Celebrating Valentine's Day with your Canine Companion
Does your Valentine have four legs and give sloppy kisses? These activities will help grow your bond, add something new and challenge you to think outside the box! Give your dog some extra attention this Valentine's day (or any day!) by creating fun memories through these activities. Check out this list of fun Valentine’s Day activities and give the Bingo game a try. Complete a line? Treat both you and your dog to something you love for each line you get!
If you find something on the bingo card that your dog is not comfortable with, swap it out for something else on this list above or get creative and come up with your own ideas!
Below you will find explanations of the activities on the bingo card
Cuddle and Watch Dog Friendly TV
Navigate to YouTube and find something interesting for you and your dog to watch. This could be videos of calm animals eating, animals roaming a safari, children playing or people doing outdoor activities.
If your dog remains watching calmly, grab a snack, cuddle in together and enjoy the sights and sounds!
My Great Dane, Daisy loves watching the birds and squirrels on YouTube. She has learned the intro screen bird tweet and immediately turns to watch her favorite critters. Here are a couple of our favorites!
4k Squirrels & Birds - YouTube - this one has the intro screen tweet which has become a cue for Daisy that the show is starting!
Please note: If your dog may become reactive to the sights or sounds, start by having just the visual playing. If that is too difficult, try opening it on your phone and just play the sounds. Skip the activity and find one more suitable if any reactivity comes up. This should be a relaxing time!
Dance with your Dog
There's nothing wrong with getting a bit silly with our canine companions. Heck, it can even be a great way to strengthen your bond! Not all dogs will want to engage in dance but give it a try and see their response.
For this activity, dance near your dog. Do not physically touch them or lift them for this. The goal is to slightly change the way you are interacting together. Bound around and see how they respond. If they disengage and leave the area, this may not be the right choice for them.
My bernese poodle mix, Charlie can get a bit goofy with this one! He will sometimes jump up and get a bit too excited. I use this as an arousal regulation exercise as well as just some fun. I bring the energy up to a level I know my dog's can handle but this didn't happen on the first go. We had to work at this over time to learn what the right level of movement was.
Bake a New Cookie Together
A quick Google search will bring up numerous choices of fresh made treats to try, some don't even require baking! Here's one of my dog's favorite fresh baked recipe.
Tuna Fudge
Ingredients
2 six oz. cans tuna. Do not drain. (Alternatively, use boneless canned salmon, canned chicken or sardines)
1 ½ cup whole wheat flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp garlic powder - recent studies show that dog's can have garlic in small amounts (optional)
1 handful grated parmesan cheese, about ¼ cup (optional)
Directions
Mix all ingredients together using a mixer or food processor.
Spread on to a greased 9×9” pan and bake in 350° oven for 20 minutes.
Store in the refrigerator for up to three days or cut into little squares and freeze for tasty little training treats.
Tips
I cut them using a pizza cutter once baked. This allows you to get small pieces to use as training treats or bigger pieces for a tasty snack.
Pop them in the freezer for a tasty frozen snack for your pup
Stuff them in your enrichment toys!
Prepare a Special Meal Together
Eating the same food everyday gets boring. We get choice in our meals and I feel our dogs diet should vary as well. Take this opportunity to prepare a special meal for yourself and your dog.
Choose a protein that they can have - steak, chicken, pork & fish can be great choices but why not think outside the box, pop by your local butcher and see what other options are available. Pair that with a variety of roasted, steamed or pan fried vegetables.
Be sure to keep any added fats to a minimum and trim your protein of excess fat.
Do an ACE Free Work Set Up
ACE Free Work is a great way to help your dog calm and relax. It naturally uses all of your dog's senses and provides low impact exercise, sensory enrichment and the opportunity to explore and investigate. Sniffing, licking and chewing are all naturally calming activities for dogs and this exercise incorporates them all.
Start by setting up different elements including surfaces so there is a range of things to walk over; enrichment activities, such as snuffle mats, lickimats, and ball pits; and a number of stations of different heights. You also need to have water bowls, ideally more than one and one of them raised.
Add food into the setup. You will need three types of food: small, easy to eat treats; soft food that can be spread on surfaces, such as cream cheese or peanut butter; and larger crunchy but still edible chews.
Scatter the small treats on the surfaces and in the enrichment activities. Also scatter some on the ground near these so your dog does not have to step on surfaces to get the treats. Spread the soft food on lickimats and surfaces that your dog can lick. Hide a couple of the larger chews so that your dog can exercise their jaw. Always be aware of the potential for resource guarding and don't use these larger treats if this is an issue for your dog.
If it is safe, take all equipment off your dog so they are not wearing a harness or collar. Then simply allow your dog to explore. Don't direct them or encourage them in a particular direction or lure them onto any surfaces. Just allow them to explore and stand back and observe. What do you see? Do they have preferences on surfaces, food, textures or smells? This is a great way to see!
You can work outside in the garden or yard, inside the house or on a balcony. Start with just a few elements and keep them close together especially if your dog is easily over stimulated.
Use what you have in the house: plastic crates, cardboard boxes, bits of old carpet, mats, towels, bubble wrap, any enrichment toys your dog has got. A rolled up towel with treats hidden in it or a cardboard box with scrunched up paper and treats inside make cheap and easy enrichment activities.
Gentle Massage/TTouch
If your dog is comfortable with touch, Tellington Touch or TTouch is a great way to help them to calm down and relax. It can release tension in the body, improve circulation and give your dog better awareness of their body.
TTouch is a mindful and gentle way to touch your dog which is relaxing for both you and your dog. It is very easy for anyone to learn and do.
There are many different TTouches, but a good place to start is with the Llama TTouch.
Many dogs associate a hand coming towards them with being grabbed so the Llama TTouch uses the back of the hand. This is much less threatening and can be easier for sensitive dogs.
Start with gentle strokes with the back of your hand and in an area of the body where your dog is least sensitive. Their side is often a good place to start.
Keep your fingers relaxed and curl your hand slightly so you can do light circles with the back of your hand or fingers. As you do the circles, move the skin gently under your hand, rather than sliding across the skin. Rather than doing a single circle, do about a circle and a quarter. This will feel more complete than one circle.
Start with just one or two touches, then take your hand away and see what your dog does. Do they lean in for more or move themselves away? Always listen to your dog and give them processing time when they need it.
Keep it light, relaxed and mindful. And remember to breathe yourself!
With any massage that you choose to try, be sure to keep 3 fingers on your dog to avoid pushing too hard. Also be cautious of any sensitive areas. This should be a relaxing experience for both of you.
Connect with Pattern Games
Pattern games give you and your dog a familiar structure to work within when you are in a distracting environment. They are simple, rhythmic behaviours that require very little training but provide a safe thing to do when things are potentially challenging. They all involve some movement, which is often easier for your dog than being still in these situations.
The important thing about pattern games is that they ARE simple and well practiced so they are easy for both you and your dog to do even under pressure. Many dogs will feel relieved when they get to play their game because it is safe and predictable.
Here are a couple options to try:
Up & Down Game
Begin with your dog in front of you, use a verbal marker (yes) or clicker as soon as your dog gives eye contact. Once you've said your maker, drop a treat to the ground for your dog to get. Repeat this multiple times to get them into a rhythm. This can be a great bond-building activity and gives something easy to focus on and can be a great tool to gain focus in busy environments or for reactive dogs.
Left & Right Game
For this game, prep a 5-10 bite sized treats for each hand. Offer one from the right, then left then right, then left and keep repeating. After a few repetitions they should be automatically returning to the opposite hand to keep the pattern going.
This game can be adapted in a few ways. Once in the rhythm, I like to toss the food from right to left instead of hand feeding. Alternatively, you can sit in a chair and either hand feed or toss the food.
Nose Targeting - Using Targeting to Teach a New Behaviour
Nose targeting is a multipurpose tool and can be used as a fun game, backup recall, tool to teach other behaviours or a position marker on walks.
If your dog doesn't already know this behaviour, follow these steps to begin.
Present a flat hand a few inches away from your dog's nose and wait for them to investigate.
Mark and reward any interest or interaction with your hand.
If your dog struggles initially, rub a treat on your hand or hold one firmly between your fingers to get their interest.
Next present your hand and wait for them to make contact with their nose before marking and rewarding.
Repeat until your dog is eagerly touching your hand with their nose as soon as you present it.
Next increase the distance away you hold your hand, so that your dog has to move in order to make contact.
Practice in all directions and with both hands.
At this time, you can add a cue such as ‘touch’ by saying it just before you present your hand.
Progress to having your dog follow a moving target. To do this, as your dog moves towards your hand, slowly move it so your dog follows. Mark and reward after a short distance.
When your dog has mastered the art of nose targeting, you will be able to use it in so many ways including moving your dog to a mat when visitors arrive, turning your dog’s head in the opposite direction to a trigger, or as a fun way to cue greetings with people. It will also come in handy as a great alternative for recall!
Tips:
Some dogs have an aversion to hands coming near them, they should be approaching the hand vs you moving your hand towards your dog.
If they seem to be avoiding your hand, try using 1-2 fingers held out to the side or try a different object. I get my dogs to target kitchen utensils, pens, post-it notes, a fly swatter or an actual target stick.
Once you have added a verbal cue, never repeat your cue. Ask once, if they don't respond, they aren't sure what you want. Bring your hand up to your chest to reset and bring it back down for another attempt but do not say the cue again until they have successfully touched their nose to your hand.
Go at their pace!
For those who already know how to do a nose target, try getting your dog to target a new object. I like using target sticks and post-it notes as they can be used in numerous ways. This skill can then be transferred to teaching tricks like spin, turning on and off light switches or closing cabinet doors.
Once they understand the game, it becomes quite easy to teach a new behaviour!
How many uses can you think of?
Go on an Adventure - Focus on Connection vs Obedience
All too often, pet parents want the perfect canine companion which to them means a dog that walks perfectly on leash, never misbehaves, recalls perfectly and has focus on them 100% of the time, even when in distracting environments.
Most human's don't have that level of focus, especially in busy environments so why do we expect this of our dogs?
Take time to find a quiet space to explore and connect with your dog. If they pull, speed up and follow them (as long as it is safe to do so!), if they sniff, encourage it! Better yet, bring a variety of activities to do while out.
Load up a backpack of goodies - a picnic blanket, likki mat, snuffle mat, a variety of tasty treats, a chew, water and a water bowl.
Put your dog on a long line and stroll towards your destination. Let them check everything out, sniff and mark and reinforce for any check ins.
Find a quiet spot to stop and put the blanket down. Spread some soft food onto the likki mat and let them work on it. Next, offer the snuffle mat. Draw some attention by saying "what's this?" and drop some treats into it. After that, give them their special chew to work on.
Enjoy some relaxation and quiet time with your dog before calmly packing up and heading home.
Box Search Games
Nose work is one of the more popular dog sports these days. It is beneficial for most dogs and can be a great outlet for reactive dogs who tend to live a bit more of a sheltered life.
Start by having your dog nearby but unable to access the search area.
Get 5-10 boxes or containers and allow your dog to see you place food in some of them. Be sure to keep flaps tucked back and lids away.
You can choose how many boxes contain food but be sure to start with more to ensure they don't get frustrated and give up.
Allow them to go into the search area and sniff out the food. Do not help them, do not walk towards the containers that contain food. They should be using their noses to sniff it out and investigate. You can, however, point out the search area and ask them to keep searching if you know they didn't find all the food.
Repeat this a few times before moving to the next level.
Now that your dog knows to find food in the boxes, start with around 5 boxes but this time, only put food in one. They can be watching as you place the food then released to the search area.
Note: if your dog struggles at any point, make the game easier by adding more food to the one box or giving a couple choices.
Repeat this step a few times before moving to the next level.
Blind searches - hide the food while your dog is out of sight. They no longer get to see where the food might be and have to rely solely on their nose.
Move the boxes or containers around to increase the challenge.
Over time, you will be able to stack containers, switch to new types of hides and even work towards teaching them to find odour!
Hide n Seek
This game can be played in a few different ways. The easiest way is to piggyback off the box searches and teach them to find food in a specific room. Some dogs are more inclined to search for their favorite toy. See what your dog prefers and go with it!
Hide treats or their favorite toys around the room. Keep in mind where you have hidden them in case any are missed.
Give them a cue like search or find it and let them explore the room.
If they are struggling, you can help be pointing near an area of interest but try your best not to show exactly where they are.
Another variation is for them to find you!
If there are multiple people in the home, one can hide while the other occupies your dog.
Release them to find "mom", "dad" etc. and watch them search.
The person hiding can make small noises to help if your dog is struggling.
*Some dogs may panic if they can't find you. This is not a fun game for them so please stop and try something else if that is the case! Panic is not cute or funny for anyone.
Arrange a Play Date with a Favorite Dog or Person
It is common as dogs age that they also become more selective with who they interact with. Oftentimes, dogs who met as young puppies remain friends for life. however, this is not always the case.
Choose a dog friend your dog has a solid relationship with. Don't just hit up the dog park and expect to make a new friend. You may come home with a traumatized dog!
Your dog may also be learning how to be in close proximity to other dogs. In this case, a safe walk with their parallel pals is another great option.
If your dog isn't one to enjoy interacting with other dogs, have a friend, family member over for a play date. Have the friend use some of the ideas listed here to change things up!
Try a New Type of Enrichment
Oftentimes, we get stuck in the same routine, using the same types of enrichment which usually involve food and forget to think outside the box. Enrichment comes in many forms! Here's some ideas to try out.
Food toys
These are items that you will fill with various types of food. Here are some of our favorite ideas.
Treat ball, kong wobbler, Nina Ottosson puzzles, burrito roll (towel with treats rolled in), snuffle mat, west paw rubber toys, kong rubber toys, scatter feed, frozen food, likimat and snuffle ball.
Scent Enrichment
Without your dog, gather items from various environments and put them in individual zipper seal baggies or clean reusable containers. If you use baggies, you can open the bag and hold it for your dog. If using containers, make sure they can be reserved specifically for this activity as you may need to put holes in them. There is always the chance your dog may pick an item up and chew the container as well so I recommend using zipper bags then put them in a container with holes. This allows more control over the activity as you choose which bags to open.
Lay the items out and allow them to sniff and explore them or hold one in your hand if you feel they will pick it up and run off.
Some dogs may require items to be in bags, inside containers which have been secured to a board. Always keep safety in mind and adapt to what works for you.
You can choose to use environmental items such as twigs, soil, leaves or sand or spices like anise (anise seeds, not star anise), dill, ginger, parsley, peppermint, rosemary, sage, turmeric, sweet basil, chamomile, cilantro, mint or oregano. Another option is to get articles of clothing from a family member or friend and allow them to sniff them from individual zipper seal bags. It's all about opening up their world!
*Be sure to double check that the herbs and spices are safe to give your dog.
Auditory Enrichment
With auditory enrichment you are providing a variety of sounds for your dog to take in. these should be sounds that promote relaxation.
Flirt Pole
A flirt pole is basically a long stick with a piece of rope attached with a toy, usually with a squeaker, on the other end. Basically a larger version of a cat teaser wand. For dogs who love to chase, a flirt pole is a fantastic outlet.
To start, you want to get your dog’s interest. Act as if it is the most special thing you’ve ever seen and your dog will wonder what you have.
Next, drop the toy to the ground and using the pole, make it dart across the floor as if it were alive. Vary the speed you move it so that your dog is close behind and motivated to keep chasing.
Keep changing direction and make it fun and unpredictable. When your dog catches the toy, praise and let them tug, shake or parade it around. Be mindful to tug with the toy and not the pole.
Wait for your dog to drop the toy or trade for some treats before playing again.
Remember to keep sessions short so your dog can’t wait to play again next time.
Play a Game of Tug
Tug is a great game to reinforce drop it and give an outlet to tug on items appropriately. This game can be played with or without food. I like to use the game as reinforcement.
How to Play
Use a toy that they won't feel the need to latch on to or run away with.
Give your start cue. I just say "TUG!"
Offer the toy and move it around to get them interested
Once interested, play for as long as you are comfortable.
You don't want them getting over excited so I recommend giving breaks after 10-20 seconds of tugging to prevent this.
To give a break, say your release cue, usually "drop it". Stop moving the toy around and hold it tightly against you. Be sure to tuck in any loose fun ends that they may try to grab onto.
Eventually they will lose interest, when they do, mark with "yes" then repeat the "TUG!" cue to restart the game.
Be sure to let them win as well. This game isn't about getting the toy back!
If your dog gets too worked up and can't release the toy you can either let them win or bring out some mid value treats to help with the process. Keep the treats behind your back, say your release cue, pause then toss 3-4 treats off to the side on the ground. This should cause them to drop the toy.
Relax Together and Listen to Calming Music
Recent studies have shown that turning on some music can be great at reducing stress in shelter dogs. It also showed that playing the same music for longer than 7 days straight allowed them to get used to it and stress levels crept back up. Variety is the spice of life! Set up a comfy area where your dog can choose to snuggle with or near you. Find some music that both you and your dog can relax to.
Here are the top genres
Soft Rock
Reggae
Classical
What is your favorite music? Give it a try and see how your dog responds.
Do you see any changes in their respiratory rate?
Do they fall asleep?
Maybe they are having a hard time settling
Make notes of all of this and try a few genres.
My soul dog was a fear aggressive Great Dane named Snoopy. It was always so hard to get him to relax but one day while I was listening to a favorite metal band, I realized he had passed right out on the bed beside me! I imagine it helped drown out all the other unpredictable sounds and allowed some peace. You never know what might work!
Setup an Obstacle Course
Obstacle courses are great for agility, confidence building and some good old fashion fun!
Lay out a variety of objects in your home or garden for your dog to investigate. Try to incorporate a range of textures and have items at different heights so that your dog can climb up and down.
To start with make sure that the objects are steady and won’t shift as your dog moves around. As their confidence increases you can add some less stable or moving objects to explore.
Either prep the area with treats or point out the different items to encourage your dog to investigate.
Look for changes in their body language as they approach the different items. Are they relaxed or showing signs they are wary? Are there particular items they enjoy going back to or others they avoid? Observing your dog will help you notice patterns and enable you to better support them.
Items for your dog to put their head into are great in preparation for muzzle training or times when they need to wear a cone after treatment at the vets.
Avoid luring your dog to interact with items they are unsure of as they might become overwhelmed. If anything, ask for a hand target and if they don't respond, give a treat and try something else. If in doubt, let your dog explore naturally at their own pace.
When your dog is happily moving about the obstacles you can even add water to surfaces to change the textures and add variety.
This is also a great game to play out on walks. We take advantage of empty playground spaces, skate parks and other landscape features like retaining walls, benches, light posts or garbage cans. The world is full of fun obstacles!
If your dog has mobility challenges, get them to go onto different surfaces at the same height versus climbing and jumping on items. Manhole covers, grass to gravel or soil to pavement are some examples of what I use.
Teach a New Trick
When it comes to training your dog, one of the biggest influences on success is the relationship you share. If you have a fantastic relationship built on trust, fun and understanding, the more successful your training will be. One way to supercharge your relationship is to engage in fun activities and games with your dog, without any social pressure over the outcome. For this reason, trick training is perfect.
Working on learning something new and fun together simply for the joy of doing it will enable you to understand your dog better as well as sharpen your training skills and create a stronger connection. Choose easy tricks to begin with and make sure to progress at your dog’s pace, so that they are having fun every step of the way. You can then progress to more advanced and challenging skills.
Here are a few options to try out
Make an Enrichment Recycle Box
The purpose of this box is for your dog to rummage through and find some hidden treasures which might be toys or treats.
What to use
Start with an empty cardboard box. Make sure there are no food scraps left behind.
Gather some bottles, containers (yogurt/sour cream), toilet paper or paper towel tubes, paper egg cartons, and loose paper or cardboard.
Place treats into the bottles and containers but don't close them.
Add treats to the paper tubes and close the ends to increase the difficulty.
Find a couple toys your dog likes
Place everything in the box and scatter a few treats amongst everything.
Let your dog pull everything out and explore!
This game is not suitable for dog who ingest paper or plastics
Take a trip to the pet store (if comfy there)
A trip to a local pet store can be a great adventure! You can buy your dog some new toys and treats, they get to take in all the sights and sounds, meet some new friends and maybe even get some tasty treats from the staff.
But not all dogs enjoy this activity. Pet stores can be quite stressful so if you choose this option, be sure to pick a store with lots of open space and go at a more quiet time to increase the chance at keeping it a positive experience. Be sure to have lots of their favorite treats on hand in case they get overwhelmed!
Scatter Feed - if raw fed, give in rubber enrichment/likki mats to switch it up
Many dogs are still only fed from a regular bowl, which for those most part is totally fine but why not try and switch it up.
If your dog it normally fed kibble, you can scatter it in a room or even outside. It can also be put into a few enrichment toys but be sure they aren't frustrated by this since it is their meal.
If they are raw fed, use rubber toys like West Paw or kong or spread it on likki mats all of which can be easily cleaned. If you're worried about a mess left behind, place a towel down or give it to them outside.
Try some different options and see which they choose!
Go for a Car Ride
Go on a relaxing scenic car ride with your dog. You might have a particular destination in mind or just a round trip, either work!
Many dogs enjoy sticking their head out the window, tongue lolling about but keep in mind how fast you will be traveling and the potential for debris to get caught. The eyes and ears being of main concern. I recommend purchasing a window net so your dog can still smell the air but without the risk of injury. Alternatively, you can purchase eye and ear protection for dogs but be sure to condition them to wear it using positive reinforcement.
The Name Game
Using your dog’s name, you can put eye contact on cue, so when the dog hears their name, they quickly turn and make eye contact with you. This exercise should be mixed with other activities so your dog learns they don't have to maintain constant eye contact, but should respond quickly with eye contact once they hear their name.
Steps
Cue the dog by saying their name
Mark when you first see your dog’s head start to turn then give a treat
Continue with another activity to avoid accidentally shaping staring at you
Continue to periodically cue the dog with their name, marking and treating when they check in with eye contact
If they don't look at you when you say their name, avoid repeating it and instead, try a tongue click or kissy sound to draw their attention. This should be faded over time.
At home fun
Test it out: Can your dog play tug, give eye contact upon hearing their name, then resume playing tug again? How about when eating dinner? Mark the eye contact with "yes" and reinforce with a chance to resume what they were doing before.
Once you have a quick response, take your training on the road and add in some more distance!
The Shadow Game - Scatter Recall
This game teaches your dog that it's beneficial to stay near you and follow you quickly. It is a fantastic way to build a solid foundation for a long term reliable recall.
How to play
Have some treats handy and get your dog's attention.
As soon as they are with you, drop a treat and quickly move to a new location. This doesn't have to be far.
Repeat this 10 times and take a break.
Try it around the house or in a garden or park with a long line
If at any point they don't follow, reset and be sure to stay closer to them so they are more likely to succeed.
Which hand game
This is a great starter game for dogs who haven't practiced nose work before.
Take a treat and place it in one of your hands. Be sure to let them see which hand it is in.
Hold both of your hands out towards your dog in a fist and have them pick which hand it is in. Use subtle movements in him to determine which hand he is indicating. Keep it simple.
Once they have it figured out, don’t show them which hand it is in and have them choose. You can also add the “which hand?” cue before presenting your fists.
The Shell Game
This game is a great nose work starter game.
Get out 3 cups and line them up in a row in front of your dog.
To start, put a treat under one of the cups while your dog is watching, give them the OK to show you which one is the right cup. When they choose correctly, mark with “yes” & let them have the treat.
If needed, make it easier by starting with just one cup and keep adding more as they are repetitively successful.
Once your dog seems to get the hang of it you can make it more challenging by mixing the cups around after you place the treat. You can also add more cups.
Happy Valentine's Day from the Magnolia Dog Team!