How to get a sleeping dog to work at home

While many dogs today enjoy a fairly comfortable life with belly rubs, naps, and plenty of treats, this was not always the case for previous generations of families. They may have been hunted, farmed, or worked at home.

But even if you don’t need a dog with such abilities, they might benefit from being given a few simple tasksHere’s what you need to know.

Why Give Your Dog a Job?

Some dogs are perfectly happy to be lounging around all day. Others need a certain amount of mental stimulation to get through the day.

according to american kennel clubPurpose-bred dogs such as sheepdogs, retrievers, hunting dogs, and search and rescue dogs once performed jobs that required concentration, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Therefore, dogs that are wired to do mentally demanding tasks can get bored if they don’t have something to keep their minds occupied, and if left to their own devices, Take matters on your own feet.

They probably won’t have a problem finding a project to keep themselves occupied, but you may not be as happy with the end result as they are…a bed, or a roll of toilet paper spread out and shredded. do).

“Work” to keep your dog mentally stimulated

To be clear: we’re not talking about having your dog formally work as a service dog of some sort (it’s something else entirely and requires a lot of training). more strategic To keep your dog occupied so that he doesn’t destroy your home or obsessively pursue your attention.

Some examples are:

• find misplaced items: First, put something like a key outside, teach your dog that it’s called “key”, and ask him to find the key (and reward him with a treat when he finds it). Then actually start hiding the key in an inconspicuous place. find them and get them By myself.
• cleaning: Depending on how quickly your dog learns new commands, you may be able to teach them. how to clean your toys.
• fly hunting: If your dog naturally flies or crawls on insects that have invaded your home, you can encourage them to spend more time on their pest control duties by: reward them With a treat after they caught something.
• scent games: Dogs who like to sniff may enjoy sniffing nose workWhile there are official kits for training your dog to recognize and detect the smells of birch, anise, and cloves, you can start by hiding scented treats your dog recognizes in different areas of your home. . ). This keeps them busy as they sniff and hunt for treats.