How To Play With Dogs: 6 Games To Try

Owning a pet is no child’s play. And when the pet in ownership is a dog, there are so many responsibilities that come along with it. One of them is to keep your dog happy and active. Dog games help you do just that!

Not only is it a source of joy for the master and the dog, but it also aids in building a healthy relationship between them. These daily physical activities disguised in games allow the dogs to channelize their energy. Further, it also prevents them from engaging in any sort of inappropriate behavior, thereby ensuring their overall well-being. However, your dog’s playtime will greatly vary with their energy and training.

As owners, you are even benefitted from the daily playtime of dogs. Infact, a research study from 2015 reveals that people attributed being a pet owner as the third most common method of socializing with new people.

But as a new pet owner, I am sure you are exploring game options. So here are the 5 best picks from my alley!

1. Tug Of War

This fun physical exercise is effective in making your dog well-mannered. People generally prefer something soft, with a comfortable grip for tugging. The game begins when you grant your dog permission to grab the tug toy with its mouth. It then starts tugging it with the other end in your control.

Signal your dog to stop, once its teeth touch your skin. With regular training, your dog will itself start understanding when to stop. This game makes them more well-behaved, thus challenging the age-old myth that it turns them more aggressive.

2. Frisbee

This game encourages your dog to run and chase longer distances. It’s advisable to start with soft discs as the traditional ones are pretty hard.

Begin by throwing the frisbee over short distances and gradually keep increasing it when your dog begins to understand the game. Make sure to encourage them to keep their excitement levels high when you toss the frisbee.

3. Hide & Seek

This game promotes your dog to use its natural tracking abilities by identifying different odors. They don’t submit to boredom even when you go on selecting the few common places for hiding.

Instruct your dog to stay still in a position or assign someone else to keep it steady while you find a place to hide. Once ready and situated, beckon your dog to find you and pat and praise it when it does so.

4. Using a Digging Box

If your dog loves digging, nothing is more fun than you constructing a digging box with some wood and sand! Don’t forget to secure the top with a cover to avoid littering by cats.

For dogs who don’t show any interest in digging initially, try making it fun by putting inside dog toys like KONG interactive dog toy, TRIXIE ducks, etc. You can easily find these dog toys online along with several other kinds of varieties that you may like!

5. Water Games

If your dog loves swimming, taking it to a local beach will give it all the enjoyment that it needs! Don’t forget to bring along some floatable toys for it to fetch in the water. If there are no beaches near your place, make a plastic pool and fill it with water.

Also, toss in some toys and see your dog have a great time in it! It might also enjoy bathing in water from a hose or sprinkler.

6. Flirt Pole

It is one of the most effective games to keep your dog active both physically and mentally. A flirt pole is basically a pole with a rope attached. At the end of the rope, you can attach some treats for him/her.

You can play around with this stick or pole to activate your dog’s prey abilities and impulse control. However, make sure you reward your dog with the attached treat once in a while and let it savor the win!

Over to you…

The great quote by Frederick the Great, “Dog is man’s best friend” will start making more sense to you as you start playing and enjoying these games with your dog.

Initially, it can be challenging to train your dog to play these games. But once you both start enjoying it, it is going to be a lot more fun than any of you can imagine!