Brain games

[thunderbird8588]

Malaika is getting a little uppity and i have been speaking to the trainer.
The trainer has recognised that she is an intelligent Dog and has suggested we play brain games to stretch her mind.
I can think of hide and seek with toys and ourselves.
Can anyone else suggest any please?

[NerdyDogOwner]

I like to take empty egg cartons and put a few treats in it, and let Gizmo have at it and try to get it open. Also the carton serves as a great chew toy!

I also put him in his crate, show him a treat, let him smell it, then go hide it. He goes around the apartment searching…sometimes finding previous treats!

And then theirs the "Buster cube" toys that I made out of plastic bottles.

[lvoss]

Jean Donaldson's book Culture Clash has several different games you can try with your dog.

Toys like Kongs and Busy Buddies where they need to work to get to their food are also good.

[Basenjimamma]

..or try hide and seek with her..You hide somewhere in the house and have her find you..fun, cheap and excercise too.

[Tiva]

Or you can try with Nina Ottosson's toys:
http://www.nina-ottosson.com/index_english.htm

[Kananga]

@lvoss:

Jean Donaldson's book Culture Clash has several different games you can try with your dog.

Toys like Kongs and Busy Buddies where they need to work to get to their food are also good.

I've liked the kongs. Kananga hasn't destroyed his yet (although it has some wear to it), but it works great to throw a treat in there and watch them figure out how to get it out.

Might not take them that long, but it's still some sort of challenge.

[thunderbird8588]

Thank you for your suggestions, i like the empty egg carton idea Nerdy and the home made bottle toy.
Ivoss i will have a look if i can get the book you suggest.
Petra, we have been playing hide and seek with her in the woods today, Kananga we do have a kong and she enjoys it. Have only put kibble in it so far but will have to get more adventurous.
Tiva i love the look of those toys and their are several online stores in the uk.

[Patty]

Weaving between posts set into the ground at narrow intervals is very good for getting Basenjis (and all dogs, Ithink) to concentrate and certainly occupies their brains. Put Malaika on her lead and get her to walk close to you in and out of the posts. Another way is to put poles/posts flat on the ground close to each other and walk over them trying not to touch the posts.

My friend brought one of the Nina Ottensons toys at Crufts and got the most difficult and although it occupied her Basenjis for some time they soon got the hang of it and were bored!!

Hiding a favourite toy in the garden and sending Malaika to find it will also occupy her mind and she'll have fun (I hope!)

[nobarkus]

Hide and seek works pretty good I've found. Throw a toy as far away as possible then hide. While they're looking everywhere for me I may take some other toy and toss it to throw them off.

[basi]

@Tiva:

Or you can try with Nina Ottosson's toys:
http://www.nina-ottosson.com/index_english.htm

I borrowed one from a friend which was suppose to be difficult but mine had it cracked in no time at all:rolleyes:

[gbroxon]

Wow! You guys have some ambitious dogs! Magnum would take a look at Nina's toys, give 'em maybe a sniff or two, and then walk away thinking "Not worth the effort." …sigh...

[Kipawa]

Doggone it, these basenjis are so smart. What about a Rubik's Cube?

[agilebasenji]

all of my pups get their morning kibble in some sort of food puzzle.
a kong with frozen low fat cream cheese/kibble mixture
if you have any friend with hay from small animals can be interesting for basenjis (you could hide it in a box if you want)
clicker games/training is lots of fun
agility training
Sunday crossword puzzle

[thunderbird8588]

@agilebasenji:

all of my pups get their morning kibble in some sort of food puzzle.
a kong with frozen low fat cream cheese/kibble mixture
if you have any friend with hay from small animals can be interesting for basenjis (you could hide it in a box if you want)
clicker games/training is lots of fun
agility training
Sunday crossword puzzle

Thanks again everyone , some great ideas. Will try cream cheese/kibble in her kong.
Malaika isn't into crosswords, she prefers suduko

[Patty]

What a sensible girl - has she tried Killer Sudoku, yet?!!!!!!

[JayCee]

I'm a meanie, I combine 'find the toy' with an out of sight sit stay. I started it as a sit whilst I threw the toy… now he sits at one end of house, whilst I then go off and hide a toy and leave him sitting... and he has to be sitting where I left him when I come back otherwise he's not allowed to go find the toy. It can be tough work for him to stay focussed and remain sitting when the cat tries to engage him in play though...

[Nemo]

@basi:

I borrowed one from a friend which was suppose to be difficult but mine had it cracked in no time at all:rolleyes:

I saw some of these at a dog show recently. They were kind of pricey and I thought the dogs would crack it too fast for it to be worth it. I'm still curious about them though.

[NerdyDogOwner]

Oh, I remembered another "homemade" toy of mine.

If you have 2 old socks, put some treats in one, and take the second sock and put in over it (so you have the one with treats tucked well inside the other).
This can result in a LONG and humorous battle in getting them treats out! Gizmo sometimes gives up, but usually will go back at it again later in the day.

I use 2 low-cut socks, but I am sure it will work find with normal socks too.

Expect lots of thrashing, tugging, and chewing!

[Kipawa]

And we all thought it was our dryers that were kidnapping the 'one' sock. No, it's basenjis and their treats!

[Patty]

Mine would eat the socks, treats and all. Game over!!