Playing games with your pup is a great way to teach them problem solving mechanisms – as well as create some great bonding time between the two of you.

In this game of Blanket, Find it! a dog, with a toy-drive, is encouraged to get a treat out from underneath a blanket without eating, digging at it or in any way tearing the material.

• As always, start every game easy before increasing the challenge
• Stay involved and focused, for at least the first few minutes as your dog learns the game, what’s expected, and looks to you for acknowledgement

Blanket, Find it!

• You’ll need a blanket – ideally something thin, light and that won’t make you cry if it gets torn (learning is a trial and error process – we bang up our bumpers as we learn to drive, dogs are no different, this first blanket may get torn) Note you can also use a large towel.
• You’ll also need a toy your dog loves. Tennis balls work great but so do most other toys, so let him decide
• At first, just cover the toy lightly with the blanket and encourage the dog to Find it! If he uses his teeth or tries to dig, encourage him to nose at it by lifting the blanket a bit, and making it easier (with some dogs who get frustrated easily, actually start with the toy sticking out from under the blanket, then move it under an inch at a time)
• If your dog gets bored or frustrated – it’s probably too hard (we don’t try crosswords at the expert level, we try them at the easy level and work our way up)
• If your dog tends to get frustrated quickly, keep these sessions short….3 minutes, a few times a day
• Once he’s able to retrieve the toy quickly without damaging the blanket, increase the difficulty: wrap the toy up in the blanket or use more than one blanket – and start using other places: under dog beds or in the cushions of the couch.

The goal is for your pup to get the toy but not do any damage in the process

At this point you may notice your dog giving you a signal for not being able to get the toy. Perhaps it ended up behind or under something they can’t get to – That’s great. You’d rather have the dog sit down and whine for a minute than tear into a prized plant. If they do give you a signal, acknowledge them for it and retrieve the toy yourself. If they try to get to it, let out a quick Uh-Uh, Leave it! If this doesn’t work, increase your response by standing or approaching. Your quick response will teach your dog to wait – be sure to acknowledge any small progress so they get better and better.