Intelligence Games for Dogs: In Action

Trainer Jen told us that when we are doing obedience with our pups that we should wait, one good dog, two good dogs, and then give a correction.  For me, Dewey is a four good dog and then a correction.  He does it by the fourth good dog.  But he is thinking.  I can see the wheels turning.  He's considering the possibilities, as my dad would say. Melisa got him down to two good dogs.

But Dewey moves very slowly. He reacts with caution and deliberation.  He thinks about things.  The nice thing is that he recovers very quickly.

Recently, we bought some intelligence toys from Dog.com. We bought the Seek a Treat Discovery Wheel, and the Seek a Treat Triple Twist.  Those are the best.

We also got the Kyjen Paw Flapper.  Do NOT get this toy!!!  It is horrible.  Jam took one look at it, picked it up by a flapper, swung it around, releasing all the treats in a shower of treaty goodness that Dewey and Willow loved and then flung it into the air.  Not at all the kind of intelligence toy that you want to have in your house.  At least, I don't want it.  Jam wanted it.  Very badly.

However, the Kyjen Star Spinner Puzzle dog toy was a winner.  Willow likes it a lot.  Here's a video of them doing their thing.

 

What we found was that Jam gets very frustrated and will actually shove his toy over to Willow to let her do it for him.  Willow is very methodical and precise.  She will spend 30-40 minutes with a toy.  Dewey is somewhere in between.  He has a bit of Jam, willing to jostle it to get the kibble that falls out, but he has a bit of Willow as well.  He works the puzzle too.

Every dog is different.  Dewey is a puzzle we will figure out as well.