Any good Working for food games for a 15wk Golden Retriever?

Question

I have a Kong.
I need something more challenging!!!
Hes too clever,,,LOL

Answer 1

This is how I teach the recall to puppies/dogs. It's fun for the dog and you are teaching him the most important command: to come when called.
Find a treat the puppy really, really likes....only use it when you are doing this exercise. Make sure you have the puppy on a loose leash so you have control. Using the food, catch the puppy's attention, get him interested. Make sure he sees you and pitch the treat just a little ways out from him and in a happy voice say "Find it". (You may have to walk with him to the treat .) When he gets it, say "good find" and still in the happy voice say "Fido (or whatever name) come!" Encourage the puppy to come to you by taking a few running steps backwards and immediately reward and praise! praise! This can be done in combination with a clicker as well.
Do this little exercise several times a day...no more than a few times in a session as puppies have very short attention spans! As the days progress, increase the distance that you throw the treat and say "find it"....Always do this on leash until the dog is solid on the command...then you gradually work up to off leash and decrease the frequency of the treats...

If he doesn't get it at first, just show him again and keep trying...keep it positive and fun! Every dog I own has been taught to come this way....it works, you just have to stick with it.

Answer 2

Start teaching him obedience. Come, sit, stay, down, stay, leave it, etc. Never too soon for that. They pick it up pretty quick. I started teaching my retriever to sit for his dinner the first day home at 8 weeks.

I have a small plastic pool, they love water. I also spray the hose and mine chases. Great exercise.

The "find it" game is great as well. Especially when they get the sit, down, stay. You get them in the stay position, put a treat behind something, then tell him to "find it". Then add another treat, then another, until he's having to find 5 to 10 at a time. It really helps their stay.

Just to keep them busy, a Kong is great. The peanut butter is good. I even fill the bottom with peanut butter so it doesn't leak and fill it with water or chicken broth and freeze it. More of an outside thing though. Kind of messy.

As Mia said, enjoy this stage. My golden is now almost seven months. It's amazing how fast they grow.

Answer 3

We play a good game at our Dog Training Class. They use small plastic cones but I'm sure if you have any large plastic cups or cereal dishes they would serve the same purpose.

You line them up on the floor and hide a treat under every other one then tell your Golden to go and find. It is amazing how they can sniff out which one has the treat under it and their ability to move the cone away in order to get the treat.

This is a game where, not only does it exercise your dog, it also makes him use his brain and gives him lots of stimulation.

Goldens love 'fetching' and you can train them to 'fetch' any object by getting someone to hold on to the dog while you throw either a toy or a training dumbell accross the garden and then tell him to 'fetch' and call him back to you and ask him to 'give'. They all love this game which, again, gives them a lot of stimulation.

Enjoy your puppy.

Answer 4

How about the "leave it" command. It can be tough. Take a kibble he'll want, hold in your fingers, make him sit ...offer the kibble, then as he goes for it close your hand and say "leave it"....... "good leave"...repeat etc.........then after a few times reward the good leave with the kibble. It can be frustrating but he will learn to leave it till told to take it or however you decide the commands. In the end you should be able to place a treat on you open hand and say leave it and he will stare hypnotized by it till u give him the ok. I've seen trainers use it to keep a dog in lay down mode for an hour...........just starin at it...........and one friend could place it on the dogs snout and say leave it.........and the dog would freeze, once allowed would toss his head and snatch the treat............:)

Answer 5

i like the idea of teaching recall to the puppy... but why not teach him basic and advanced commands such as sit, stay, come, heel, and down? I would use the kong as a treat aid and if you have the dumbbell Kong, dont forget that you can fill it with Peanut Butter or The Kong mint paste and make it more of a delightful treat for his growing mind!! Have fun with this stage!!

Answer 6

My Golden pup is now 7 months old, 70 pounds & as you know they have LOTS of energy!
Put some peanut butter inside the Kong-keeps them busy for awhile (make sure to wash it out very well).
Play hide-n-seek; hide in the house, behind a tree, etc. and call their name.They will have fun & it teaches them to come to you.
One last word- tennis balls, tennis balls, tennis balls. Have several on hand, if pup won't give you the one she has, throw another one. I use an old golf club I got at a yard sale-easier then throwing & goes farther.
Enjoy your pup!

Answer 7

A buster cube.

And start training as well. All of the obedience commands can start being taught at this age. Food is a great training tool.

Answer 8

Goldens love water.
If you have a small ake near your home throw a floating duck or bird toy into the water and the dog will love to go get it and bring it back and go and get it again.
I do this with my 2 goldens and they love it!

Answer 9

My dog really liked the Buster Cube when she was a pup. It's kind of noisy and annoying though - good for when you are gone!

Answer 10

going on walks. this is a sporting dog. if you don't plan on using them for that then they need their walks every day. otherwise they get prone to obesity very easy. Yours is still young though, so just keep your walks around the house.