How to Play with Your Dog: 7 Fun Dog Games

dog playing with stuffed animals

How to Play with Your Dog: 7 Fun Dog Games

Playtime is an important part of your dog’s life!  It is one of the reasons people seek out pet ownership.  Dogs live to engage with their human, one sure way is with playful games.

Learning how to play with your dog will enrich your dog’s life as well as strengthen the human to canine bond.

However, there is a fine line between playing games that use your dog’s natural instincts, like scent-oriented games versus games that encourage frustration, like chasing a toy that is always out of their reach. The goal should be playful interaction, not frustration.

In this article, How to Play with Your Dog: 7 Fun Dog Games, we will look at the benefits of healthy playtime, stopping play at signs of hyper arousal, and seven fun ways to play your dog.

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How to Play with Your Dog:  The Benefits of Playtime

Playtime is good for humans of all ages and dogs of all ages! It is always good to remember that each dog has their own personality and what they find fun. Once you discover what is enjoyable for your dog, it will bring a lifetime of health benefits.

10 Benefits of Playtime

  1. Mental stimulation
  2. Exercise
  3. Establishing connection between human and dog
  4. Prevents boredom
  5. Good for their joints
  6. Prevents behavior issues
  7. Improves balance and coordination
  8. Healthy heart
  9. Improves mental sharpness
  10. Learns impulse control

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How to Play with Your Dog:  Dealing with Hyper-Arousal

As with all playtime, we need to be aware of what to avoid to keep the moment healthy and not harmful. To avoid injury to both you and your dog, please be mindful of the arousal state of your dog.

Know the Signs.  Dogs get naturally aroused when they play an engaging game of fetch or hide and seek.  To keep the fun in playtime, pay close attention to your dog’s arousal state.  Stop play before they get over-aroused and not thinking clearly.

Signs of hyperarousal include being unable to focus, snatching treats, jumping on humans and other dogs, mounting another dog or human, excessive panting, cheek grabs on other dogs, growling, increasing assertiveness, increased compulsiveness, barking, and excessive overfriendliness. 

Take a Break. When learning how to play with your dog, also learn the timing of when to stop play. As each dog is uniquely different, they are each going to have different arousal thresholds. 

Learn to stop play when you see signs that your dog is getting hyper-aroused.  Arousal can lead to aggression in traditionally non-aggressive dogs.

How Your Dog’s Brain Works. Ideally, you want your dog to switch from hindbrain patterns, which is the instinctive and impulsive part of their brain to the front brain neural pathways, often referred to as the thinking brain.  To read more about “switching” read Get Connected With Your Dog by Brenda Aloff.

It’s good to remember that hyperarousal clouds your dog’s thinking and interferes with their judgment. Be aware of your dog’s arousal levels and enjoy the moments playing these fun dog games.

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How to Play with Your Dog:  7 Fun Dog Games

Many of the game ideas listed below can be played indoors or outdoors.  The location really depends on your living space and the size of your dog.  Mix in behavior skills at the same time and it’s a win-win. 

Enjoy learning how to play with your dog!

How to Play with Your Dog:  #1 – RETRIEVING GAMES

Retrieving games are not just for retrievers.  Dogs like to run after objects.  To initiate play, teach your dog to love the object.

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Steps to Initiate Retrieving:

  1. Choose your object. A bouncy ball, holey ball, soft toy, frisbee or tumbler style toys.
  2. Begin to bounce the ball and toss a few inches away.  When your pet investigates, treat them. 
  3. Repeat #2.  As your pet takes more interest, toss the ball out a bit further each time.
  4. To make the play more challenging, have the dog return the object to your hand.

Retrieving can begin in a small space and then move out into a fenced yard. Once your dog becomes really reliable with this game, try playing in the water.  Floatable bumpers work well for retrieving games in the water. 

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How to Play with Your Dog:  #2 – HIDE and SEEK

Dogs of all sizes and ages love to seek. Before learning how to play with your dog, work on the foundation skills of sit, down, and stay.  Once your dog knows these positions, you will be able to teach them how to seek.

Steps to Hide and Seek:

  1. Place your dog in a “sit” or “down”.  Ask them to “stay”.
  2. You will leave the room and stand in another room.  Next, call your dog’s name or say the word “come”, whichever one they know best. Praise your dog. 
  3. Repeat. After telling your dog to “stay”, go hide in another room. Once your dog finds you, praise your dog.

When you are done playing, use the words “all done”. The dog will learn that the game is finished.  You can even direct them to go rest on their dog bed or a mat.

Hide and Seek games will give your dog mental stimulation and exercise at the same time. Plus, they can spend time with you and focus on finding you.

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How to Play with Your Dog:  #3 – “FIND IT” GAMES

These types of games are very similar to hide and seek, except instead of searching and finding a human, they look for a treat or favorite object.  When using a treat, be sure it has a good smell too, one your dog will love, like salmon, peanut butter, or liver.

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Steps for “Find It”:

  1. Place your dog in a “sit” or “down” on a mat, dog bed, or raised platform. Ask them to “stay”.
  2. Go hide one treat. HINT: the first several treats should be easy to find, the dog might even see you place it on the floor. 
  3. Release your dog with the words “find it”.
  4. Praise your dog. 
  5. Ask them to go back to their mat, dog bed, or raised platform.  Place them in a “down”.
  6. Once your dog learns “find it”, try hiding the treats behind a chair or on the stairs.  Or add multiple treats for them to find.
  7. Praise your dog each time they find a treat.
  8. When they are done, direct them back to the beginning.

When the game is done, use the words “all done”. The dog will learn that the game is finished.

How to Play with Your Dog:  #4 ADVANCED “FIND IT” GAME

If your dog loves using their nose, introduce harder “find it” games.  When a dog uses their nose, it engages their brain as well.  It may appear like the dog is not doing much, when in fact it is tiring them out mentally.

Snuffle mats are a wonderful challenge for your dog. Purchase a mat depending on how hard or easy you would like to make it for your dog. Another option is to make a homemade snuffle mat.

Steps for Using a Snuffle Mat:

  1. Take 3-4 pieces of kibble or treats and drop them on the snuffle mat.
  2. Place your dog in a “sit” or “down” position.  They must remain in that position while you place the snuffle mat on the floor.
  3. Release your dog with the words “find it” or “sniff”.  Your dog will sniff through the layers of fleece or fabric to eat the food.
  4. Once they found the treats or kibble remove the snuffle mat.
  5. Repeat.  Add in more treats or kibble.  Increase the difficulty by placing the treats deeper in the mat.
  6. Keep it interesting by using different flavored treats.  Remove the mat when you are done playing.  Tell your dog “all done”.

Snuffle mats come in all shapes and sizes.  Some mats make it harder to find objects, making your dog figure out how to lift fabric to sniff under and around for the treats.

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How to Play with Your Dog:  #5 – OBSTACLE COURSES

One way to challenge your dog while getting exercise is to create an obstacle course.  This game can be played inside or outdoors.  Use household objects to make a homemade obstacle course.

Steps for Creating an Obstacle Course:

  1. Gather items from around your home.
  2. Set up the obstacle course. 
  3. Place your dog in a “sit” or “down”.  You can do the obstacle course with or without a leash. Guide your dog through the obstacle course.
  4. Treat and praise after the obstacles.  Repeat.

SAMPLE COURSE

Your dog can walk around a cardboard box, jump over a pool noodle, weave in and out of chairs and finish with sitting on a board or raised platform.

Other items that allow for creative obstacle courses; jumps made from buckets and a broomstick, blankets set over chairs to create a tunnel, and lastly, set up several cones in a line for your dog to weave in and out.

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How to Play with Your Dog:  #6 – PUZZLE TOYS & STUFFED FOOD TOYS

Puzzle toys and toys stuffed with food can be wonderful entertainment for your dog.  If you have a dog that likes challenges and brain games, then puzzle toys are a good fit.

You can purchase commercial puzzle toys designed for dogs or you can make your own.  Puzzle toys stimulate your dog mentally and give them an opportunity to work on their problem-solving. 

Considerations When Choosing a Puzzle Toy

  1. Choose the appropriate size for your dog or puppy
  2. Puppies often need quick solutions to avoid getting frustrated and bored.
  3. The noise level of the toy
  4. Heavy chewers need a heavy duty toy.
  5. Avoid puzzles with small parts
  6. Durability of the puzzle toy
  7. Appropriate challenge for your dog

Food stuffed toys are an inexpensive way to challenge your dog. Choose the durability based off your dog’s size and chewing strength.  It is important to buy the correct size for your dog to avoid injury or accidents.

How to Stuff a Food Toy:

  1. Clean the toy with soap and warm water.
  2. In a bowl mix mashed banana, pumpkin, and kibble together.
  3. Stuff the food into the toy.  If your dog does not have a long tongue, fill the tip of the toy with loose kibble before stuffing it with the banana mixture.
  4. Place the stuffed food toy in a bag.
  5. Freeze.
  6. Once the toy is frozen, take it out of the bag and offer it to your dog. 

Always supervise your dog with food stuffed toys. It is best not to leave your dog alone with a toy.

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How to Play with Your Dog:  #7 – TEACH YOUR DOG TRICKS

Teaching your dog tricks is time well spent.  Your dog will love your attention and the mental stimulation.  In many cases, there is a physical challenge as well.

6 Easy Tricks to Teach at Home

  1. Paw or Shake:  the dog is in sitting position and offers up their paw.
  2. Turns:  This is a beneficial stretching exercise as well as fun.
  3. Roll over:  Teach your dog to roll to one side and then the other.
  4. Jump in a box:  Your dog can learn how to jump & sit in a box.
  5. Sit on a platform:  Create a raised platform yourself or buy one that fits your dog.
  6. Touch:  When you say the word touch & hold out your hand, your dog places their nose on it. 

Teaching your dog tricks can serve other purposes such as stretching, learning to follow directions, and even re-directing their focus.

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Play with your Dog

Dogs are playful creatures.  Dog owners enjoy having them in their lives and look for creative outlets to keep them mentally and physically healthy.

Learning how to play with your dog is a great use of time. Dogs love our attention, to be mentally challenged, and being physically active.

For the safety of all, always keep in mind your dog’s arousal state and remember to stop play before it becomes destruction play. Your dog’s mental state during play should be a priority.

Lastly, when learning how to play with your dog, teach them retrieving games or play that requires they use their nose.  Teaching tricks is both fun and useful.  Have fun together!

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