Activities For King Schnauzers

Home
Dog Activities
Activities For King Schnauzers

1k Views

0 Comments

0 Votes

Prepare for unexpected vet bills

Find pet insurance Find pet insurance

Introduction

With a face you just can't help but love, King Schnauzers rule the roost wherever they go. A mix between a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (talk about royalty!) and a mini Schnauzer, the King Schnauzer is a loving, playful pup that grows to be full sized at less than 20 pounds.

These family-oriented dogs are perfect for households that offer plenty of love and attention, as well as stimulation because King Schnauzers need a lot or they will find their own ways to stay occupied -- and you probably won't like what they find to get into!

The King Schnauzer's favorite thing to do is to spend time with family and they are highly adaptable to just about any location. Even though they love to be active, you'll want to be careful exactly how you choose to keep your pup stimulated because their excitement can go beyond what their little bodies can handle.

Try to find activities that are broken into smaller chunks of time and always keep an eye on your pup for signs of overexertion.

Visit a Nursing Home

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Normal

1 hr

Items needed

Treats

Harness

Leash

Vaccination records

Activity description

What many people who purchase King Schnauzers don't realize is that their emotional state is usually tied to how much they are around people. If they don't get attention, they may become depressed.

To keep this from happening to your pup, a great activity is to train them to become a therapy dog and visit nursing homes!

Not all dogs have what it takes to do this well. They have to enjoy people, both known and new, and not bite or nip, even when coerced. They also have to have basic commands down pat and be calm in new environments.

If your pup startles easily or gets nervous with new sights or smells, training them to be a therapy dog might not be the activity for them.

Step

Find a nursing home in need

Of course, you'll want to be training Fido on following commands as you are searching for a nursing home that allows pets to visit. However, during the course of your training, you'll want to keep in mind the requirements of the nursing home you plan to visit. Most of them will want updated vaccination records, but others will have specific rules and may even require official therapy dog certification. Knowing about them ahead of time lets you incorporate the rules into your training sessions.

Step

Train your pup on basic commands

Consistency is key when you are training any dog. Basic commands like "sit," "stay," "down," and "stop" are important when you are going into a new environment, especially with elderly people who may be nervous around dogs or a little over-exuberant. If you don't think training is your strong point, you may consider enrolling Fido into an obedience class prior to your first nursing home visit. Treats are always a good way to reinforce commands.

Step

Set up a nursing home visit

Call ahead to plan your first visit to the nursing home. When you know when it's time to go, you can get Fido ready by buying or making a vest that says "Pet Me" so residents will know your pup is friendly. Be sure you have exposed your King Schnauzer to multiple environments and new people before taking your first trip into the nursing home.

Add your dog's photo

The Shell Game for Dogs

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Normal

30 min

Items needed

Cups

Ball

Treats

Activity description

King Schnauzers are as equally happy curled up in your lap as they are running and playing, but these smart dogs need mental stimulation.

There are a lot of puzzle toys on the market that you can buy to entertain Fido for hours, but many other games are cheap or free if you make them at home.

You've probably seen the Shell Game used by magicians everywhere to stump viewers as they attempt to follow an object under a shell with only their eyes.

Now you can be the magician and Fido will be your loyal assistant! Using plastic cups and a ball or a treat, you and your pup will be entertained for hours.

Step

Gather the supplies

This can be as easy or as detailed as you want to make it. To play the basic doggie version of the shell game, you just need 3 identical cups and a pile of treats. You can also use a small ball (either a tennis ball or ping pong ball will work) that fits under the cups you choose. There is no required furniture, either. Climb on the floor with Fido or let your dog sit on the kitchen chair and work your magic on the table - it's all up to you!

Step

Train Fido's brain

The rules of the shell game are easy. You place a treat (or ball or other object) underneath one cup, then move them around and let the player guess where the hidden item is. While you are training Fido, though, you'll want to take it slow. To start, use two cups and let your pup see you hide the object underneath it. It's usually best to start with a treat to really get Fido's attention. Give them a signal to knock the cup over and get the treat, then repeat but move the treat to the other cup. Repeat this multiple times and only give Fido the treat if they choose the right cup.

Step

Up the ante

When your pup has mastered this activity, you can increase the challenge by rotating the cups slowly as Fido watches. Give the signal to find the treat, and reward as often as they find it. However, if this becomes too easy, you can always add a third cup. If you're concerned about too many treats, use a ball and every time Fido finds it, play a round of fetch!

Add your dog's photo

Name that Toy

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Easy

30 min

Items needed

Toys

Toy basket

Treats

Activity description

Are you constantly running behind your dog at the end of the day and cleaning up all of their toys? If you are, you aren't utilizing your King's intelligence to their utmost potential.

King Schnauzers have an uncanny ability to remember just about anything they learn after the first time. This makes them one of the most trainable dogs in the animal kingdom. They love to use their intellect, too, to show they aren't just another cute face!

One way you can help your pup increase their brain stimulation is by teaching them how to play Name That Toy, otherwise known as 52-Toy Clean Up.

Step

Name that toy

This game takes a bit of preparation before you can start. Every time you get a new toy for Fido, be sure to give it a name. This name has to be consistently used, so make it easy to remember, especially once Fido's collection of toys is overflowing. (It will happen.) If you get a rope toy, call it Rope. If you get a stuffed monkey, call it Monkey. Whatever works to help you remember the name, and then teach that name to Fido.

Step

Train Fido to find toys by name

As you are playing with your pup, ask them to bring you a specific toy. When they do, reward them with praise and/or treats. Once they're able to bring you a certain toy every time, introduce another one and begin asking for that one. Then, implement the "drop it" command and repeat the process.

Step

Kick it up with the clean-up portion

Now that you know Fido knows all of the toys in the toybox and also knows how to take all of the toys out (usually all at the same time!) it's time to teach them to help you with the cleanup. Stand over the toybox and ask for each toy by name. When Fido brings you the toy, put your hand over the toybox and say, "Drop it." Then repeat the process until all of the toys are cleaned up!

Add your dog's photo

More Fun Ideas...

Hide-and-Seek

As excited as we were as kids to play this game, your pup will be just as thrilled, if not more! For doggie hide-and-seek, you choose a treasure, like a toy or a treat, and show it to your dog to sniff, then hide it while your pup is not looking. For best results, have two people playing so one person can distract Fido while the other hides the treasure. When the treasure is safely hidden (but not too far out of the way), you can release Fido to sniff it out! Make sure as you are teaching the game that the hiding spots are easy, but then continually add a challenge as Fido masters them.

Treat Toys

The hottest thing on the doggie market today, treat toys are items you can either purchase or make that combine treats with playful activities designed to work Fido's brain. It's a toy! It's a treat! It's a toy-treat! Your King Schnauzer will have to use their mighty intellect to figure out how to get to the yummy goodness in the center of the toy. When the problem is solved, you can replace the treat inside and let them play again. Smart dogs will remember the trick to the solution and you may end up having to refill the treat much faster and eventually limit the game.

Conclusion

Owners of King Schnauzers have a regal responsibility to ensuring these royal pups get the attention they crave and the brain stimulation they are capable of. While it may be tempting to let your pup cuddle on your lap and play with their toys a la a normal dog, you are doing Fido -- and you -- a disservice if you don't increase the challenge. Add to the activity of Fido's day and the stimulation of their mind by trying a few of these activities. The best part about a King Schnauzer is that as they master one challenge, they are ready to move on to the next. You'll truly be entertained watching your pup learn new things and play every day!