Depending on your dog’s physical needs, you need to guarantee that it is kept physically trim and mentally fit through Labrador training. Labs are dogs of high intelligence and need good stimuli round the clock, or rather, even if their trainers-handlers are not with them.

Interactive games that help you spend time bonding with each other are a fun way to learn routine tasks and basic commands. These tips spell out retrieval exercises for the dog which you can check out in your own home:

The first exercise, called Fetch, starts by getting the dog to sit, and throwing the dog’s pet item—like a treat or toy—some meters away from both of you. Get your dog to fetch, if it runs, follow by a few meters behind.

Give and Take is the next part of the activity. As the dog picks up the toy, run away so that the dog pursues after you. When the dog catches up, turn to it and put one hand out, telling it to “give” you the toy. As the dog does so, reward it with a treat from the other hand.

Keep practicing and playing with the dog over the weeks, changing and increasing the distance of the toy being thrown. If your dog starts getting bored, stop promptly, since you need to keep your dog motivated. The next time around, try throwing new items like a shoe or a towel; this time, call out “Fetch the shoe” or “Fetch the towel” as you throw the items. Remember also not to change the items too fast, otherwise the dog will not learn sufficiently the name of the items you are using. Who knows, over time the dog will be able to retrieve items as they are called/named, thanks to Labrador training!

Lastly, food is of course the one creative element of your dog’s daily routine that, if used inventively, can keep your dog amused for endless hours.

Rather than just feeing your dog from its bowl, try adding a new twist to how you feed it by hiding the dog’s food in small portions all over the house, allowing the dog to hunt for it by sniffing it out. Kongs are examples of toys effective at keeping dogs preoccupied for hours and hours with food puzzles. Activity balls sort of work in the same way as kongs, but instead use small dry treats or food. Place a handful of treats inside, and watch the dog roll the ball in the floor to get more treats.