It is important it is to keep your Bichon Frise active and busy for both his physical and mental health. But physical activity is not all that your dog needs to be healthy and happy. Bichon Frises also need to keep their minds busy, or they can get bored and turn to bored-replacement activities like barking, chewing, and digging. You can prevent a lot of bad behaviors by providing your dog with mentally stimulating activities, like the following:
- Retrieval games. Add challenges by hiding toys or throwing them into hard-to-access places so that your dog must puzzle out how to get the toy.
- Obstacle courses. Turn your home, garage, or back yard into an obstacle course and make your dog overcome it by rewarding dog treats when accomplishing completion.
- A Kong full of peanut butter. He can spend hours trying to lick the peanut butter out. An occupied dog is a happy dog.
- Flyball. This will keep him active physically and mentally.
- Socialization and play with other dogs. He will invent his own games and feel very stimulated in the company of other dogs. Take him to the dog park or enroll him in puppy classes where he can play with other dogs.
- Herding livestock or Triebball. Triebball uses balls that mimic herd animals that dogs must manage.
- Tracking. Hide an object in the woods or a field and let your dog find it with his natural scent abilities.
- Herding trials or tests. These will let your Bichon Frise use his natural herding ability.
- Agility games. Set up an agility course in your yard and teach your dog obedience and tricks as you teach him to navigate the equipment.
Author and long-time animal lover. Sharing knowledge on pet care through experience and the written word. 