Intelligence Games For Your Pet
Pets, in addition to being cute and charming, are extremely intelligent. When we adopt a pet, we must offer him not only physical activity, but also mental stimulation. Below, we will give you some brain game ideas for your pet.
Intelligence tips and games for your pet
Kong, an ideal toy for your dog
Kong goes beyond just being a dog toy. In fact, in addition to stimulating their cognitive abilities, the Kong also helps to teach good eating habits to your pet. In this way, it is possible to prevent the dog from becoming overly greedy and learning to chew and enjoy his food, not just devour it.
On the other hand, Kong also allows us to prevent behavioral problems, especially separation anxiety. Therefore, it is the most complete game we can offer our best friend’s body and mind.
Before giving the Kong to your dog, remember to put some food or biscuits in it. The goal is for the animal to understand how to get food from the Kong in order to earn his reward. This will stimulate his mind, entertain him and relax him.
A homemade hiding place / puzzle for your cat
While cats are more fond of hiding, dogs are also attracted to puzzle-like intelligence games. In addition to stimulating your pet’s mind, this idea is very economical, as we can use a simple cardboard box.
To build this hideout / puzzle, you will need a sturdy cardboard box, scissors or cutter, and your pet’s favorite toys. This will be enough to get you started.
Choose a cardboard box of the right size for your pet, which allows him to be comfortable and play inside. In general, this home game is more suitable for small animals.
To make it happen, follow these simple steps :
- Take the cardboard box and make 10 to 12 holes in its lid with scissors, a knife or a utility knife.
- Once done, place your pet’s favorite toys inside the box.
- If you wish, you can also reinforce the bottom of the box with non-toxic tape or glue.
Intelligence games for your pet: the game of three glasses.
Three glasses is a classic wits game that we can play with our pets at home. To make it, all you need are some plastic cups, such as empty yogurt containers, and some sweets or croquettes.
The way to play is also very simple. To begin, hide a snack in one of the glasses, and allow the animal to see and follow your movement. Then move and mix the position of the glasses, and ask your friend to tell you where the croquette is.
When you start playing this game with your pet, it is very important to do the movements slowly. The idea is that the animal can accompany your movements to easily find out where its prize is. If you start with quick movements, the animal will get confused and lose interest or end up getting frustrated.
Environmental enrichment for your pet’s mind
As we always say, it is essential that you set aside time to play with your pet. Therefore, intelligence games are a great option.
However, it is also very important to provide animals with an enriched environment. By adding toys and stimuli to their environment, you allow them to have fun and exercise their body and mind even during your absence.
In addition to contributing to healthy weight management, environmental enrichment also helps prevent some behavioral problems. Therefore, we recommend adding interactive toys, audiovisual stimuli and other complements to stimulate your pet’s mind.
Education is the key to a healthy mind
The games we have seen will help you stimulate the intelligence and senses of the animal. However, education will be the most comprehensive exercise you can offer your faithful companions.
From the moment your pet arrives home, they need to be introduced to the house rules and learn to recognize their own name. Gradually, it is possible to begin his training and introduce him to the basic commands of obedience.
Although when it comes to training and education, we tend to associate it only with dogs, it is possible to do the same thing successfully with a cat too. With patience, affection and the help of positive reinforcement, your cat will enjoy the benefits of education to stimulate her high intelligence.
