We're In Another Cold Snap So Here's A Puppy Enrichment Activity That Specifically Targets Impulse Control

We're in another cold snap so here's a puppy enrichment activity that specifically targets impulse control and marking (gundog def: watching an object fall and marking where it fell in your mind).

Lots of dogs can benefit from eye-tracking skills, where they watch an object move and estimate a trajectory. Lots of dogs learn this from regular fetch with a ball but it's a skill you can foster even if you don't play fetch. Obviously this is most beneficial for working retrievers but any dog that enjoys using their eyes can learn the game.

For this game I'm using large kibbles, a patterned rug, and about 15ft of space. I set Rory up by my side, toss a kibble in an archive, let it bounce and come to a stop on the floor, and then release Rory to get the kibble. Some key points:

Work on impulse control separately, if your dog can't wait for the kibble to fall without rushing for it, work on that first. You can use a platform as an easier step towards steadiness if you need to.

Use something big enough to bounce or roll so the dog can practice eye-tracking it. If you use something small, it might get lost in their field of view.

Try to do this on a rug or floor with obstacles so your dog has to watch where it falls. One kibble on a bare floor is easy to pick out even if they're not paying attention, and the point of the game is to pay attention.

Don't ask for eye contact during this game, you want to release before they take their eyes off the kibble.

It's a simple game to work puppy brains and also run back and forth across the floor a few times.