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Dogs are intelligent and emotional creatures. They are intuitive
and sharp which is why their help is often used in law
enforcement agencies. Dogs are trained to sniff out cadavers,
drugs, and also to protect their owners from harm.Most owners
indulge in developing the physical well-being of their dogs by
proper feeding, taking them out on long walks, playing with them.
But, just as physical health is important, it is important that
you pay attention to their intellectual development as well. You
might notice your dog gets easily bored at times. Engage your dog
in interactive activities and keep him/her busy.There are several
enrichment toys that can provide a challenge for your dog. These
toys have features that can capture your dog's attention. They
have unusual movements, sounds and contents. This helps in
keeping your dog focused and he or she will not be growing bored
with it anytime soon. Interactive dogs come in different types,
shapes and sizes. There are toys that dispense treats at the end
of the challenge, toys to enhance your dog's memory, ones that
are meant to sharpen their senses and so on.Here are some popular
toys.
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Kong toysThese toys take advantage of the fact
that dogs are motivated by food. You can put in treats and
snacks in an outlet. The task for your dog is to get the treat
out. This engages your dog's mind and instills a sense of
victory in him. They are great for your dog's oral health.
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Automatic fetch machinesDogs love playing
fetch. This machine is a ball launcher that serves the purpose.
It comes with a little twist. The machine launches balls in
specific trajectories and your dog will have to analyze the
path of the ball if he wants to catch the ball.
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PuzzlesThey enhance your dog's memory. They
are motivated by the treats and end up solving these puzzles to
ultimately get to the treats kept within the puzzle.
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Mind gamesThese toys will definitely keep your
dog busy. There is a hide-and-seek toy which has tops that need
to be dislodged to get to the hidden treat and a spin toy which
consists of a wheel which has to be spun so that your dog gets
his reward.
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Food cubesThis is basically a plastic square
and a cylinder. The cylinder has to be removed and filled with
treats. You can adjust the cylinder for various levels of
difficulty. He or she has to move the cube with his cylinder to
get to the treat.
All these toys are easy to clean and is excellent for your dog's
mental and physical health
Are Laser Toys Bad for Your Dog?
Few things are as entertaining as watching dogs frantically chase
after a laser toys. If you need proof, just watch this video.
However, as fun as it is for us to see them go nuts for that
elusive red dot, it could be
messing with their head.
THE LASER TOYS STORY
Animal Behaviorist and Tufts Professor Dr. Nicholas Dodman
believes that laser toys play on our dogs’ natural instinct to
chase, without giving them the reward of catching it. “They can’t
help themselves. They are obliged to chase it,” said Dodman to
the Huffington
Post
.
Anything that darts around (such
as a laser light) triggers our dogs’ inherent need to chase prey
-- which, as it happens, is why so many prey animals stop dead in
their tracks when they suspect they have been spotted. Dogs are,
by nature, highly tuned motion sensors. And when something
triggers that impulse, they respond the only way they know how --
by chasing.
But unlike a rabbit or a tennis ball, a beam of light is not
something that can be caught, making a game of “chase-the-laser”
one devoid of any possibility for winning. This inability to
actually catch the laser can end up
wearing on a dog’s psyche. If a dog
is constantly chasing after something they can’t catch, it is
bound to stress them out. In fact, it may even drive them a
little bit crazy." i've seen light chasing as a pathology where
they will just constantly chase around a light or shadow and
pounce upon it. they spend their whole lives wishing and
waiting," says dodman.>
A SUITABLE SUBSTITUTION
Instead of teasing your dog with a laser toy, if you want to work
out your dog’s prey instinct, why not simply
play a game of fetch? Rolling a ball
across the floor gives them everything they need out of a game --
the anticipation, the chase, and the reward.However, if you
simply cannot give up the laser, at least find a way to
incorporate treats into the laser experience. Perhaps you
leave a
treat
on the floor and lure them over to it with the dot. Get creative
with it. Just don’t let your dog go unrewarded, or they may
develop a complex.
WHAT ABOUT MY KITTY?
Laser it up!
Cat’s, Dr. Dodman observed, are less likely to become obsessive
and develop behavioral conditions as a consequence of not being
rewarded. This is because they generally have a much shorter
attention span than their canine counterparts, meaning that they
are likely to lose interest in the beam rather than get all
worked up over not being able to catch it.
RELATED STORY: Is My Cat Weird? 5 Freaky Feline
BehaviorsHowever, there are exceptions to the rule, and if
you notice your cat starting to show signs of obsession, stop
playing with the laser. But until then, feel free to shine on,
you crazy diamond.Will you stop using
the laser with your dog? Leave a comment and let us know, and
sign up for PetPlus, a benefit program for pet owners
that provides member-only access to medications at wholesale
prices, plus discounts on food, supplies, vet visits, boarding,
and more.Source:Huffington Post - Why
Laser Toys Can Be Bad News for Your Pet