Brain training for four-legged friends: With this exercise, you keep your favorite’s gray cells fit!

Dogs continue to astonish us, but did you know that your dog can learn and distinguish over 200 terms?

This is not only impressive but also useful. You can send your dog to an object, have him search for it, or even bring it to you using a command.

While you don’t need to teach your dog 100 different terms, learning terms can be a great addition to training.

Regular training should not be underestimated because dogs need mental stimulation as much as physical exercise. Once you’ve incorporated an object into training, you can build a simple search game around it.

With this exercise, your dog can soon distinguish between a ball and a slipper.

Want to learn everything about your four-legged friend? Then check out the dog guide!

How Your Dog Differentiates Objects

Dogs differentiate objects differently than we humans do. They mainly rely on the size and shape of an object since their ability to distinguish colors is not highly developed.

When dogs have learned a term, they may associate it with only one object from the exercise. However, this allows clever four-legged friends to identify objects without names.

How Your Dog Learns the Names of Objects Step by Step

Step 1: Choose an object, then have your dog sit and place the object within sight. Now, visibly place a treat next to the object for the dog and return to your dog.

Step 2: Release the sit and let your dog search for the treat. It’s best to go with him to the object.

Repeat the second step several times.

Step 3: Once your dog understands that he should repeatedly run to the same object, omit the treat. The process is the same: go to the object, pretend to place a treat, return to your dog, and go on a search with him. If he goes to the object, reward him.

Alternate between steps two and three – sometimes leave a treat, sometimes reward from the hand.

Step 4: Is everything going well? Now you can incorporate the term. Say it every time your dog has contact with the object.

Step 5: When you feel your dog has associated the term with the object, change the location and send him on a search.

Learning Terms: Border Collie Rico Shows How

The famous dog can distinguish between more than 200 terms and associate them. At the same time, he can differentiate between known objects and unknown ones.

According to Science Magazine, Rico has the ability to spontaneously reassign a term through an unconscious learning process. His abilities are comparable to those of a toddler.

However, the ability increases steadily in children and covers many more areas.

Conclusion: Every dog learns at its own pace

A dog that can assign terms to objects is truly impressive! It once again shows us how intelligent these four-legged friends are. That’s why it’s even more important to challenge them adequately. Not only physically but also mentally.

Is your four-legged friend not learning as quickly as Collie Rico? That’s entirely normal. Each dog is unique and has its own pace; maybe it’s time for a break and some rest.