Do you have a set routine with your dog that occurs every day after work or school? Short walks, playing fetch, or visiting the dog park, can become monotonous after awhile for you and your dog if you do the same routine over and over. Try mixing up the routine a bit by bringing back some childhood games. These four games will keep you and your pet healthy and active, plus you’ll both have fun.
Hide and Seek
Hide and seek is a fun game for a dog to play and it’s also useful in reinforcing your recall. Playing hide and seek taps into your dog’s hunting instincts and gives you a reason to have a little play time of your own. Plus, you can play indoors or outdoors. (Good news for all of the rainy days we’ve had lately.)
Start small by hiding behind a tree, a door or even the sofa then call your dog to you. Have a friend distract your dog while you hide. Reward your dog with praise and treats when he finds you. As you continue to play, you can make your hiding spots more elaborate.
Treat Hunt
The treat hunt game is similar to hide and seek. Your dog will love uncovering a tasty treat hidden somewhere in the house or outside in a small area. Allow your dog to sniff the treat before you hide it. For the first few times, let him see where you hide it. When he finds it, praise him as if he just found the needle in the haystack. As you progress, you can try leaving him in another room or have a friend distract him while you hide the treat, then release him to look for it. Start with an easy hiding spot, like under a bench, and gradually move to harder search locations.
Red Light, Green Light
Did you ever play “Red Light, Green Light” as a child? It’s the game where all children race or walk forward as quickly as they can when one child says “green light,” then stop when the child says “red light.” Those who don’t stop are eliminated from the game. You can play this with your dog with a few modifications. Red Light, Green Light is fun way to train “come” and “stay”. (Be fair though, make sure he understands those cues first or you’re setting him up to fail.)
Teach your dog a word for “come” and a word for “stay” (or you could just use the commands “come” and “stay”). Reward your dog with praise and a treat when he succeeds. When you first start the game, allow your dog to walk for some time before telling him to “stay” in order to make it easier. Gradually move up to shorter periods of “come” and “stay.” You don’t have to limit this game to “come” and “stay” either. You can use any behaviors that you want him to do on a moment’s notice – “sit” and “down” also work well too.
Jump through Hoops
You spend your days jumping through hoops, why not teach your dog as well? If you have an active dog who loves jumping dogs jumping, so why not channel some of that energy and teach him to jump through a few hoops? You don’t need expensive equipment. A simple hula-hoop purchased from any toy store will work. Show your dog how to walk through the hoop when it is placed on the ground, then encourage your dog with praise or a treat when he goes through. Gradually work up to jumping, and experiment with holding the hoop higher and higher for increased difficulty.
Your dogs love to play and they really love to play WITH YOU. So mix it up a bit and have fun playing some games from your childhood – and if your neighbors catch you playing hide and seek in the yard, you can blame it on the dog. Or, better yet, invite them to play too!
