Top Activities For Trigg Hounds

Introduction

The Trigg Hound is a variety of American Foxhound that was designed specifically to hunt the Red Fox, an import from the United Kingdom and Canada. The Red Fox was a much faster animal than the native Grey Foxes, and they tended to bolt to a den or a hole in the ground rather than escaping up a tree. They are scenthounds known for their natural desire to pursue fox and their endurance, and they need a great deal of exercise each day in order to be at their healthiest, both physically and mentally. While walking and jogging are always appreciated by this canine, there are other activities that give you the option to be a little more flexible with their exercise routine.

Search for Your Supper

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Free

Easy

5 - 45 min

Items needed

Dog Food

Activity description

Usually, when we think about feeding our dogs, we imagine pouring or scooping either wet food of kibble into a regular bowl and just letting them at it. While this is a perfectly acceptable way to feed your canine companion, some pet parents like to take it a little bit farther and take the opportunity to turn dinnertime into a game as well. This activity is likely to be particularly satisfying for dogs like the Trigg Hound, who was developed for hunting and tracking.

Step

1

Choose a challenge

There are several different ways for your dog to play with their food in an acceptable manner. You can make it simple and just hide your dog's food somewhere easily accessible, bowl (or bowls) and all, you can choose to put the food in one, or several a treat dispensing toys and hide the toys, or you can just spread your dog’s favorite kibble over a specially designed snuffle mat for dogs.

Step

2

Set the rules

If you do not set some rules when you first start playing this game, you may inadvertently create a monster. Avoid placing hidden food on any surface that is likely to ever have human food, such as tables or counters, and don’t place the food inside of purses or backpacks, even old ones, as this may teach them to check out other purses or backpacks. These bad habits are not only embarrassing but can be dangerous to your pet, sometimes leading to accidental poisonings.

Step

3

Let the dog play

Show your dog their food before hiding it, so that they know what they are looking for, and most Foxhounds will be able to sort out their goal rather quickly. It’s important to remember that this activity is designed to not only make your pooch work for their food but also to get their mind working as well. Try and let them sniff it out for themselves, instead of leading them to the prize.

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Geocaching

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Sunny Day

Cheap

Hard

30 - 120 min

Items needed

Cell Phone

Souvenirs (optional)

Activity description

Geocaching is a relatively new activity that was developed in the year 2000 and relies on cellular and GPS technology to help people from all walks of life participate in a worldwide treasure hunt. Geocache seekers search for a container using the information contained on the geocaching website or app and the objects contained within can range from plastic toys and paper cutouts to special trackable metal coins that you can buy from the company that organizes the game. This energetic scenthound will love coming along on a trek to a geocache outdoors, and may even be able to help you sniff out your treasure.

Step

1

Create an account

Geocaching is dependent on GPS technology, and you will need to create a free account in order to allow the site to track the location of the phone and to gain access to the online map that shows the coordinates where the container can be found. As well, you will be given other pertinent information about the contents and the site allows you to log your find.

Step

2

Follow the map

You can locate the interactive map either directly on the web page or on the app on your phone. This map will give you the coordinates to go to and may give you a hint or two, but containers can be hidden under, in, or behind other things, and it can sometimes be difficult to find them. Dogs that were developed for tracking and for their scenting ability, like the Trigg Hound, may be able to help you sniff out the treasure.

Step

3

Log and share

Once you and your dog have located the geocache, give your dog lots of praise and even treats if you like, either as a reward for helping find the geocache or as an incentive to help find the next one. You will also find a logbook of some sort inside the container inside as well as a small souvenir which you may either leave where it is or exchange it with another souvenir.

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Hide and Seek

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Free

Easy

5 - 45 min

Items needed

Rewards

Hiding Places

Activity description

The school ground classic of Hide and Seek does not have to be restricted to humans, and many canine companions find this to be an entertaining way to spend some time. Scenthounds like the Trigg Hound were developed for their scenting ability and finding things with their nose is just a natural extension of who they are, this activity gives them a way to satisfy their urges in a safe and comfortable day, even if the weather is awful.

Step

1

Choose a reward

While your first inclination may be to grab your dog’s favorite treats to reward them with, this is not always the best choice for your pet's health. Treats are often high in fats, sugars, and overall calories and when given in excess can lead to digestion difficulties, obesity, and in some cases, pancreatitis. Many dogs will be happy to play this game for hours with just praise as a reward, and for those that need a little more encouragement, often a tossed ball or a favorite chew toy will suffice.

Step

2

Pick a target

When you first start playing hide and seek with your pal, it’s generally easiest to start simple and choose one person at a time for the dog to find. As your Trigg Hound improves in their seeking skills, you may try to challenge them further by having them find multiple targets or targets that move from one hiding spot to another.

Step

3

Pick a place to hide

Initially, you will want to pick fairly simple hiding spots, sometimes even ones that are easily visible, but as your dog gets the hang of this game, you can increase the intensity of the game by finding more difficult hiding spots, or taking the game outside. This will help keep the game mentally challenging for your canine companion for quite some time.

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More Fun Ideas...

Agility Training

Trigg Hounds are often a bit racier and than other hounds, a trait that may end up giving them an edge when learning agility courses.

Search and Rescue

While Belgian Malinois, Labrador Retriever, and Border Collies are commonly associated with this job, the scenting ability of this hound may help them to succeed at this challenging task.

Hunting

The Trigg Hounds were developed for the purpose of hunting, and they still perform exceptionally well at this task. If you are inclined to join the hunt, Foxhounds like the Trigg Hound are more commonly being used to hunt coyotes than fox these days.

Lure Coursing

If you are not interested in hunting, but your dog still seems to have an overwhelming urge to chase something, you may be able to help them satisfy that urge by introducing them to the sport of lure coursing. A target, usually a white plastic bag, is pulled down a field using a series of pullies in order to simulate chasing an animal across the field and although it was originally designed with sighthounds in mind, Foxhounds may also exhibit enough drive to be competitive.

Conclusion

While Trigg Hounds have a great deal of energy and require a significant time commitment when it comes to their exercise routine, at least an hour to an hour and a half per day, it doesn't have to be boring. There are many different activities that these athletic and versatile canines are well suited that they are likely to enjoy.