Like people, as dogs grow older, they lose mobility and reflexes, and their mental activity deteriorates. To slow this deterioration over time, it is advisable to do mental exercises.
A team of Austrian scientists has created an interactive game for older ARISTODOGS. Through touchscreens, they can exercise their brains. The study, conducted by the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (Austria), consists of solving several puzzles using touchscreens.
The project's author, Lisa Wallis, states that “as with people, dopamine production in dogs also decreases with aging, leading to a decline in memory and motivational drive. But this natural mental decline can be counteracted with specific training of cognitive skills.”
Image from the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
The authors of this study confirm that these exercises could replace physical activity that does not require much effort from older dogs. Despite their physical limitations, older dogs are able to continue learning.
This type of game not only stimulates dogs mentally, but also creates emotions through interaction and reward. Huber, one of the project's collaborators, states that “it not only encourages us, but also keeps dogs away from the apathy of old age, increases their motivation and engagement, and maximizes learning opportunities.”
Games with touchscreens are normally used with younger dogs. But scientists have shown that older dogs also respond positively to this type of training.
Another alternative proposed by this team of scientists is a series of computer games in which simple mental tasks are combined with a reward system.
As with people, dogs tend to forget what they have learned throughout their lives. What this team of scientists cannot determine is whether this is due to age. But they do confirm that this type of training can help with memory loss. For now, this project remains in the laboratory.