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You silly Rabbit, Trix are for kids! Oh! Wait!! It’s the Easter Bunny who kids are waiting for this week! Of course he’s hopping down the bunny trail, hiding eggs for all of the little boys and girls. And, by the way, who says Easter egg hunts are just for kids? Parents of four-legged kids, never fear. You can have a dog Easter egg hunt in your backyard for your fur baby!
A dog Easter egg hunt is a bonding experience you will want to turn into a springtime tradition. Creating an egg hunt gives your doggo a chance to show off a ‘sense of smell’ skill. In addition, this scent game is a fun experience for the whole family to be involved in.
Every year, especially in metropolitan areas, a community dog Easter egg hunt can be found to attend. However, Easter 2020 has pet parents staying home with their fur babies following pandemic social distancing rules.
So, there may NOT be a community egg hunt, but you and your dog can create your own. Well, you will create and your doggo will have his or her nose to the ground for hunting! Here are some things to consider to get your doggo sniffing out treats hidden in eggs.
Preparing For Your Dog Easter Egg Hunt
Firstly, you will need to decide where to assemble the hunt. In other words, inside the house or outside the house.
There are several reasons as to why you might need to conduct your egg hunt indoors. Perhaps you live in an apartment or a place without a personal outdoor space or maybe it’s raining. Therefore, you will need to get creative with the space you have.
No matter what you decide, you and your dog are bound to have a fun experience together.
You can make your egg hunt easy or difficult depending on what your doggo can handle. You can always start easy and then move to harder stages. To clarify, start with hiding the eggs in a small, open area. As a result, your dog learns there is a yummy treat inside. After that, you can hide them in less obvious places over a larger area.
3 Things Needed to Pull Off a Dog Easter Egg Hunt
- Plastic Easter eggs
- Smelly dog treats
- Willing participants
Plastic Easter Eggs
Plastic eggs are ideal for a dog Easter egg hunt, because little treats can be easily hidden. However, there are some risks involved, but, you can avoid them if you are aware ahead of time.
Therefore, make sure you choose large enough plastic eggs to ensure your dog doesn’t swallow them whole. In addition, make sure you pick up the eggs immediately after your dog has gotten the treat. You don’t want them to find the eggs later and chew on them. As a result, the plastic breaks into sharp pieces and if swallowed could damage their throat or intestines.
Another option is to simply hide the treats in your chosen area without putting them inside plastic eggs. You are still achieving the same idea. Plus, the game will still be fun and enriching for your dog.
Smelly Dog Treats
I laugh whenever I use or hear the word ‘smelly’. I think because my mind conjures up images of Robert Munsch’s book, Smelly Socks. It’s a funny book for kids and the word just makes me smile.
However, I am using the word to emphasize that you want to use a strong, smelling treat. Your dog is going to use scent to locate the treats within the plastic eggs. But, the eggs will be closed and this could make the game more difficult. You can make it easier by carefully poking holes in the top of the eggs. Similarly, you can smear a little peanut butter or cheese on the outside.
So, choose treats with an enticing smell that your dog loves. In addition, you may want to choose treats that are already a part of your dog’s diet. Thirdly, you may want to use smaller treats, so that your dog isn’t overeating.
During the hunt, whenever your doggo finds an egg, be sure to encourage them with an excited voice. As a result, this will keep them motivated and keep the fun happening.
Willing Participants
Of course the willing participants are your doggos or maybe just one doggo. However, when social distancing has lifted, you can invite a few furry friends over to your egg hunt.
But, if you have more than one dog participating, you will need to know their personalities. It will be your responsibility to make sure everyone can get along.
For instance, there might be a resource guarder present. This is a dog who will growl or fight over treats. In this case, it is best to opt for separate egg hunts, even if they are all yours.
So, you may have to spark a little interest at first to get your doggo in the hunting spirit. In other words, you may have to show your fur baby EXACTLY where the egg is hidden.
Firstly, you can ease into the hunt by placing an egg in front of your doggo. Then you let him or her enjoy the treat inside. You may have to help open the egg.
Next, put several eggs openly around your floor or yard and let your doggo easily find them. After that, take him or her to a few well-hidden eggs to help with understanding the hunt.
So, here’s the deal, your doggo may never understand what to do and that’s OKAY! In fact, you may have to show him or her where every single egg is. Remember, this is for the two of you to have a fun, bonding experience. Save the training for another day and just have fun!
Tips for a Successful Dog Easter Egg Hunt
There are a few extra things to take into consideration for a smooth operating egg hunt.
- Keep track of the amount of eggs you hide and where you hide them. (If you don’t think you’ll remember, write it down.)
- If you have children, too, make sure you have a way to keep the eggs separated.
- And for sure, have two separate egg hunts; one for kiddos and one for the doggos. You do not want the doggos to eat candy or chocolate. Likewise, you don’t want the kiddos to eat dog treats.
- Keep your doggo away from the kiddo’s hunt to ensure he or she doesn’t sneak off with candy.
- Go for a walk with your fur baby after the egg hunt to burn off the extra treats.
- Keep an eye on your doggo to make sure he or she doesn’t eat the plastic eggs.
- Never, ever feed your dog chocolate, not even at Easter time.
Additional Easter Fun With Your Doggo
So, are you still in the mood for some more Easter fun with your doggo? You can always create an Easter basket just for him or her. However, don’t use plastic Easter grass for the filler. It’s a hazard!
Some things to put into the basket could be chew toys, balls, or favorite treats. There are a lot of local and online pet stores that sell Easter related pet items. Shop local if you can, because this pandemic is hurting our economy. However, when you are out and about, make sure you are being safe and practicing social distancing.
Further, if you have dogs who love water, you can create a game of bobbing for eggs. Firstly, fill a kiddie pool or a big container with water. Next, add empty eggs to the water. They will float and your doggo will have a blast bobbing for them.
To Sum Up
Dog Easter egg hunts are a fun, family activity, but make sure safety measures are put in place. Happy Easter and happy hunting!
We have a yummy Easter treat recipe just for dogs. Check it out:
You might be interested in our post about Easter hazards for pets:
Have you ever made a dog Easter egg hunt or have you ever participated in one that someone else made? What are Easter traditions you have with your doggo? Tell us all about it in the comments below.
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