🎓🐕 Day 4: Novelty – Learning New Skills
Introducing novelty into your life and your dog’s life is about more than having fun. It keeps the brain engaged, adaptable, and growing. New experiences encourage the creation and strengthening of neural pathways, boosting mental agility and confidence for both of you.
🧩 Why Novelty Matters
For humans, trying new things helps prevent cognitive decline, enhances memory, and builds problem-solving skills. Whether it’s learning a new hobby, reading a book, or exploring a fresh activity, novelty keeps your brain sharp and focused.
For dogs, mental stimulation is as important as physical exercise. Learning new skills or engaging in activities like scent work builds confidence, prevents boredom, and sharpens problem-solving abilities. Providing variety and challenges is key to keeping your dog balanced and thriving.
🔗 The Importance of Generalization
Teaching a skill in one setting is helpful, but generalizing it to new environments strengthens your dog’s adaptability and confidence. For example, teaching “spin” in the kitchen, then practicing it at the park, helps your dog understand the cue in different situations. This builds their trust and readiness to succeed anywhere.
🤗 How Novelty Strengthens the Bond
Learning something new together deepens trust and connection. Shared experiences create opportunities for both of you to grow emotionally and mentally, while reinforcing your bond.
✨ Activity Tips
👋 Teach your dog a new trick like “bow” or “wave.” Keep sessions short, upbeat, and reward-filled to boost their confidence.
🫣 Play recall games like “hide and seek” to challenge their mind and make training fun and rewarding.
🔄 Practice generalizing a skill your dog already knows, like “sit” or “down,” by working on it in a new environment with gradual distractions.
💡 Learn something new alongside your dog. Try a new sport, craft, or trick. Need ideas? Check
🐕🏃♀️ Day 3: Movement – Medicine for the Mind and Body
Movement is essential for both humans and dogs. It strengthens the body, improves emotional well-being, and helps the brain thrive. Regular physical activity goes beyond fitness. It creates a cascade of benefits that reduce stress, enhance mood, and build resilience for life’s challenges.
🧠 Why Movement is Powerful for the Brain
When we move, our brains release chemicals like endorphins and dopamine. Endorphins are natural mood boosters that reduce stress and create a sense of calm. Dopamine reinforces motivation, focus, and learning. Movement also improves blood flow to the brain, delivering oxygen and nutrients that support cognitive health.
For dogs, movement has a similar impact. Exercise reduces anxiety, channels excess energy, and supports healthy behavior. It helps prevent obesity and strengthens joints, which is especially important for aging dogs.
For Us and Our Dogs: Movement keeps your brains active and your bodies strong. It improves coordination, builds confidence, and creates opportunities to connect and bond.
How Movement Heals
🔅 Lowers cortisol levels, reducing the harmful effects of stress on the brain.
🔅 Stimulates neurogenesis, the growth of new brain cells.
🔅 Enhances neuroplasticity, which helps the brain adapt and learn.
🔅 Releases serotonin, which stabilizes mood and promotes emotional balance.
For dogs, regular movement reduces destructive behaviors often caused by boredom or pent-up energy. Activities like walks, runs, or structured play provide mental stimulation alongside physical benefits.
✨ Activity Tips to Get Moving Together
🔅 Take your dog on a sniffari walk, allowing them to explore and engage their senses while you enjoy the fresh air.
🥶 Too cold outside? Try indoor exercises:
🐾 Leg figure-8’s or nose-to-hand touches (add side-to-side stationary lunges for added challenge)
🐾 Leg weaving (add walking lunges for additional chal
BENSON is the sweetest and most joyful staffy! He makes every visit feel like a celebration! Watching him come through the door to greet me with so much excitement and explore the space with curiosity always brings a smile to my face. 🐾💕
It’s hard to believe that this incredible boy was once abandoned, left tied to a pole, with no one to call his own. But thanks to the kindness of strangers and a village of angels who refused to give up on him, BENSON’s story didn’t end there.
Now, just 6 months later, he’s thriving with his amazing new family who adores him. They’ve given him the second chance he so deeply deserved, and he’s spreading joy, cuddles, and his big, goofy personality wherever he goes.
His resilience and love for life remind me every day why I do what I do. 💙
Moments like this are a true celebration of the bond we share with our dogs and the people who love them 🥰
🧘♂️🧠💪 Roll Into Fitness & Brain Power with Enrichment
Did you know teaching your dog to unroll a yoga mat can build their physical strength and boost their brain? This simple activity packs a punch for fitness and mental engagement, and it’s perfect for dogs of all ages and abilities!
This fun game (that I often refer to as magic mat—because an abundance of treats ‘magically’ appear 🪄) is a fantastic precursor for games like soccer or Treibball, teaching your dog to push objects with their nose (no paws or teeth needed 😉).
🐾 🌈 When our 13-year-old Heeler, LILY, was living with hip dysplasia and arthritis, activities like magic mat and pushing a ball became staples in her routine. They kept her brain engaged and her body moving, helping her maintain mobility and enjoy life to the fullest.
Why It’s Awesome:
✴️ Fitness Benefits: Builds neck, shoulder, and core strength while improving flexibility and body awareness.
✴️ Brain Boost: Encourages problem-solving, activates dopamine pathways, and strengthens neural connections, making your dog smarter and happier.
✴️ Gentle and Fun: This low-impact activity is ideal for all dogs! It is extremely beneficial for senior dogs, growing puppies, and dogs recovering from injuries, as it engages their muscles and mind without overexertion, setting them up for long-term wellness.
How to Teach It:
Step 1: Bait the Mat
✳️ Place treats along the center of the mat and roll it up loosely. Start with a treat in every roll to build motivation.
✳️ Let your dog explore the mat naturally. Mark each nose push with a clear “Yes!” to reinforce the behavior. The reward is already there for them to find.
➡️ Progression Tip: Gradually reduce the baiting to every second roll, then only place a jackpot at the end. Eventually, remove the bait entirely and reward your dog on the mat once it’s fully unrolled.
Step 2: Add the Verbal Cue
✳️ Once your dog understands the behav
🌟 Monday Motivation
Small steps lead to big transformations. Whether it’s fitness, behavior, or managing a busy week, you’ve got this—every little effort makes a difference!
🐾 This week’s challenge:
Set one small, achievable goal for you and your dog—or just for yourself. Bonus points if it’s SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound!
To kick things off, here’s a recent win from our own SMUDGE!
He just passed his SDDA Wintergreen DOT (detection odour test)! 🎉 We’re so proud of him!!! As you’ll see, we’re working on perfecting his solid ‘Down’ indicator, which is why it took us 34 seconds instead of under 30 😉.
Just like SMUDGE, we’re all working toward our goals, one sniff—or step—at a time! Every step is progress, and we’re celebrating the effort and teamwork it’s taken to get here.
Your turn: What’s your SMART goal this week? Share in the comments—we can’t wait to cheer you on! 💪🐕
🌟 Changing Perspectives on Tricks and Dog Training🌟
You’ve seen those jaw-dropping tricks where dogs read a cue card and perform what it says. I often get asked: “How did you teach that?” 🤯
Today, I’m sharing a demo video of my own dog, LOKI, showcasing this fun and impressive skill. But there’s a deeper takeaway here: training isn’t just about obedience—it’s about connection, mindset, and how we approach learning together.
Dogs don’t need a heavy hand or repeatedly saying, “sit, Sit, SIT!”. They thrive on trust, play, and positive reinforcement (no matter the breed…). Our mindset shapes our training experiences, and our beliefs directly affect our relationships with our dogs.
To a dog, there’s no difference between learning to sit and learning to read a cue card—it’s all fun and rewarding! (or can be!) The magic lies in our perspective. When we see every interaction as an opportunity to teach, play, and connect, our dogs’ enthusiasm to engage with us grows.
Trick training encourages:
*Willingness to learn: Your dog’s confidence and trust soar with every new skill mastered.
*Mental stimulation: Keeping their brain active is as important as physical exercise.
*A happy learner: Dogs love to feel successful and valued, and trick training provides that sense of achievement.
Have you tried any fun tricks with your dog? Share your favorites in the comments—I’d love to hear what makes your dog light up!
Want to know how to teach your dog to read? It’s easier than you might think!! Comment “READ” below, and I’ll send you a direct message with the link to the ‘how to’ video.
***If you haven’t messaged this page before, you’ll also need to start the conversation so I can reply.
🤩Get ready to join in the fun and wow your guests by turning your dog into the star of your next gathering!
(For licensing or usage, please contact: [email protected] )
🐦⬛🤍🖤 An Unexpected Reunion: The Return of BIRD
🐦⬛🤍🖤 An Unexpected Reunion: The Return of BIRD
As some of you may remember, last year, I had the privilege of forming the most unique and beautiful bond with a pair of wild black-billed magpies. What started as curiosity from both sides blossomed into a connection I will never forget. There were three magpies in total that grew to trust me: SWEETIE, who was always by my side; BIRD, the brave, intelligent, and chatty one who learned to play targeting games with me; and PIP, who watched and accepted snacks from a safe distance.
SWEETIE’s passing was heartbreaking. I was there when the others discovered her, a moment that reminded me how profound and raw nature can be. BIRD continued to visit, growing even bolder, almost taking food right from my hand. But as spring arrived, BIRD found a mate and, in time, he became more distant until he stopped visiting altogether. It was bittersweet to know he was out there living his life.
This summer, a new magpie family with four young ones (along with many friends) discovered the food I put out. I’d watch them come and go, filling the yard with their chatter and play. But BIRD was always in the back of my mind—the one with the missing talon, the one who taught me as much as I taught him.
Yesterday, on a walk with LOKI, my heart swelled. BIRD appeared. He came close, watching me with those same clever eyes. We played our old target game—I couldn’t help but laugh, realizing I’m still well-trained! Though he kept a bit more distance and hadn’t yet reached the trust of the past, having him near again was a gift that words barely capture.
Moments like these remind me of the pure connections we can find in the world around us if we take the time. Sharing this small reunion filled me with gratitude, and I’m excited to share these moments through a few video clips with you all. I hope they bring a little joy and wonder to your day, just as BIRD brought to mine.
#UnexpectedReunion #HeartfeltMoments #Ani
Fun afternoon at the Zoom Park 🤩
#zoompark #privatedogpark #dogpark #zoom
So much fun this afternoon at the Zoom Park 🤩
One Smart Cookie K9 Services Inc. utilizes Fear-Free, Positive Reinforcement to teach, motivate and address problem behaviors. Hence 'One Smart Cookie'.
