Mind & Scent Game for Dogs: Muffin Tin

This game is one way to build problem solving skills and provide mental stimulation for your service dog. Great way to teach nose scenting ability too. It can be made simpler by using paper balls, or more difficult using smooth balls or odd objects. You can use all the same objects or different objects and see how your dog reacts. Turn it into a scent discrimintation game by placing a kibble under only one ball and see if he chooses only that ball.
How intelligent is your dog? The more problems he can solve, the more adaptable he will be. Look for our other educational videos and information at www.viassistancedogs.blogspot.com Videos now available for purchase on CD.
Brought to you by Vancouver Island Assistance Dogs. Helping owners train their own service dogs.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• mind
• games
• problem
• solving
• dogs
• training
• scenting
• game
• intelligence
• educational
• video
• canine
• mental
• stimulation
• instructional
• nose

[SplishSplashCrash]

GREAT IDEA!!

[supernaturalbc2008]

Another idea I tried later was to only place a treat under one of the balls and it becomes a scent discrimination game. Wrong choices are naturally not reinforced.

[discdogshayne]

OMG! That's awesome...though i do think shayne would focus too much on the balls. I like to put shayne's dinner in a cardboard box and tape it up LOL. she works so hard figuring how how to open it up--i started by putting kibble under a glass jar...then in a jar... then under a box then in the box w/ a big hole...then a taped box LOL. She has a blast--i should get a video.

[supernaturalbc2008]

Jessie wasn't sure which she liked, which i think is why she would play abit with the balls, then go for the food etc.

How about shaping Shayne to lift them (or maybe start with something else) into the muffin tin. Lots of variations possible!

[TheTypoGoddess]

What breed is Jessie? She is beautiful!

[whirefox]

great idea although I fear with mine I'd be buying new balls all the time, rofl, his fav toy is an empty soda bottle( plastic) tills it's no longer with a cap and flat...then its mine again

[GuyVidal]

We'll try it

[supernaturalbc2009]

Great idea! I've used scrunched up paper balls for small dogs, socks rolled up in themselves for others etc. Gotta love creativity. You are right, not everyone has a collection of bouncing balls!

[shelbyfav1]

i taught my, about to be 8, year old mutt this trick with using apples instead, because i only have one ball for her lol!

[animalobsessed1]

I´m going to do this with my dogs! It´s a great idea.

[1949pink]

Great help! and I can also improvise with objects that have at home. Thank you. 5 *

[DogTracksCD]

Neat training idea. I can't wait to try it with my dog. Thanks!

[synve1]

I love how carefully and deliberately she removes the balls once she has found out what to do!! Very nice work! (and nice dog, too!) I'm going to steal this idea for my dogs! :)

[smeezys]

Thanks for the great video! I'm looking forward to see your other videos :)