Exercising the mind is exercise!

We all know the importance of exercising our pets to help maintain their ideal body weight. But does exercising their mind really count as “exercise?” When you provide activities that stimulate your pet’s mind, your pet is thinking, creating new neural pathways and burning a lot of calories while they‘re doing this! While it’s vital to keep up with physical exercise, try adding in a few brain games to really tire them out. 

 

 

Mental stimulation enriches our pets’ lives by giving them something meaningful to do. And because these activities alleviate boredom, they decrease the likelihood that our pets will develop behavioral issues.

The following are activities that you can incorporate into your routines. Some of them also involve physical activity, so your pet will really be tired out!

1. Take your pet on a “sniff walk.” (If your cat isn’t leash trained, start with that activity first.) A sniff walk exercises and engages both the body and the brain. Instead of pulling your pet along, be patient and allow them to stop and sniff at their own pace. Sure, your walk may take longer as your pet sniffs every blade of grass, fire hydrant and telephone pole, and you may only make it 100 yards from your home, but your pet is learning so much about their surroundings and the other animals in your neighborhood!
2. Mix up the sniff walks. Add more interesting or new areas with different scents, such as going to a park, walking on a trail, going through an open field (try using a long leash if there’s no threat of wildlife), or walking along a bush line or near a lake. This allows your pet to discover new scents, such as squirrels, rabbits and deer.
3. Have your pet work for their food. Food-dispensing toys, puzzle feeders or puzzle mats stimulate your pet’s problem-solving skills and provide mental exercise. Many of these toys and feeders increase movement because they move unpredictably, requiring your pet to move around to get the kibble.
4. Scent games. Try hiding treats or favorite toys for your pet to find around your home. Cats and dogs have an incredible sense of smell. We all have scent receptors, but dogs have about 300 million and cats have about 200 million, while we only have 5 million! Pets can detect hidden treats that we can’t smell at all.
5. Playtime. Engaging in interactive play is an easy way to keep your pet stimulated and active. Recent studies have shown that the more a dog engages in play, the less likely they are to have behavioral issues. Playing a game of tug-of-war or fetch with your dog, or hide-and-seek or prey chasing with a feather wand with your cat, are great interactive games that will reinforce their bond with you.
6. Training and tricks. Teaching your pet new commands or tricks challenges their minds and also reinforces their bond with you. If your dog has already mastered sit, stay and come, try adding in new tricks—with trick training, there’s always more to add. Even if you have a cat, you can begin training them too!

Get creative with the ways you exercise your pet’s mind. Not only will you build a great bond with them, you’ll help them stay sharp as they age!

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