Activities to Do With Dobermans

Dobermans who don’t get enough exercise or companionship can develop behavioral problems and become restless, according to Your Pure Bred Puppy. Finding out activities to do with your Doberman can help ensure that he gets enough exercise and spends enough time with you. Most Dobermans are energetic and like mental challenges as well as physical ones. Activities relating to general exercise, tracking, obedience and agility can help to keep your Doberman healthy and active.

Dobermans are very active dogs and therefore require regular exercise. Take your Doberman for brisk walks every day and vigorously exercise as often as possible. Run with your dog if you want to exercise as well. Ride a bike while walking your dog to provide it with exercise and keep the exercise relatively light for you. You can also walk your dog while you are skating. Alternatively, throw a ball in an enclosed field for it for a while. Dobermans need relatively intense physical exercise. Train it up slowly if it has been inactive for a while.

Get some dog treats, or alternatively some pieces of chicken or beef. Dobermans require both mental and physical exercise, and the smell-related tasks make use of one of the largest parts of the dog’s brain. Get your Doberman to sit and throw a piece of meat or a treat on the floor for him. Tell him to find it and gesture towards the food. After he has eaten it, give him verbal encouragement and stroke him. Throw the next treat out of sight, and say “Find it” again. The idea is to get a game of hide and seek going with your dog. Get him to sit if he is obedient or close him in a room while you choose a more difficult hiding place. Point him in the right direction and let him try to find it.

One good way to exercise your Doberman’s brain is to teach it basic obedience exercises. Things like “sit,” “stay” and “come here” are simple, and most people have trained their dogs to do these tricks. Teaching your Doberman more complex obedience skills such as shaking hands and lying down can help to work its brain. Likewise, you should ensure your dog is obedient enough to stay until told to move and to always heel when walking.

Some agility training for your Doberman can break up the monotony of constant walking. Create a simple obstacle course for your dog, including jumps, weaves and tunnels where possible. Teach your dog to complete the course and time him if you want to chart his progress. This combines exercise with mental tasks, and can be a great form of exercise for a Doberman. Use natural obstacles on your walking route if you can’t make a simple course. For example, you can weave between trees on a forest walk.