Joined
·
319 Posts
I second the nosework suggestion by @Curls ! Service dog training is demanding and can be challenging. I would “counter” that with an activity that is low stress, pleasurable, relaxing and teaches focus, and nosework does this for most dogs.
The “find mine” game is another useful service dog skill and also a fun game for regular pet dogs, plus, you can do it at home on your own (you teach the dog to find objects with your scent on it).
Another simple at-home thing is also to bring in items (old clothes, shoes, toys…) that belonged to other humans (variation: to other dogs, pets). You set them around a room or yard and let the dog sniff to its heart’s content. You can do it with unusual objects too, it is just important to not overwhelm the dog. This is a good easy way to introduce novelty.
The “find mine” game is another useful service dog skill and also a fun game for regular pet dogs, plus, you can do it at home on your own (you teach the dog to find objects with your scent on it).
Another simple at-home thing is also to bring in items (old clothes, shoes, toys…) that belonged to other humans (variation: to other dogs, pets). You set them around a room or yard and let the dog sniff to its heart’s content. You can do it with unusual objects too, it is just important to not overwhelm the dog. This is a good easy way to introduce novelty.
