How to Put Your Freeloading Dog to Work at Home

Many dogs today enjoy a pretty good life full of belly rubs, daytime naps, and treats, but that wasn't always the case for previous generations of their family, who may have been put to work hunting, on a farm, or in a household

Even if you don't need your dog in those capacities, they might benefit from being given some simple tasks. This is what to know.

Why give your dog a job?

Dogs are happy all day long. Some people need a lot of mental stimulation to be happy.

Dogs used to have jobs that required concentration, problem-solving, and decision-making.

When hard-wired dogs don't have something to keep their mind occupied, they may get bored, and if left to their own devices, can take matters into their own paws.

You may not be as pleased with the end result as they are if you find a project to keep yourself occupied.

‘Jobs’ to keep your dog mentally stimulated

We aren't talking about officially putting your dog to work as a service dog, that's something else entirely. These are more of a strategy to keep your dog occupied so they don't destroy your home and pursue your attention.

There are some examples.

• Finding misplaced items: Start by placing an object, like your keys, out in the open, teaching your dog that they’re called “keys,” and asking them to find your keys (rewarding them with a treat when they do). Then begin actually hiding your keys in less-obvious places until they’re able to find and retrieve them on their own.
• Cleaning up: Depending on how quickly your dog learns new commands, it may be possible to teach them how to clean up their own toys.
• Fly hunting: If your dog naturally goes after flying or crawling insects that have gotten inside your house, you can encourage them to spend more time on pest control duty by rewarding them with a treat after they catch something.
• Scent games: Dogs who love sniffing may appreciate doing some nose work. While there are official kits you can get to train your dog to recognize and detect the smell of birch, anise, and clove, you can start out by hiding treats with a scent your dog will recognize in various parts of your home (within their reach). This will keep them busy as they sniff out and hunt their treats.