There are many dog lovers among us who do their best every day to provide an exciting life for their dog. But let's face it - we all have jobs, hobbies and other things that take up our time in addition to taking care of the dog, so in the meantime it's good to think ahead to the whole week to plan some activities to do with your dog to keep him excited too . After all, most of the dog's day is spent sleeping and doing dog things, and it's nice if his week also consists of different activities and in addition to daily routine walks, he can also experience other things.
We put together a sample plan from our side, based on which you too can enrich your dog's weekly plan.
1. Combing and massage
First a little combing session and then a massage. Massage for dogs is of course a separate science and there are separate masseurs for that, but you can also do some simpler techniques at home.
Start by petting your dog's body. See if you notice a greater warmth in some places or that the skin seems to twitch when you stroke a certain spot? Or that the dog reacts somehow more when touching a certain place? If so, it is good to talk about it with, for example, a physiotherapist or a masseur, who can take a closer look to see if tension has accumulated in that place, which can be successfully relieved with proper exercises or consistent massage.
Stroke the dog's back, starting at the head and working your way down one side of the spine, all with very light pressure. It is very calming for dogs. You can also massage the forehead, using your thumbs and lightly massaging the scalp, the area between the ears, etc. Many dogs also enjoy an ear massage.
2. A walk on a natural obstacle course
What is a natural obstacle course? By this name we mean walking on different surfaces and taking advantage of fallen trees and natural hills and similar landforms. If you walk your dog on the city streets every day, your dog is used to using the same muscles, and this kind of walking on even ground does not require a lot of "exercise". However, it is good to occasionally take your dog to, for example, a sandy beach or a forest, where he needs to climb over some trees, climb some hills, walk in the sand, climb over rocks, etc. for a walk.
3. Eating off the lick mat
Licking mats are great aids and make eating some foods more enjoyable for longer. For example, it is possible to spread pate for dogs, raw food, canned food, puree, etc. on them. In the summer, it is good to freeze the licking mat with tasty stuff to give the dog a little cooling. Licking is a canine activity that is also very calming.
4. Acquaintance with the smell of another animal
Do you have an exciting animal in the home of someone you know, whose smell you could ask for? If so, this is a really cool way to give your dog something exciting to sniff. In addition, it is also nice to exchange toys with other dog friends. Sometimes it is still the case that some toys have been there for a very long time and the dog is tired of them. Then you can suddenly come to an agreement with another dog lover and make an exchange.
5. Looking for treats in a towel
A good simple trick to use, for example, an old towel or carpet. Throw treats on a towel, roll it up. To add complexity, you can also tie the towel together so that the dog has to struggle to open it first. This is a good mental exercise for the dog.
6. A pleasant walk in the forest with friends
If your dog has dog friends, it's nice to arrange a nice walk in the forest, where the dogs can take a leisurely walk and sniff together and discover the world. It is especially good to have a calm friend for slightly more anxious dogs, because together it is much more daring to explore the world.
7. Trying a new treat
Maybe you can find something at the meat counter in the market that your dog has never tried before? Do you make a puree of various meats and vegetables for him yourself, which you freeze in a licking mat or ice cube tray and give to the dog? Or do you offer him broth for dogs instead? Getting to know new flavors and textures is also exciting for dogs.
Enriching your dog's life doesn't automatically mean you have to find ways to make his meals longer and more challenging. A dog needs to do dog things - it wants those natural activities like sniffing, digging, licking, chewing, hanging out with other dogs, etc. Our expectations of dogs are high - we want them to walk well, listen and do everything when asked, but we tend to forget that they are dogs and need natural activities to live happy lives. We hope that this weekly plan will give you some ideas on how to enrich your dog's life.
We put together a sample plan from our side, based on which you too can enrich your dog's weekly plan.
1. Combing and massage
First a little combing session and then a massage. Massage for dogs is of course a separate science and there are separate masseurs for that, but you can also do some simpler techniques at home.
Start by petting your dog's body. See if you notice a greater warmth in some places or that the skin seems to twitch when you stroke a certain spot? Or that the dog reacts somehow more when touching a certain place? If so, it is good to talk about it with, for example, a physiotherapist or a masseur, who can take a closer look to see if tension has accumulated in that place, which can be successfully relieved with proper exercises or consistent massage.
Stroke the dog's back, starting at the head and working your way down one side of the spine, all with very light pressure. It is very calming for dogs. You can also massage the forehead, using your thumbs and lightly massaging the scalp, the area between the ears, etc. Many dogs also enjoy an ear massage.
2. A walk on a natural obstacle course
What is a natural obstacle course? By this name we mean walking on different surfaces and taking advantage of fallen trees and natural hills and similar landforms. If you walk your dog on the city streets every day, your dog is used to using the same muscles, and this kind of walking on even ground does not require a lot of "exercise". However, it is good to occasionally take your dog to, for example, a sandy beach or a forest, where he needs to climb over some trees, climb some hills, walk in the sand, climb over rocks, etc. for a walk.
3. Eating off the lick mat
Licking mats are great aids and make eating some foods more enjoyable for longer. For example, it is possible to spread pate for dogs, raw food, canned food, puree, etc. on them. In the summer, it is good to freeze the licking mat with tasty stuff to give the dog a little cooling. Licking is a canine activity that is also very calming.
4. Acquaintance with the smell of another animal
Do you have an exciting animal in the home of someone you know, whose smell you could ask for? If so, this is a really cool way to give your dog something exciting to sniff. In addition, it is also nice to exchange toys with other dog friends. Sometimes it is still the case that some toys have been there for a very long time and the dog is tired of them. Then you can suddenly come to an agreement with another dog lover and make an exchange.
5. Looking for treats in a towel
A good simple trick to use, for example, an old towel or carpet. Throw treats on a towel, roll it up. To add complexity, you can also tie the towel together so that the dog has to struggle to open it first. This is a good mental exercise for the dog.
6. A pleasant walk in the forest with friends
If your dog has dog friends, it's nice to arrange a nice walk in the forest, where the dogs can take a leisurely walk and sniff together and discover the world. It is especially good to have a calm friend for slightly more anxious dogs, because together it is much more daring to explore the world.
7. Trying a new treat
Maybe you can find something at the meat counter in the market that your dog has never tried before? Do you make a puree of various meats and vegetables for him yourself, which you freeze in a licking mat or ice cube tray and give to the dog? Or do you offer him broth for dogs instead? Getting to know new flavors and textures is also exciting for dogs.
Enriching your dog's life doesn't automatically mean you have to find ways to make his meals longer and more challenging. A dog needs to do dog things - it wants those natural activities like sniffing, digging, licking, chewing, hanging out with other dogs, etc. Our expectations of dogs are high - we want them to walk well, listen and do everything when asked, but we tend to forget that they are dogs and need natural activities to live happy lives. We hope that this weekly plan will give you some ideas on how to enrich your dog's life.