The intellectual capacities of the dog are like the muscles; they need stimulation and exercise to grow. How can you go about helping your 4-legged friend?
Dogs are characterized by a remarkable intelligence, which enables them to learn a wide variety of actions and to adapt to a multitude of situations. While some breeds such as the Border Collie, Poodle and German Shepherd are known to be smarter than others, all canines have cognitive and intellectual abilities that beg to be stimulated. This is where the master comes in.
The dog’s brain also needs to be “muscular”. The dog’s aptitudes improve and are reinforced through exercises and habits calling on more than one characteristic: reflection, the senses, the social instinct …
Here are 6 tips to help your dog develop his intelligence …
1. The exchange of glances
Exchanging looks with your dog allows you to establish a connection with him and helps him to decipher the intentions of his master. It also allows the animal to understand that it can be counted on no matter what and to be attentive to all of its actions. Which is a big plus for his learning.
2. The games
The games are as much moments of complicity with his dog as the opportunity to strengthen both his intelligence and his obedience. Throwing a ball or any other object (frisbee, stick, etc.) causes the canine to stay focused while waiting for the throw, to ignore anything that may distract him and to control himself.
3. The problems to be solved
4. An improvised agility course
Obstacle courses stimulate the dog athletically, but not only. He also uses his intelligence, his sense of coordination and his orientation to move forward and overcome obstacles. It is quite possible to improvise such a circuit at home, indoors or in the garden if you have one. You can place chairs, tables or even coat racks (as stakes), or invest in pedestals, ramps, hedges and tunnels.
5. Learning new tricks
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6. Improve your socialization
Strengthening the socialization of your dog comes down to making him meet as many people as possible, whether they are congeners, humans or other animals. It is also about exposing him to various environments and situations to encourage him to call on his adaptive capacity. Without forgetting, of course, the benefits that this approach brings on the behavioral level.
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