Hide and Go Seek! - Games with your dogs - Page 1

As most of us GSD owners know, the trick is not just physically exercising your GSD but mentally stimulating them as well. 

I'm lucky to have a bit of fenced yard, not a huge amount of area probably about 1/3 of an acre but due to some down tree limbs, I have both mowed and unmowed patches.   Lately, my dogs and I have developed a game with the good ole chuck-it and ball. I'll toss the ball a couple of times, just do basic retrieve fun and then, when the ball is nice and slobbery (read full of scent) I make them platz while I toss it into the yard.  Then I release them and they have to "seek" the ball out using good ole drive, determination and scent work.

Sometimes it takes 2 minutes, 10 minutes, up to 20 if the ball bounces odd and/or rolls into some of the taller grass or under a pile of brush.  So far neither dog will give up the search, no matter how long it takes them.   It's fascinating to watch the concentration. steady constant gaiting (they gait like they would be working stock) and natural nose work they employee as they hunt for their ball and needless to say the pride they display when they find it.

After a good 45 minutes to an hour of this combination of physical and mental exercise I have happy, exhausted workline rugs laid out on the kitchen floor.

Anyone else have games they play that combine both physical and mental challenges for their dogs?  

I do the same with my dogs they seem soo happy when finding a hidden object, I have a 2 foot deep large container of water,I like to see which of my dogs are willing and determined enough to dunk thier heads under the water in search of a favorite toy that sinks to the bottom,I,ve always found it amazing that some dogs can go underwater and find the exact rock that you touch when thrown into a river even when surounded by other rocks of similar size and shape,so far I,ve only seen two dogs willing and skilled enough to do this.

The warehouse at my work is about 45,000 Sq Ft., my dog comes with me everyday to work, often I will put her in a down and I will go off down one of the aisles and hide her ball, sometimes on the floor between boxes, sometimes in a box, sometimes lay it on the first shelf between boxes (about 3 ft. off ground) and then I go back to her and tell her "free-find" and she takes off. What makes it more interesting is that it is a Pet Supply Warehouse so there are thousands of pet toys and treats everywhere, but she never gives up and always comes back to me with the one I hide, she loves playing that game.

As I work and train PSDs my games differ a little. I teach the building search in my home first. I have a family member hold the pup at the front door then I run off and hide in the first room, have him wait a few give the warning and then have him sent to search for me with a search command "Find EM". Once he locates me I lavish praise and we do it again with me hiding in the same room but ina different location, so and so on.

For tracking I have him held while I tease and run a short distance away, hide out of sight. Wait a few then released with "Track Em" Upon locating me I relish praise and we repeat making them a little longer each time. As I track exclusively "off'" lead this is a great way to get him familiar with the method he will eventually be utilizing as an operational team.

For evidence search we play me throwing the item in tall grass, let him see it drop, turn him in a circle then release him with a "Fetch IT" command, once he locates the item praise and his toy. We slowly progress the time delay and turn him around before releasing.

All these games are fun for him and really help prepare for the job when it actually becomes a task.

This is likely the lamest game ever but our dogs love variations on this basic exercise. Martin leaves the dogs in a stay and goes about 450 feet away- sometimes he's waiting to throw something for them and sometimes he hides and they have to find him (we have a huge lilac maze on our property).