Don’t Let Your Dog Become A Lamp. 

I’m what my therapist calls a challenge. I dodge his impolite and nosy questions with feigned umbrage, disgust and a razor-sharp wit. Trust me, I’m much more vicious in person without the face-saving filter of edit, rewrite and repeat

I frequently tell him to stop looking at me, to pretend that I’m a visually unappealing lamp in the corner. The lamp is an anxious lamp- it’s digging deeper into the root cause of it’s generalized stress, intense anxiety and a near-complete detachment from its own body, it’s own frame. The lamp has some pretty significant trust issues too, and a wide streak of self-destruction. The lamp has never really dealt with a childhood trauma so it is uncomfortable in its own brass and wiring. This means that the Watching Man who watches everything, armed with lots of questions and letters after his name, makes the lamp feel uncomfortable. It is disconcerting to the lamp to be seen, to be watched. It is stressful.

Why are you looking at me? Can’t you look at the wall? Are you making sexy eyes at me again, Dr. Sexy Man?

As you can see, that lamp has problems…

Coincidentally, April is National Stress Awareness Month, and though I’m sure it was designed for those of us with two lone legs, it started me thinking about stress reduction and boredom prevention for dogs as well.

Through my experiences managing the Enrichment program at work, I continually learn new ways to engage shelter animals. Novel techniques and creative devices, new activities and different stimuli; it’s quite fascinating and I try to bring at least this part of my job home with me.

I want to care for the full range of my dogs’ needs, I want them to be whole and complete and happy and, well, the list goes on. I want them to be as healthy psychologically, emotionally and socially as they are physically and medically, so my dogs get lots of enrichment. I wish more dog owners thought about the day-to-day lives of their dogs.

What is he doing all day? Is he bored watching you watch TV? Does he get playtime everyday? Does he  have the right type of toys for his body and his brain? Does he have a variety of toys? Does he get time and space to just be a dog, to be a dog with other dogs, to run wild with the wind, to playbow then bite then rough and tumble roll through the dirt?

I wish more dog owners considered the psychological, emotional and social needs of their dogs and how these needs, gone unmet, can morph into something bigger, manifesting as behavioral and medical problems. I don’t want any more dogs out there feeling like a lamp.

That’s why I was thrilled to see that Puppy Leaks is thinking about these things. Puppy Leaks recently posted 26 Quick Ways To Relieve Dog Boredom. Here is the list reprinted with permission. Oh, and the photos below are Puppy Leaks as well.

Thank you, Jen, for allowing me to share your thoughts, ideas and your work. To read the entire post, which includes a fantastic introduction and discussion about boredom and dogs, click here. It’s definitely worth the read, folks!

26 Quick Ways to Relieve Dog Boredom

by Puppy Leaks

• Nose games. Hiding treats around the house or playing a game of hide and seek with your dog is a fun way for them to get some extra mental stimulation. It’s one of the most versatile games you can teach your dog. Start off with a simple game of ‘guess which hand’ to get them started. It can be played anywhere, with toys or treats you already have.

• Tug of war. Tug is a great way to mentally & physically challenge your dog. Short games of tug work wonders for tiring out our canine friends. Minute for minute a nice game of tug is one of the most physically & mentally challenging games you can play. And contrary to myth playing tug of war with your dog will not make him aggressive.

• Change up your walk. Daily walks can get a little mundane if you’re going the same route everyday. Switch it up by exploring new neighborhoods and changing your pace. Allowing your dog to smell their surroundings adds mental stimulation. They’re not just visual creatures – they learn a lot from all those interesting smells. Giving them the opportunity to sniff around adds a lot of great mental stimulation.

• Interactive toys. Food dispensing toys such as the Kong Wobbler, Buster Cube, or Tower Treat Dispenser are easy ways to add some mental stimulation. There’s also a lot of great DIY toys you can make from items around your house like the great dog bottle game. Your dogs going to eat one way or another so why not make it a little bit challenging. Interactive dog toys are a great way to keep your dog occupied.

• Simple obedience training. Training your dog any new command gives their brain a workout. A few 10 minute sessions a day working with your dog on new tricks or commands burns a lot of mental energy. Teaching your dog a reliable recall & working on impulse control are some of the important basics to master – it’s always a great starting point. Sit, lay down, shake, stay, and come here are the basic commands to start with.

• Give your dog a simple job. Have them help out with your chores or everyday routines. I’ve taught my dog Laika to help me out with laundry, cleaning up, and gardening. She helps me load laundry baskets, clean up dog toys, and carry sticks and logs to our wood pile. Incorporating your dog into everyday tasks can help relieve boredom. It also helps build their confidence; a dog that feels useful is a happy, confident dog.

• Give your dog a not so simple job. Find jobs for your dog that fulfill their breed tendencies. Retrievers tend to love fetching and Border Collies usually excel in agility. Find out what your dog absolutely loves doing and make it into a job for them. I personally love lure coursing for dogs – you can even set up a simple coursing track in your own yard. It’s a great way to burn off a lot of mental and physical energy – if your dog loves to chase they’ll love lure coursing. If your dog likes to pull and you’re handy consider building him a dog cart.

• Arrange a play date. Give your dog some meaningful interaction by having a dog play date with your friends or family. If there’s some friendly dogs in your neighborhood even better – no need to make any special arrangements.

• Build a dog digging box. If your dog loves digging build them their own personal digging box in your yard. Bury toys in it and let them find it; some dogs love digging so much this can keep them entertained for hours.

• Get a jolly ball. Any big ball toy can be a lot of fun, jolly balls just tend to be more durable than a soccer ball. Some dogs love playing with these all by themselves, but of course you can always make it more interesting by playing with them. I don’t know the allure of these magical items; Laika goes insane for her jolly ball.

• Clicker training. Clicker training your dog can be used for training new behaviors and rewarding ones you didn’t even ask for. It’s a way to clearly communicate with your dog the exact moment they perform a desired behavior; all the extra mental stimulation makes for a tired doggie. Dogs are always learning from us – just teaching them where to sit while you prepare dinner is mentally stimulating and enforcing good manners.

• Free shaping. Shaping is building a particular behavior by using a series of small steps to achieve it. Letting your dog make their own choices burns an amazing amount of mental energy and helps your dog develop learning behaviors. Studies have found that by using positive training techniques such as shaping help a dog learn to make better decisions in the future. Check out Dr. Sophia Yin’s excellent video demonstrating free shaping.

• Introduce your dog to new people and places. Exposing your dog to new people and places is an important part of puppy socialization. It’s great for older dogs, too. Just like any behaviors a dog that isn’t exposed to new sights, sounds, and places can get a bit rusty. Work on their social skills every once in while with some new dogs and people.

• Stuffed Kongs. When you leave your dog at home give him a stuffed Kong or another tough interactive toy to keep his mind occupied. One of Laika’s favorite things in the world is a frozen peanut butter filled Kong. When I leave she doesn’t even look up; she’s too busy working on that Kong. I’d recommend a Kong to anyone that’s looking for a simple toy that will keep your dog busy.

• Kiddie pool or a trip to the lake. A lot of dogs naturally love water; on a summer day these dogs will love just splashing around and wading in a shallow pool. If you live by a dog friendly beach or lake even better. Many dogs love a good swim – not just Labs. It’s an amazing exercise for dogs with arthritis since it’s low impact.

• Dog walker. If your dog’s home alone for long periods of time consider hiring a dog walker. If you don’t want to hire someone see if one of your neighbors or friends would be willing to stop by every once and a while to let your dog out for a nice walk or game of tug.

• Frozen treats. You can freeze dogs treats in ice or make some ice cubes from broth. Just like Stuffed Kongs frozen treats are a great way to occupy your dog when you leave the house or need to do some chores. If you have a full sized Kong it’s pretty amazing how long they can keep a dog occupied.

• Give him some extra attention. Dogs are social creatures. A nice belly rub, massage, or grooming session is an easy way to create a meaningful interaction with your dog.

• Alternate toys to keep his interest. According to studies dogs get bored with the same old toys. To keep your dog interested in his toys only give him access to a few at a time. My dog Laika only has access to a couple toys at a time – when we swap them out her enthusiasm for her older “new” toys is high. Keep them interesting by playing a simple game of fetch or tug, interaction will always make a toy much more desirable. If your dog is a tough chewer like mine consider some Kong toys – we’ve had our classic Kong for years. If it gets dark before you get home from work there’s glow in the dark dog toys available.

• Give him a nice view. Dogs like to know what’s happening outside so give them a chance to scope out the yard. A lot of dogs love napping in the warm sunlight in front of windows. Of course if you have cats they might have to compete for the nice sun spot.

• Make him work for his food. When it’s time for his meals you can use a treat dispensing toy or simply make him do a few tricks to work for it. If you feed kibble you can also try hiding pieces around the house. Studies have found that dogs prefer earning treats to simply being given extras. It goes back to the fact that dogs have been bred to work alongside us; working is not only something to keep the occupied – it gives them a purpose.

• Teach your dog to relax. Not all dogs are naturals at relaxing. The relaxation protocol is a useful technique to teach your dog to sit and stay in a variety of situations. Sometimes a nice simple belly rub is enough to soothe and relax your dog – it’s also a great bonding experience.

• Make a flirt pole for energetic dogs or prey driven dogs. It’s a rod with a lure on the end and many dogs love chasing after them. You can make your own with PVC pipe, bungee cord, and a toy for the lure. Word of caution; flirt pole chasing can be really hard on a dogs joints so keep sessions short and don’t play with dogs under 1 year of age to avoid growth plate injuries.

• Make a simple DIY puzzle toy. If you’ve got a muffin tin and some tennis balls you can make yourself a dog puzzle right at home. I love the simple puzzle toy  they made over at Damien’s Best Dog Toys.

• Chew toys, bones, or bully sticks. Most dogs love chewing; just make sure to keep an eye out for their safety. If they start to break it into pieces and swallow them it can lead to health risks.

• Make your own agility course. Give your dog their very own agility course to brush up on obedience and teach them some fun tricks. Weave poles, a ramp, tunnel, or just a simple jump. You can create your own complete course for roughly $175.