I can see him sitting there scratching his head and wondering why I refer to dog training when I write about dog games. Well, this is because I am a dog. I know from personal experience that all dog games are really training and all dog training is really games. Let me introduce myself. I’m Valentino Spock Bone. You can call me Valentino for short. My human has quite a sense of humor. But that is another story. Oh, by the way, the title about games that will wear you out is a pun because dog games will wear out a dog or a human. I guess it depends on who is reading this article!
Playing dog games is one of the most effective and fun ways to give your dog the mental and physical exercise he needs. It also provides a personal way to meet his best friend in a casual setting. Unlike the standard training routines that I will discuss in future articles, this article is just for fun, but in a healthy training way.
What happens is that I get bored with the old “bring” or “Valentino come”, even if it is for a gift. I am very intelligent and so is your canine friend. He wants variety and lots of excitement. Even the experts agree that to keep your dog happy, you need to provide exercise and challenge along with positive reinforcement… my favorite are those little treats that are soft and look like a little T-bone and just tingle on me mouth and makes me want to cartwheel and run around the block… Sorry, sometimes I get carried away with the idea of another treat.
So here it goes:
1) Get: Try to think outside of the kennel and get creative with a ball or your favorite toy instead of a stick. My human won’t let me chew on sticks, but she does let me chew on my toys, so I can use safe objects to play fetch. I know this sounds funny, but not all dogs are the same. Some dogs just don’t like to play fetch! If not, keep reading because there are many other dog games to play. Oh, I’m sure your dog already knows how to return it to you and “drop” it before you start playing fetch.
2) Backyard Swing: We do this in the summer using an inexpensive little wading pool that fits me perfectly! All you have to do is fill it with a few inches of water and place a rubber toy in the middle and watch your dog have a blast getting in and out of the pool! If your dog gets too excited doing this, be sure to let him calm down by drawing his attention to something else or by emptying the pool and placing it out of his reach.
3) Mystery Tour:You can create a maze of boxes and other simple shapes in the backyard and use those treats to get your dog to run through the maze with you by his side, or not. You may want to go solo while you watch. This is really great for helping your dog learn to move with fluid movements and helps him feel good about new and different ways and situations, giving him confidence and mental balance. You can also buy equipment for this, but simple is usually best unless you’re training for steeplechase events. Sometimes I just go dumb and just jump OVER the boxes in the maze… that drives my human crazy!
4) Hide and Seek: I love using my amazing natural ability to follow scents, and with just the right amount of encouragement, your dog will be an expert at finding you or whatever toy you hide in this game. If you and your dog are new to this, give the command to stay, then hide or hide a toy where your dog can see you, then give the command come and get it or find me. When he finds whatever you’re hiding, give him a nice gift and praise him like a fool. After you get used to this, your puppy will be able to find you or the hidden object by smell alone, even if he can’t see you. Start simple and then get more complicated by adding more distance. Did you know that sniffer dogs will sometimes pick up a scent by moving several feet away from where the scent is? The nose knows.
This is a great way to spend time indoors on those cold winter days or just those rainy days when inclement weather prevents you from hanging out with your best friend. Please be sure to keep those treats close. And be sure to give the “stay” command before hiding, otherwise he’ll be right behind you!
5) Swimming: I know this may be hard to believe, but some dogs don’t like water! If your dog thinks the water is bad, don’t force it. But if he loves water, take him now! Swimming is great exercise and you can have a lot of fun watching him do the dog paddle! Remember to bring plenty of towels and dry him afterwards to prevent him from catching a cold.
6) Frisbee: Oh, catch. Catching a flying object is almost too exciting for me to talk about. I am young, however, and this is easy for me. If his dog is older this may not be so good for him as he is very physical and requires a lot of movement, jumping and sliding all over the place. You’ll want to throw the Frisbee a short distance to start off and then you can throw it further and further as Fido gets the hang of it. This reinforces the “fetch” instructions to go after something, bring it back, and then “drop” it so you can repeat the process for it. Did you know that there are Frisbee competitions? It just doesn’t get any better than this.
7) What is that?: I just can’t get enough of this one. My human sits in her chair, and out of nowhere, she takes a quick breath and says in her most questioning voice, “What’s that?” My ears perk up and I run off in the direction of wherever she points! WELL. I know there’s nothing there, but she always gets me. This is good for getting my attention and helps me focus on whatever my human wants me to focus on. Then when the game is over, use other commands to end the game; Come sit down and stay. Oh, and sometimes she stands up or moves when she does this. So many ways, so little time.
8) Saddlebag: This one is really cool. This is when I can bring water and snacks for my human. If you don’t already have a saddlebag, you can make one out of a good piece of cloth that fits around your dog’s tummy and chest… and it should have a pocket on each side for water and snacks. .my human also uses it to carry my treats. This is great because I look cute and get a lot of compliments and treats just for walking around! And, of course, it does me good to walk quietly next to him to exercise. If your dog has been used to wearing dog sweaters and coats, he will get used to this. If not, give him time to adjust to the feel of the dog clothes before you expect him to be comfortable in it. My human started by dressing me in sweaters because I was a wiggling worm. After I calmed down and didn’t care about my clothes, he gave me a saddlebag to wear. He started by putting small items in the pockets and then added his water bottles after I was fine with the extra weight.
9) Horse and Buggy: No, I don’t mind being considered a horse pulling a carriage. People also call this carrying or pulling in some circles. This takes practice to master, but once you do it can be a lot of fun, a great workout, and helps build stamina. My human uses a little red car. He removed the handle and added a fabric knot that goes over my back and ties to two round dowels he bought at a craft store. He can also use a sleigh or cart. I have to walk with a steady step and pull the cart that usually carries a child or just things like groceries or debris in the yard that she wants to get rid of. He makes me feel like I’m a part of whatever my human is doing at the time.
10) Leave it: I really love this because I don’t have to do anything and I always get a gift! At first you just have a favorite treat in your hand and you say “leave it” and let your dog sniff it but you don’t give it to him…the minute he stops trying to get it you give it to him and praise the heck of he. I guess your dog will get it by the second day. After he really gets the hang of it, you can use it for almost anything, like leaving the cat alone, leaving the rug alone, and leaving anything alone that has his undivided attention.
11) Grand Ole Opry: I have one more, well, actually two, but since I really can’t count. My human gets up and 1) she starts twirling and 2) she starts singing at the top of her lungs! All I want to do is be a part of this madness, so I get up on my two hind legs and howl! It really is a sight to behold and I feel exhausted afterwards! So this is probably good for those days when your dog hasn’t gotten as much exercise as he should. A little goes a long way with this one. If he can’t turn, just sway a little from side to side. And if you can’t sing, all the better because it will take your pup to howling heaven.
Dog games are very good for your dog and with a little time you will get them in sync with what makes your best friend happy and healthy.