Confidence Building: Hoola Hoops (Patreon)

One of my favorite little confidence building games is scatter feeding in hoola hoops. Now these particular hoops are loud, but you can always start with ones that aren't filled, or are filled with water so they don't shake as much if your dog is sensitive to noise.

I simply plop them down and throw some of their meal in. It allows them to explore the hoops, hear the noises they make, and also can teach them to lift up their feet as they go along (a bit of proprioception).

Bonus, you can then use the hoops to teach a couple of fun tricks when your pup is older!

If you don't have hoops, putting other items in a kiddie pool or more enclosed area can work well. You can start with things like toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls and move on to things that make more noise, like metal spoons or plastic bottles.