Stimulating Dog Toys for Bored Dogs

Everybody knows that dogs need exercise in order for them to live healthy and happy. The saying ''a tired dog is a good dog'' seems indeed to back this up. This especially applies to those dog breeds that were bred to do a ''job''. Working breeds, such as hunting dogs and herding dogs indeed wake up in the morning looking for something to do. Refrain from giving them enough exercise, and they will likely find some other way to entertain themselves, such as digging holes in your yard or chewing your favorite slippers.

Some dogs may also need mental stimulation to keep themselves entertained as well. This does not mean that you must teach your dog how to do your child's homework or that you must keep the National Geographic Channel on for him. It may simply mean that they may need to work their mind in order to reach a goal.

Let's go a bit back in time and see why dogs may seek mental stimulation. In the wild, for instance, canines have to resort to certain strategies to survive. For instance, wolves packs need to critically think and plan carefully how to hunt prey. Often they resort to highly intelligent strategies such as pushing a group of Caribou over a dry river bed where there are higher chances for one to stumble upon river rocks, fall and become easy prey.

Back to dogs, a little fast forward, dogs had to work with their master before being fed, most of the time. Dogs therefore had a job and they had to critically think the best ways to carry out their duties. Hunting dogs had to decide which path to follow when using their nose to track prey, herding dogs had to quickly decide in which direction flock of sheep had to be moved in order to effectively gather them together, and so forth. A long working day awaited them before coming home with their master and being allowed to eat the left over remnants of wild geese or other hunted fowl.

Today, dogs still have this inherited need to mentally and physically work. They have a predisposition to think things out and make decisions on how to obtain something. This is where mentally stimulating games come into play. And just as exercise, mentally stimulating games make dogstired afterwards, sometimes even more than a simple walk around the block.

Following are some mentally stimulating games for your dog that will help keep your dog entertained and mentally stimulated.

Kongs are a favorite among dogs and owners. Stuff a Kong and dogs will be entertained for quite some time. This toy has been also helpful for dogs that tend to exhibit mild behavioral problems. If you must go out, stuff a Kong and leave it for your dog to engage in a challenging activity in your absence. Don't like a certain behavior such as chewing your furniture? Say ''no'' and re-direct your dog by  tossing a nicely filled Kong and praising for using it. Best of all, the Kong is very durable and has quite a long life when compared to other toys.

One note: it seems like dogs get smarter and smarter. The first time your dog may take an hour to release the treats but then it may take less and less. It is up to you to stuff it in more challenging ways to make it last longer. If you are away for quite a while, you may want to invest in a new Kong dispenser, doggy-day care in a package!

This toy resembles a bit a hamster ball, but is in reality a random treat dispenser that will likely keep your dog entertained and mentally stimulated. The good thing is that your dog will also get some exercise as he must tumble the ball around and about in order to gain access to the treats.You can basically set up the dual Treat Meters to randomly dispense treats so it becomes unpredictable.

The ball is covered in plastic bumpers to help protect your walls and furniture from being bumped into and scratched. This toy stimulates your dog's prey drive and makes him work for his food!

This toy is a puzzle and will put your dog's natural instincts to work.Simply hide the squirrels in the tree trunk and let your dog use its thinking skills on figuring how to get them out. To help keep the dog entertained, the squirrels have squeakers in them, so your dog may further continue having fun by shaking them as he proudly carries them around the home. When the dog appears to be done playing, stuff them back in the tree and start a new session.

The squirrels and tree trunk are made of plush and are claimed to be quite durable, however they may be quickly destroyed by powerful chewers. Supervision is also a must as some dogs may ingest parts.

Some owners have dogs that find fetching the best way to keep exercised and mentally stimulated, but who can keep tossing the ball all day long when there are other things to do? Introducing Fetchtastic, the automatic fetching machine that will keep up with your dog and meet or exceed its needs! Basically, the machine is set to toss a ball every 7 seconds. Your dog then has the choice to return the ball tossed or keep on fetching repeatedly non-stop. Of course, supervise your dog for signs of exhaustion, some dogs never know when to stop!

Who said board games are only for humans? Your bored dog may enjoy some interactive play with this ''board game'' featuring removable bones which hide treats underneath. This game requires some manual dexterity so your dog learns new skills and solutions to the puzzle. His nose will come into play as well, since he will try to figure out which bones hide the treats under and search for them.