snuffle mats, puzzles, and mini-training sessions. You want to make sure you’re not feeding your pup unhealthy treats full of hidden ingredients that make your dog sick. Plus, most treats in the market are full of carbs, contributing to obesity. 

Did you know that according to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention, 52.7% of dogs in the US are overweight or obese? Once your dog is obese, you’re going to have a whole bunch of other problems, which also means lots of trips to the vet (I hope you have good pet insurance! It’s so important and will save you a lot of money. Read about my experience here). 

My choice of healthy treats to give Gatsby are freeze-dried raw dog treats. Our picks are Vital Essentials Mini Nibs and PureBites Mini Trainers.

Like humans, mental stimulation for dogs is essential in whether they’ll thrive and live a happy life. You can’t expect them to just lay on the floor all day staring at four walls. What kind of life is that?! You’ll go crazy too! Our pups need us to interact and spend time with them. Be present while you’re doing it. They deserve it!

“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it watching for us to come home each day.”

John Grogan

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