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Before people started feeding their dogs pre-made dog food, dogs had to scavenge to find their meal. Part of a dog's day was spent wandering, seeking out new food sources, and this activity provided them with needed exercise and mental stimulation. I decided I wanted to replicate these conditions to help keep my dogs healthy. One way that I came up with is to have my dogs eat their dinner from the lawn. What I do is sprinkle their dog food over the grass and them let them search for it. They use their sense of smell and walk around to find it. It takes about 10-15 minutes for them to find and eat all of the food. When they are done they are tired and seem satisfied. Sometimes, I hide the food in small piles and they have to follow my scent track to find it. My yard is fenced in, and I monitor the dogs while they are eating to ensure there are no problems. When they are done, I let them back inside and they get fresh water and a rest before I take them out on a walk/run.

Watch Video of "Feeding my dogs on the lawn."

Another variation is to play fetch with the dog's food. I take several pieces of food in a treat pouch and then go out onto my driveway. As I walk down the driveway I roll the food and my dogs chase after it. I have a very long driveway, so it makes for a great game. The Positive Pet People taught me this.

A third variation is to put my dog's dinner in several Kong toys. They have to chew the Kongs to get the food out. I learned this one form an Ian Dunbar book.

If your dog is bored, or needs more stimulation, these food-finding activities will really help to take their edge off.





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