Puppy Development Exercises

Something that we always emphasize a lot is the importance of exercises for the development of puppies. However, it is worth specifying which types of exercise are important at certain times of growth. So let’s describe some of the most important exercises that will be helpful in your puppy’s development.

Puppies grow very fast, so you should pay special attention to the different stages. One of the most important is neonatal care (newborn), but games that stimulate intelligence and improve learning should also be proposed.

Puppy development: play in the neonatal stage

A puppy’s first few weeks of life are its first glimpse of the world around it and of which it will one day be a part. But keep in mind that in the beginning, you just have to ensure that he is not disturbed, that he gets enough sleep and that he feeds often. This will help to strengthen your immune system as well as improve your learning skills and therefore your domestication and training.

Cuddles are good stimulants at this stage (before weaning), but manipulation should not last longer than 15 minutes. You can also pick up the puppy in your lap, placing it close to your chest, as this will help you become familiar with its scent and gain confidence.

You can check your reflexes by tickling your paws. You can also take it very carefully between your hands and place it on its back, which will encourage it to turn around.

Between the second and third week, you can stimulate the puppy’s hearing by adding sounds that might attract attention (you can download them from the internet, for example). Keep in mind that the sound must be set at a good volume and must not be shrill or high-pitched.

weaned puppies

It’s good for the puppy to be sociable with other people, but he should also spend as much time as possible with his siblings and mother. This will be very good for him, as he will be able to learn behaviors typical of his species. Remember that in order to socialize with other animals, you must first complete the calendar and necessary vaccinations.

The puppy will become more and more demanding in the games as it gains confidence and independence, exploring the environment more and more. This is a good time to introduce objects that he can interact with.

But be careful with the selection of toys. It’s best to provide the ones the dog can identify as yours: balls, dolls, smelling bones, etc., as you don’t want an adult dog to destroy your shoes or clothing as a result of poor learning.

To enhance your sense of smell, you can create some games with hidden snacks, to encourage you to search through your sense of smell. Or improve your intelligence with games where the puppy needs to figure out how to get the delicious prize from the toy.

A game that encourages them, in addition to helping them exercise, is hide and seek, when the puppy has learned to bring the objects back. You can take your favorite toy and play it. So when the animal comes to pick you up, you run for cover in an easily accessible place.

The idea is for him to start looking for you. In the beginning, you can make a sound or even call him to make him curious, at least while he learns the dynamics of the game. This will make you use your sense of smell and hearing to try to figure out how to get to where you are. You will see how much fun it is to let your pet run around the house trying to find you.

Give a lot of affection, just like with kittens. The affection is extremely important for the development of the puppy, besides being a therapeutic experience for you. Petting is also good for the hair, and if you exert a little pressure, it can also improve circulation. One thing you can do while petting is to stretch the puppy’s limbs without too much force, as this is good for the joints.

Find a partner for your puppy. While it is good for him to have contact with humans, contact with other dogs is of vital importance, both for his physical and mental health. Thus, the dog learns to be sociable, and this will make him friendlier in the future. It’s also good to share it with other animal species so that in the future you don’t have to deal with an antisocial adult and the problems that come with it.