Playing with your dog is one of the best ways to reward him for a job well done. Play can help a stressed dog relax and a distracted dog focus. Every dog is different, so get to know what sort of play your dog enjoys. Different dogs have different pleasures, so try to find a level of excitement that’s just right for your dog. Avoid play that gets your dog so amped up that he can’t think or calm down. On the other paw, if your dog is bored by your attempts to play, try upping the ante of excitement or playing a new game.
Some of our favorite ways to play!
One-on-one games
CHASE is a great one-on-one game! Just make sure to have your dog chase you instead of chasing your dog. You don’t want to accidentally teach your dog to run away from you.
TAG YOU’RE IT! Many dogs like gentle games, where you tap, poke, or push your dog away from you, then run in the opposite direction, encouraging him to catch up.
Toy Games
FETCH! is a fun option. if your dog like to play “keep away” once you’ve thrown the ball or Frisbee, try playing with two toys. As soon as your dog drops the toy in his mouth, throw the second toy for him.
Contrary to the popular myth, TUG won’t make your dog aggressive. In fact, playing tug is a great way to teach your dog to control his mouth when he’s excited! just make sure to teach your dog to start and stop the game on cue so that you can control the fun and he doesn’t think your winter scarf or bag of groceries is a potential tug toy.
Food Games – If your dog is interested in toys, don’t worry… there are lots of other fun games the two of you can play, and just like all people video games, not every dog loves tennis balls.
For less-playful dogs food can be stuffed in hollow toys like KONGS and BUSY BALLS for home alone fun.
Nose Games – Dogs have a great sense of smell, and letting your dog use his nose is a great game!
Toss a piece of food on the ground in front of him and tell him to FIND IT! As he gets better at the game you can start tossing the food farther away, into grass or carpet, or even hide it ahead of time for a doggy scavenger hunt.
Training Games – Training can be a great way to play with your dog. Approach training sessions as games. The more you smile and laugh while you train your dog, the more your dog will love listening to you!
CLICKER TRAINING is one example of a fun and effective dog training method.