Any dog owner knows the signs: Shredded socks; disappearing shoes; the kindle case starts developing toothmarks, and the flower beds erupt. You have a bored pup. This is not a good thing. It’s time for some fun games to play with your dog.
We had dogs when I was growing up, so I know they can be a bit demanding. When I decided to bring home a new furry friend, I envisioned a cute companion for a quiet evening stroll. In the dozen years since then, the dog that came home with me that day has never been described by anyone as quiet…
Tricks and Fun Games to Play with your Dog
“Find It”
Send the dog to a back bedroom. Show him a favorite toy. Have him sit and make him stay. Go to another room and hide the toy. Release the dog and encourage him to find it. Start with simple hides and then get more and more difficult. I have three dogs and I make it a contest between them as to who can find it the fastest. It is very entertaining watching their different strategies.
“The Cup Game”
Get some treats and some paper cups. Have the dog watch you as you put the toy on the ground and cover it with the cup. Let him know it’s okay, even desirable to knock over the cup and get the treat. Once he is comfortable with that, add more cups so that he has to search and sniff to figure out which one has the treat under it.
“Doggy Calisthenics”
Get lots of treats out and have the dog sit, stand, down, spin, sit, down, sit, spin, stand, sit up, etc.
“Shaping”
Clicker trains the dog to do some weird and random tricks.
“Chewies”
Give the dog rawhide, bully sticks, or other similar things to keep him occupied.
“Tricks for Treats”
Teach the dog to weave in and out of your legs, roll over, play dead, or any other number of tricks.
“Tug”
Dogs often love to tug. It can be a pretty good workout for you too.
“Stay”
Put the dog in a stay and work on getting further and further from him while he holds the stay. Always return to the dog to release him.
“Heelwork and Other Obedience”
Practice heeling, fronting, and all of the various obedience moves.
“Canine Freestyle”
i.e. dancing with your dog
Deaf Dogs Need Fun Too
Just because a dog can’t hear, doesn’t mean he can’t be trained. Deaf dogs that can see can navigate quite well. They don’t have a recall, of course, which presents a bit of a challenge. You can clicker train them using a flashlight turning on and off, or a laser pointer cat toy. The deaf foster dog I had was very quick to learn a box turn. He also learned to roll over and sit. I only had him a couple of weeks, but he was a fun little dog.
It is important to keep the environment positive for these dogs and prevent them from feeling vulnerable. They will naturally experience more startling things, so never allow them to be teased or mistreated, like all animals.
We hope you enjoyed reading about fun games to play with your dog. For more puppy loving, click here.
Puppy Time In Spring: 5 Ways To Have Fun Together
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