Labradoodles are bundles of energy who crave both mental and physical exercise. Their intelligence also demands regular mental stimulation. Without adequate outlets, your Lab can get restless and bored, leading to unwanted behaviors like chewing, barking or hyperactivity.
Luckily, it’s easy to prevent these issues in fun, rewarding ways! This post shares a trove of enriching games and activities perfect for exercising your Labradoodle’s body and mind. Mix up these doodle delights to keep them happily occupied.
Backyard Agility Course
Let your athletic Labradoodle strut their stuff on a homemade agility course! Set up a sequence of obstacles like tunnels, low jumps, weave poles, a teeter board and pause table throughout your yard. Make sure surfaces are secure and not slippery. Have tasty treats ready to reward your doodle after completing each obstacle. Introduce elements slowly while attaching a cue like “tunnel!” Then let them joyfully run the course. Rotating toys on each one keeps it exciting. Agility is fantastic physical and mental exercise.
Nosework Hide and Seek
Channel your Labradoodle’s keen sense of smell into rewarding scent games. Start by having them “sit and stay” while you hide a smelly treat under plastic cups around a room. Say “find it!” to release and let them use their nose to hunt down the reward. Increase the challenge by hiding food under multiple cups and in hard spots. You can advance to scent training kits using essential oils. Seek and sniff games will delight your Doodle’s inner hound!
Backyard Frisbee Toss
Labradoodles thrive on fetch and playing frisbee taps into their athletic side even more. Start with soft discs and practice basic throw/catch. Use two discs so you can toss the next immediately after catching to keep them moving. Work up to longer throws, jumping catches, pivots and more. If they struggle to give the disc up afterwards, teach “out” and trade for a treat. Frisbee provides great cardio exercise and bonding time.
Trick Training Sessions
Labradoodles love showing off their smarts! Daily short trick training sessions will keep them engaged and enhance your bond. Try teaching popular tricks like shake, wave, spin, crawl, bow, play dead, take a bow or army crawl. Use a clicker and treats to mark and reward successes. Practice new skills in short bursts multiple times a day during playtime or on walks for a mental workout. Expanding their trick repertoire keeps your Lab’s mind challenged.
Backyard Bubbles
What dog doesn’t love snapping at bubbles? This cheap, fun backyard game delights most pooches. Blow bubbles and let your Labradoodle leap, chase and pop them with their paws or mouth. You can race to pop them too! It’s fantastic exercise watching them dash around the yard. For added fun, invest in a bubble machine. Just supervise to prevent drinking soapy water. Bubbly good times!
Treat-Stuffed Puzzles and Toys
Keep your smartypants Labradoodle engaged for hours by stuffing their toys with tasty goodies. Kongs, treat balls, puzzle toys and interactive feeders are perfect for mealtimes or play. Fill and seal the toy with wet food or kibble, adding treats deep inside. Your dog will happily push, bat and lick the toy to dispense morsels. You can even put the puzzles inside a crate or pen to occupy them while you’re away. Mental stimulation prevents boredom.
Playdates with Friends
Socialization is key for a well-rounded Labradoodle. Set up regular playdates with known vaccinated dogs so they can burn energy romping and wrestling. Labs thrive on rowdy play! Supervise closely and separate if needed. Playdate possibilities include doggy daycare, training classes, off-leash areas or backyard visits. Mental and physical exercise plus doggy friendship…what could be better!
Wading Pool Fun
As water-loving dogs, Labradoodles adore splashing around in kiddie pools and other shallow water. Fill a plastic pool with a few inches of water and add fun floating toys. Toss a ball to fetch and let them leap in to get it. You can also hide treats under cups for them to sniff out. As the weather warms up, water play is an easy way to exercise your Doodle’s body on hot days and amuse their mind.
Indoor Nosework Hunts
Don’t let bad weather stop nosework fun! Set up a rewarding scent game indoors to engage your Lab’s super sniffer on dreary days. Take smelly treats or toys and hide them around one room while your dog waits out of sight. Then release them to “Find it!” Letting them use their nose gives mental stimulation. Increase difficulty by hiding in tricky spots or under objects. indoor seek and find keeps your Doodle’s brain busy.
DIY Doggy Obstacle Course
Set up an indoor obstacle course on rainy days! Use household items like towels (for weaving), overturned buckets or boxes (for crawling under or jumping over), cardboard tubes (for traversing) and pool noodles (to walk over). Guide your Lab through each obstacle, providing treats and praise. They’ll love tackling the course again and again. Rotate objects to keep it exciting. Both physical and mental exercise in one indoor activity!
Car Ride Adventure
Labradoodles think every car ride leads to an adventure! Take your Doodle on a fun field trip to provide mental stimulation and socialization. Visit new parks, trails, beaches or dog-friendly shops. Puppuccinos (whipped cream in a cup) are a fun treat afterwards! Let them explore sights, sounds and smells while getting exercise. New adventures prevent boredom and strengthen your bond through shared experiences.
With a mix of physical exercise, mental stimulation, training games and quality time, you can keep your Labradoodle happily occupied while preventing problem behaviors. Tap into your doodle’s potential for joyful engagement every day. A tired, enriched pup means a harmonious household for all!