Young dogs are, by their very nature, very playful. Aside from being fun, playing can also be a very real educational and training session, much like it can be for children. So what are the best toys? Read on, we’ll tell you!
Puppies learn everything through play: who’s boss and who’s not, how to wrestle and hunt, the art of living peacefully with others. Our task is to keep them active, the level of interest in the world around them high.
Play should be a moment of bonding, not of separation. Games that involve physical contact are great for young puppies, but “intelligent games” that require his attention and concentration are also very important as they help develop his natural intelligence and improve his ability to focus, all the while having fun!
Ferplast’s mental activation games are really well designed. Like, for example, the coloured rubber ball containing treats. Thanks to its special design, as the dog plays with it he will be rewarded with unexpected little treats in the form of the tasty kibbles you hid inside.
And then there are the fun Poker and Explorer games in the Clever&Happy line. Insert kibbles through the holes and then close the sliding hatches. Only by using his paws will Rex be able to open the ball and enjoy the delicious surprise treat inside! Little Kim went nuts for Explorer!
By playing with these toys, your four-legged friend will develop skills:
- Independent reasoning and problem solving: puppy is trained to find the solution to a problem on his own, and get a reward for it.
- Self control and concentration: the dog learns that by holding back his enthusiasm (or even anger) he will reach his objective.
- Deal with boredom and separation anxiety: mental activation toys are a great pastime and keep the dog’s mind occupied when you can’t play with him. We all know puppies are hyperactive creatures, and sometimes it’s hard just to keep up with them!
A dog’s brain is very intuitive, highly receptive, which is why we communicate so well with them. We have a duty to stimulate and train him properly, be with him as much as possible, strengthen the bond and gain his trust so that he can reach the highest levels of his mental capacity, even if it means using these “trick” toys to do it!