Activities For Beagle Chins
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Prepare for unexpected vet bills
Introduction
The Beagle Chin is a crossbreed between the Beagle and the Japanese Chin. They are playful and affectionate dogs but do have a tendency to bark - especially if they are bored. They can also be a tad stubborn, so training can be a challenge. How do you get this feisty, opinionated pooch to accept training and learning new things? Well, you have to make it fun. You have to challenge their minds as well as give them a physical workout. Start a variety of activities when they are young, this will help them to become a well-trained pooch who realizes that doing what you want brings benefits that they want (treats, walks, and new toys). You have to be very patient when teaching your Beagle Chin, but you can use their natural curiosity and excellent nose to create games where they have to find something to get a treat. As they say, a busy dog means a peaceful life - for you and your family.
Detection Dog
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Any Day
Cheap
Normal
30 - 60 min
Items needed
Scented items
Toys
Reward treats
Activity description
Beagles have been used for finding all sorts of things from drug detection, to sniffing out illegal food in airline luggage. Put this inherited skill to work and get your Beagle Chin to find an item for you. Perhaps you can cut an old sweater into two pieces, keeping one piece and hiding the other. This activity is a great mental exercise for your dog. Make it easy for your dog to find the sweater at the beginning, then place it in harder to find areas so they really have to work for it. Make sure you give them a great reward for finding the article. You can play this inside or out, depending on the weather. When they find the article, praise them excitedly so they want to play again. Make the search interesting and get a selection of boxes that they have to check, much like the detection dogs do at the airport. You are only limited by your imagination.
Step
1
Start with the basics
Get your dog familiar with whatever the object is that you are going to hide. An old sweater cut into two pieces is perfect. Hide one piece and let them have a good smell of the other piece. Make it easy for them to find, perhaps just hide it behind a door or where they can even see a piece of it.
Step
2
Detector dog
Once your dog discovers that they are rewarded and praised for finding the treasure, make it harder for them to find. You could give clues to your dog when they are getting closer such as 'good dog' then when they move away you could say 'oh no - colder'. This activity develops teamwork and cooperation.
Step
3
Variation fun
Get a row of large boxes and without your dog watching, hide the sweater section in one of the boxes. Maybe to start, you could put a small piece of peanut butter on the box. Walk with your dog down the row and see if they can pick it out. After a few successes, get rid of the yummy peanut butter addition on the box and see how they go. Your Beagle Chin will be mentally tired out after this game.
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Gourmet Picnic
Popular
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Sunny Day
Moderate
Normal
6 hrs
Items needed
Dog harness or leash
Picnic basket of gourmet treats
Doggy Waste Pickup Bags
Activity description
This activity is like an upmarket picnic in the park. Apart from the human food, bake some special paw print shaped dog treats, add in some yummy frozen dog ice blocks and press some cooked chicken into a mold shape with a little gelatine and let set. Don't just go to any old park, see if you can find a botanical garden where they will let dogs on the leash in, or maybe a special bay on the beach which is just for dogs. The idea is to go on a bit of a road trip, eat lunch out in the open, and enjoy your dog's company. There are some establishments that now cater to dogs so go online and see what you can find. This activity is a perfect daytime getaway for you both, with a change of scenery, lots of leisure time and some yummy food and drink. See how original you can be.
Step
1
Plan and prep
First, find a location not too far from home but somewhere where you have to drive to and haven't been before. Inquire as to whether they allow dogs - some establishments even have gourmet dinners for dogs! If they do you won't have to cook anything. If not, choose your location, pick a day, and bake a selection of dog treats. Paw shaped delicacies, bone shaped biscuits, and some chicken meat jellies will be savored treats. Make some treats for yourself, too or buy off the shelf.
Step
2
Destination drive
Load everything you need into the car (including your dog), strap everyone in and head out for a day of adventure. Make sure your dog has the best seat by the window to catch the breeze and enjoy a view of the trees. Don't rush this day, it is to be enjoyed at leisure. Stop often for your dog to explore, then when you get to your destination, go check out the property. Maybe it's an oceanside farmhouse that has a track leading to the bay. If so, what are you waiting for? Go explore!
Step
3
Gourmet treats
Spread out a tablecloth, ask your dog to sit and then start dishing out those lovely special treats you have brought along. This activity relies on your dog's good manners, so it is a good social outing to test their skills. They should have fun but also should obey your commands. An upmarket place will expect a dog to have impeccable manners; don't take your dog there until you are sure your little rascal will make you proud.
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Shell Game
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Any Day
Cheap
Normal
10 - 30 min
Items needed
Three heavy plastic cups
Bag of small treats
Activity description
This is an old game but a good one. While not actually using shells, it was originally played with them in the past. This activity is a good problem-solving game for your Beagle Chin. Your dog can look on as you place a treat under a cup and then you simply shuffle the cups around and get them to choose a cup with either their nose or paw. They don't get a treat unless they choose the correct one, but keep encouraging them to keep trying. Once they have found the treat and scoffed it down, they will be highly alert and watching your every move. Mental activity is good for your dog, it helps them to solve problems and work things out for themselves. It can also be very mentally tiring, so don't over play your hand, you don't want them to get frustrated or bored.
Step
1
Set up the cups
It is a good idea to get down on the ground with your dog to play this game. Ask them to sit and then set up your cups. Unwrap a treat and while your dog is looking on, hide it under the cup. Ask them to touch the cup and find it. The treat is theirs. Now comes the challenge.
Step
2
Shuffle the cups
Hide a treat again while your dog looks on, but this time shuffle the cups around. Change their position and see if your pup can find the treat. If they don't get it first time up, praise them but then show them again and reshuffle and ask them to choose again. When they get it right, rejoice with them and then they get the treat.
Step
3
Vary the reward
Vary the reward to keep the challenge interesting. Give your Beagle Chin a break, and then mix it up a bit. Maybe a piece of chicken one time, or a piece of fruit the next. Make it enticing so your dog really wants to find the treat. They will work harder to solve the puzzle.
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More Fun Ideas...
Dog Spa Day
Dogs don't normally race to be bathed, they would rather roll in the mud! But you can make it fun with a few sneaky treatments. First of all, fill a kiddie pool with warm water, then blow non-toxic bath bubbles to entice them into the water. After the bubble game, give them a good hair wash and lavish them with attention. Grooming is a way of reinforcing your bonds and it will make your dog feel special. Of course, you will have to catch your dog after the bath before they decide to dry themselves by rubbing along the dirt! Wrap a towel around them and gently dry them. If they are comfortable with a hair dryer, try that or at least introduce it to them. Then, finish with a nice back massage, followed by a treat for being such a good dog. It will change their mind about bath time.
Bedtime Story
Dogs love bedtime stories too, you know. Especially on a cold winter night, tuck them up in their bed (or yours if they share) and read them a story. It is just like reading to a child, vary your tone as you read, even show them the pictures. They won't understand it but will love the attention and the sound of your voice. Your dog loves being spoken to and will do their best to humor their human as they listen to your ramblings. The closeness reinforces the strong bond you share and they will probably nod off half way through if they are anything like the children. Soon they will be choosing a book from the shelf for you to read to them each night! There is nothing like snuggling in bed with a good book!
The Food Dispenser Challenge
A stuffed food dispenser toy is a great way to relieve dog boredom. They are easy to prepare and you can vary the treats you poke inside. Try freezing ice cubes full of peanut butter to add to the toy, or cut up bits of their favorite fruit. Fill it with whatever you like and then put it in the freezer. This will make it last a lot longer and your dog will have to work for their treats. These toys are made to be tough and are almost indestructible - there are many varieties of food dispensing toys that you can choose from. It will need a good clean once your dog has finished. These toys test your dog's skills as they try to get the treats and it will keep them from being bored and getting into mischief.
Conclusion
Your Beagle Chin loves to play and will enjoy anything from tug of war to fetch the ball. But as you can see from the list above, you can get creative with activities for your dog. Try to challenge your dog to think through a problem, seek out a hidden toy, or just blow some bubbles at them and watch them go nuts as they try to pop each bubble. Water and dogs usually are compatible, so water activities like beach play, paddling pool splashing, or our favorite - the water sprinkler - are a ton of fun and keep that nosey pup occupied. Keep them busy and they won't have enough energy to bark or care about who walks past your house!