The Power of Play

Toys, puzzles and mental stimulus play a necessary and positive roll in a dog's life.  Lynne McTaggert is the author of, "The Bond", a fascinating book that I highly recommend.  So, today we're going to explore a bit of her chapter on environmental influences.

In a study, several mice were born with retarded mental capacity.  These mice were exposed to a room full of puzzles, games and other stimulating objects over a period of several weeks.  At the end of the study these "below average" mice were indistinguishable from the "normal mice".  There was a measurable increase in neural activity with the "below average" mice.  These mice had increased their own learning potential through experiencing a stimulating environment.

Hey, that sounds just like the TTouch confidence course!

But, if you don't have a labyrinth or other TTouch ground equipment hanging around to play with....

1.  Make up your own

A labyrinth can be pretty simple.  It does not have to be the shape that I and other practitioners use.  What you want is an outlined path with turns that is negotiated with a handler calmly guiding the dog through the course and stopping to "check in" before and after each turn is negotiated.  Pretty simple stuff.  Pool noodles, garden hoses, PVC, lumber, just about anything can be used to lay out a labyrinth.

Ladders, hula hoops, burlap, textured surfaces,  2x12 board (elevated on blocks, or not), can also easily be used to add to a stimulating confidence course.

Know someone who's into dog agility?  Ask to borrow their equipment!  Unlike them, your goal is *not* to race your dog through the obstacles.  Slow and methodical is the key.  Meet your dog where he/she is at.  Most dogs are curious and will want to investigate.  That's good!  Curiosity builds confidence and gets those neurons firing.  Racing through the obstacles (for a dog that's not trained to compete) is a sign of stress.

2.  Toys and puzzles

We can't all go outside every day and stroll through a confidence course with Rover; fortunately there are toys and puzzles now specifically targeted to "keep a busy animal occupied" but it also fires up those neural connections and opens up the learning potential.  And you just thought it was keeping Rover out of your hair.  Companion animals need both physical and mental stimulation (exercise) to remain in balance physically and mentally.  This reduces stress in the body as well as emotional stress.

Dogs are individuals and that means that different dogs will enjoy different types of toys.  Rover may love challenging puzzles, where Spot finds them frustrating or lacks interest all together.  Start out with an easy game or puzzle for the beginner and go from there. The reasoning is that you want to develop confidence and curiosity and foster interest in the game or toy.   Just like a teenager beginning to drive ~ no matter what they might think, learning to drive the old Honda is going to be way more successful and instill more confidence than learning on a Ferrari.

Why do we want to encourage confidence and problem solving with puzzles and games? It simply makes for a more grounded, mentally balanced animal. When they're content, so are you. When they have developed healthy mental skills, they make better choices.  Imagine if your life didn't include mental stimulus. You eat, you drink, you wander around, nap, get talked to on occasion and finally you go to bed. Thoughts of such an existence alone is rather brain-numbing. We've all had that momentary feeling of “jello brain”, where we hunger for something ~anything!~ “exciting” to do.  Our pets are the same way. Anxious, unfocused, hyperactive animals can learn to focus and calm from the benefits of mental stimulus that is kind and rewarding and it's way better than whatever destructive idea your dog may come up with for his or her stimulus.

Nina Ottosson produces some amazing toys and puzzles for the companion animal ~ designed to promote mental stimulation with the reward of a favorite food. Her website gives valuable information on her products as well as the positives of using mentally stimulating games. Although she's in Sweden, her products are available here in the good ol' USA thanks to the Internet.  Nina offers many levels of toys so that your animal never “out grows” or becomes bored as there's always a toy sure to challenge your pet. Her toys are pricey, though well made.  I recommend a visit to her website just to become familiar with the products and philosophy.

“Busy Buddy” makes a fine selection of toys for the puzzle lovin' pup who likes some physical activity with their mental challenge. We know those dogs, right?  Great back yard fun with a purpose that is more stimulating than the time honored “throw the ball till he drops” approach. These are great for the busy dog who isn't ready for the more challenging mind games.

Mind-stimulating games take focus, and in some dogs focus will need to be learned and developed over time.   Your dog may need some assistance to get started and certainly will take some time to make those neural connections that'll make puzzles and games fun!  We all take time to learn new things (and that includes animals), so don't expect your dog to hit a home run the first time at bat.

One version of the Star.
 The dog is wearing a wrap for added focus and calming.

The Ladder.
A harness and two points of contact increase cooperation and give clear signals to the dog.

Labyrinth (with other obstacles in the foreground)

Want to learn more about TTouch and how it can benefit you and your pet?  Click on the "TTouch Store" tab and scroll down to learn more about scheduling a session.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!