Activities For Schnauffens

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Activities For Schnauffens

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Introduction

Apartment dwellers and those with small backyards will be rejoicing at owning a Schnauffen. As a designer breed mix of the Minature Schnauzer and an Affenpinscher, they are a little, low maintenance dog with very few physical activity requirements. They get on well with children and animals with proper socialization and tend to prefer short bursts of activity opposed to hours of running around. If you are the doting owner of a Schnauffen but you’re not sure how to keep their bodies and minds stimulated, we’ve included a few options below.

Dog Park

Popular

0 Votes

Sunny Day

Free

Easy

1 hr

Items needed

Leash

Doggy waste bag

Toy

Activity description

If you have a small backyard or no space at all, then the dog park can quickly become your new favorite hangout. Not only does it provide your pup with the room they require for a little bit of fun in the sun, but the chance to socialize with other dogs as well. As a small dog, the Schnauffen can quickly adopt the “small dog syndrome” characteristics. To prevent it, early and ongoing socialization with other dogs is a great idea. A few times a week, grab your dog, their toys, and a leash, and head to the local dog park for an hour of fun in the beautiful sun. This free and effortless activity is sure to appeal to many Schnauffen owners.

Step

Choose a park

Schnauffens are only small dogs – even if they are more than happy to keep up with the big ones. And though they will quite happily play alongside large dogs, it’s better for their safety if they remain with dogs of their size. A big excited dog can easily hurt a smaller pooch by accident. You may find that a quick search online, or by talking to friends and family, you can find a dog park that caters to all manner of dogs in separate enclosures. Ultimately, you want to be able to find a dog park with three pens – small, medium, and large.

Step

Go play

Once you have found the park that ticks all the boxes – including being proximate to your home – it’s time to play. However, be sure to give your dog time to adjust to their new surroundings before throwing them right into the deep end. Let them sniff around, take note of all the dogs in there, and familiarize themselves first. Then, when they are more comfortable with their surroundings, let them into the small dog enclosure and take their leash off so they can play.

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Hide and Seek

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Normal

30 min

Items needed

Treats

Activity description

This fun and affordable activity is one that suits many apartment dwellers or those who are cooped up inside on a rainy day. It costs as much as you spend on treats, fills up 30 minutes of your day, and provides your pup with both the mental and physical stimulation they require. What’s more, hide and seek appeals to the Schnauffen’s inquisitive nature. They want to know what’s going on at all times, and the very thought of seeking something out that could be tasty will have their tails wagging and bums wiggling. If you don’t feel like going out with your pup for the day, then this activity you can do at home is an excellent option.

Step

Choose treats

Just like humans, dogs have their favorite foods. To get them interested in the game, you need to choose snacks that will have them actively wanting to seek them out. While, of course, healthy options such as sweet potato and frozen sardines are better options, they may not have your dog in too much of a hurry to find them. Select their favorite treats and be ready for step two.

Step

Hide treats

Step two involves hiding the snacks so your dog can find them, but won’t have too much trouble doing so. You want them to have to hunt for them, but you may notice that if you hide them too well, you will be playing the game yourself opposed to your dog doing so. Hide them near their favorite toys, on the sofa if you allow them up there, and in their beds as well. If possible, keep track of where you are putting them throughout the house, so you don’t forget any.

Step

Seek!

If you have hidden all the treats in the ‘hide’ part of the game, it’s now time to ‘seek!’. Get your dog interested in the game, firstly, by giving them a treat and leading them to the first one. Get excited with both your voice and body language so they can understand it’s a fun and exciting game they will love. Once they see your energy levels, their own will lift – helping them to engage better with understanding what you expect from them. Move from room to room until your pup has found all the treats you hid in the second step.

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Food Puzzles

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Moderate

Hard

1 hr

Items needed

Treats

Food puzzle

Activity description

For an inquisitive dog such as a Schanuffen which requires both mental and physical stimulation, a food puzzle is an excellent activity option. This fun game, which is moderate in price depending on whether you purchase or create your game, can provide a lot of fun and entertainment for a dog – especially if they thrive on a challenge. Depending on the dog and the level of the toy, it can be a complicated game but one that engages them for an hour or more. If it’s raining or cold outside or you don’t have outdoor space for a dog, consider a food puzzle to keep their little minds busy.

Step

Select treats

If you plan on using a food puzzle a lot, the treat type makes a difference. While grocery store treats are okay in moderation, they are not something of which you should be feeding a lot. In many cases, they are high in fat and other ingredients that can cause weight gain. As a result, you need to think outside the square when it comes to treats for your food puzzle. If your dog loves their everyday food, deduct kibble from their daily food intake and use it in their game. Alternatively, you can opt for more natural ingredients such as peanut butter, cabbage, red pepper, and sweet potato.

Step

Buy or build

If you are creative, you could feel comfortable creating a food puzzle for your pampered pooch as opposed to purchasing one. There are so many things that can appeal to dogs – even if it’s sitting in your recycling bin. A piece of PVC pipe with the caps on the ends can soon become your pup’s new favorite toy. Drill holes in the sides so treats can shake themselves out and make one end of the cap removable for easy refilling. Alternatively, you can even tie food onto a rope which the dogs have to rip off. Dried sweet potato works well with this option.

Step

Supervise

Just like children, dogs can get into mischief when you leave them to their own devices. Therefore, when you purchase or build a food puzzle, make sure you’re around to supervise. Dogs don’t know what they should and shouldn’t do with their new toy, so they are quick to destroy items when they believe it’s going to be a faster way to get the goodies from them.

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More Fun Ideas...

Walk

Schnauffens only require around 45 minutes of activity per day – including both physical and mental. As a result, you don’t have to think of too many out of the box activities when it comes to their physical requirements. They are more than happy with a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood which gives you both the opportunity for a bit of exercise.

Fetch

Not every Schnauffen will enjoy a game of fetch, but a surprising number will. If your pup has a favorite ball or toy, use it in the game. You can play this free and effortless game inside or outside, and given their short legs; they are sure to tire out of after endless backward and forward running up your hallway or in the yard.

Conclusion

When it comes to providing stimulating activities for Schnauffens, you need to put your best paw forward. While they don’t need too much physical activity, you do need to keep their little minds active to keep them out of trouble. When you get a moment, try out these activities above and watch how quickly their eyes light up and their tails start wagging.