Let’s face it, while our dogs could probably go for walks and play fetch for hours (or even days) at a time, it gets a little boring to us human companions to do the same thing all the time. Spicing up your activity is good for you and your pooch, because new games certainly keep your pup thinking and tired. If you’re looking for some new games to play, we’ve got some great ones here for you! Remember, all of these games can be played with your old soul seniors or your baby puppies – age doesn’t matter!
#1 – Round Robin Recall
This is extremely easy and can involve all of your family and friends. Simply fill everyone’s hands with some delicious doggy snacks, sit your pup in the middle and have everyone take turns calling them over! Your dog is sure to think this is outstanding fun, because all they have to do is run to people and get treats!
#2 – Find It Games
Find It games are perfect for any type of bad weather. Too hot to leave the air conditioning? Perfect. Too rainy to go outside without needing a bath? Perfect. Too much snow to even move? Perfect. Find It games need nothing more than a room with hiding places and your pup’s favorite snacks. Simply put your dog in another room, hide treats anywhere – in between couch cushions, under tables, behind chair legs – and send your dog in for the search. You might have to guide them along at first, but soon your pup will be using their nose and looking all over the place for treats! You’ll be surprised how fast they find them, too!
#3 – Hide & Seek
Hide and seek is a favorite of many dog owners and can even help improve your recall too. Either leave your dog in a sit or down in another room or have someone hold them, go hide somewhere in your house or yard, and the call or have the other person send your dog to find you. Even more impressive than finding food hidden in the house will be how quickly your dog can find you. Be sure to offer plenty of praise and treats every time your dog finds you, or you won’t be much fun to find anymore.
#4 – Obstacle Course
You don’t need an agility dog or any agility equipment to set up an obstacle course. In fact, makeshift obstacle courses are sometimes more fun because you’ll get to see how truly agile and environmentally sound your dog is. Use chairs to send your dog under, a milk crate to sit on top or stand in, a plastic kiddie pool to run through (with or without water), a hula hoop to jump through and whatever else you can think of! Teaching your dog any of these tricks will keep them working both their minds and bodies and is sure to be fun for both of you!
#5 – Clean Up
Teaching your dog to clean up is both fun and useful and you can make it as precise as you want. Many people will teach their dogs how to pick up all of their toys and place them in a toy basket just by generalizing the command to “clean up,” while others will actually teach dogs the names of specific items. You can teach your dog to get a red ball or blue ball or even a different toy altogether by using simple positive reinforcement training. Some owners even teach their dogs to pick up trash and put laundry in the washer and dryer!
