Top 10 Ways to Make Your Dog a Better Problem Solver

 

🧠 Top 10 Ways to Make Your Dog a Better Problem Solver

1. 

Food Puzzle Toys

Stuff a Kong. Hide kibble in a snuffle mat. Let them work for their meal — not just inhale it.

2. 

Obstacle Courses

Use chairs, cushions, boxes — build a DIY course. Make them think about every move.

3. 

“Find It” Games

Hide treats in different rooms. Say “Find it.” Watch them sniff, search, and solve.

4. 

Open-and-Close Challenges

Use containers with lids, drawers, or flaps. Train your dog to figure out how to get to what they want.

5. 

Tug with Rules

Make it structured: start only on command, pause mid-game, release on cue. They learn impulse control — a higher-level skill.

6. 

Shaping with a Clicker

Break tasks into tiny steps. Click and reward progress. This teaches them to offer behaviors, not just wait for commands.

7. 

“Which Hand?” Game

Hide a treat in one hand. Let them guess. It’s simple — but builds deductive reasoning.

8. 

Teach Names of Toys

Label toys (“Get duck!” “Find rope!”). You’re building their word-bank and memory.

9. 

Let Them Struggle (Safely)

Don’t always rush in. Let your dog figure it out — that moment of frustration leads to growth.

10. 

Rotate Challenges

Change the puzzles every few days. Novelty forces new thinking.