Wolves are the ancestors of today's household dogs. One of the reasons for domestication was to ease the burden on the working man and woman. Before the industrial age, a dog literally had to earn his keep and most dogs were hunters, herders or guard dogs. The role of dogs has changed dramatically over the last one hundred years. As civilization progressed, dogs and most farm animals were replaced by machinery. This however, does not negate the fact that dogs were bred to work.

Experts believe that many of the behaviour problems observed in dogs today are the direct result of under-stimulation. It is the responsibility of dog owners to provide the level of exercise that is necessary to relieve the pets' penned-up energy.

Every dog is different. If your dog paces, play bites, jumps, pulls, chews, becomes destructive, or barks excessively; chances are he needs more exercise. And although all of the above mentioned behaviours could occur for other reasons, it is likely that your dog simply needs more physical and mental stimulation.

It is recommended that your dog get a good aerobic workout everyday, which raises the heartbeat and gets the blood pumping. Walking, running, swimming, tug of war and retrieving are excellent physical activities for dogs. Retrieving however tops the list due to the physical demands placed on the dog, while requiring minimal effort from you. Encourage him when he carries something to you – don't pull it away, let your dog release the object voluntarily.

Mental stimulation is equally as important to your dog as physical stimulation, seeing that dogs were bred to perform certain tasks. To achieve this, a level of intelligence and desire were necessary.

Some helpful mental activities for your dog are obedience training, tricks, tracking and toys such as Buster Cubes. The Buster Cube is a great toy for dogs. A Buster Cube is a hollow toy with compartments on the inside. A hole is provided so that you can put some of your dog's kibbles inside. Shake the cube to “trap” the food. Once placed on the ground the dog will smell the food and try to retrieve it by pawing it and nudging it with his nose. Occasionally, a kibble is released, thereby keeping your dog occupied for a long period of time.

Tiring out your dog mentally is just as important as tiring him out physically. Owners who create a setting that allows both mental and physical challenges for their dogs are likely to have healthy, happy pets.

Visit www. petwise.co.za and read more about pet nutrition and pet care. You can also learn about reliable manufacturers in the pet food industry, who are also members of the Pet Food Industry (PFI) Association.