5 FUN GAMES THAT WILL MAKE YOUR DOG HAPPIER!

We’ve all been sheltering at home for many months now, perhaps we need to break up the routine, to help us and our pets. Here are 5 easy ways to enrich your pets’ lives during the pandemic and beyond.

5 Easy Enrichment Games

Hiding Treats in a Muffin Tin

Before you begin the muffin game, here is an easy recipe for dog cupcakes.

First, gather the following ingredients:

• One egg

• Pumpkin Puree

• Flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon

• Molasses or Honey or both

• Icing

• Whipping cream

• Peanut butter (made without Xylitol)

Directions:

(Tablespoon = Tbsp, Teaspoon = tsp.)

Spray 6 muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.

Measure and mix the wet ingredients, 1 cup pumpkin, 2 Tbsp Honey and 2 Tbsp Molasses or 4Tbsp honey,

1 egg.

Measure the dry ingredients. 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 cup flour

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.

Fill muffin cups ¼ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 min. Ice when cool with 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream and 1 Tbsp peanut butter, whipped with hand mixer. Put tiny biscuit on top.

Source for recipe: Dog muffins, See recipe:  SOURCE: (https://www.crazyforcrust.com/pumpkin-pupcakes-dog-cupcakes/,

Once you’ve baked your pumpkin muffins, why not use the muffin tins for your pet’s enrichment?

Directions:

How to create a muffin tin game:

Gather 8-12 tennis balls and/or round toys, big enough to cover each of the cups in the pan.

Put a few treats in each individual muffin tin.

Place a tennis ball or round toy on top, about the size of the cups that hold the treats.

When all the cups are covered, allow your dog to sniff for the treat and move the tennis ball or toy out of the way to find it.

Allow the dog to have the treat right away.

Source: https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/canine-diy-enrichment

Kong Wobbler Game

Photo Source: Kong Wobbler Game

Wouldn’t your pet enjoy its food more if it took more time to eat?

When dogs eat too fast, they can have digestive upset or stomach problems.

To train your dog to eat more slowly, there is a hard rubber toy, called the Kong Wobbler, that can turn your dog’s mealtime into a game.

Kong Wobbler can be purchased here: Petsmart

Hide ‘n Seek with Homemade Peanut Butter Pet Treats

Before you begin, here is an easy recipe for doggie treats:

First, gather the ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour or white
• Peanut Butter – not containing xylitol – all natural is best
• Baking powder
• Milk
• Molasses or honey

Directions:

Measure 2 cups flour and 2 tsp. baking powder into a bowl, mix.

Measure 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup milk & 1 Tbl.  Molasses into a bowl and mix. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix.

Form mixture into a ball. Place on a floured surface or on waxed paper and roll with a rolling pin. Using a bone shaped cookie cutter, cut pieces and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and store up to one week in a covered container on counter or 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Source for the recipe for dog treats:

https://lifefamilyfun.com/homemade-dog-treats

Wouldn’t your dog enjoy the challenge of sniffing for hidden treats?

1. Gather a variety of high quality, small dog treats.
2. Place the treats in easy to find places in your home such as behind a pillow, by the foot of a chair or table, or on a low window ledge. Allow the dog to watch where you hide them.
3. Allow the dog to search for the treat. Once they find the treat, reward, and praise them.
4. For more challenge, the next time, hide the treats in another room, without your dog watching where you hide them.
5. Each time they find a treat, give praise.