How to Play with Dogs

For most people, playing with dogs is quite a fun activity. This is a natural behavior for these animals, especially puppies, and it allows owners to bond with their pets. Play is also important for your dog’s mental and physical health. In addition, the game is also a form of exercise or physical activity depending on the level. Play can range from light casual activities to intense games or sports. You should play with your dog twice a day for at least fifteen minutes. Irritated dogs need more play to stay happy. To make it easy for you and your pet to build a fun routine, you can learn the right toys and games.

Table of Contents

Play games with dogs

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Play tug of war with your pet. Most dogs have an instinct to play tug of war because this is one of the ways that puppies can both have fun and pull objects with their mouths. Choose a long, soft toy (such as a stuffed animal or knotted rope) that you can pull out of your dog’s mouth and that won’t slip out of your hand when he shakes his head. ^{[1] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} Grab one end of the toy, and give a command like “Pick it up!” combined with the game. After the dog pulls excitedly and doesn’t let go for about ten to twenty seconds, you can give another command like “Drop down.” ^{[2] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Training a dog to obey commands will take a long time. You should use positive reinforcement and rewards to teach commands. For example, have a reward ready for saying, “Drop it down.” Repeat the command but do not offer the reward until the dog releases the toy. ^{[3] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to the source} After a few times, the dog will associate commands and obey even without receiving a reward.
Unlike many people think, sometimes you can let your dog win a game of tug of war. This is a particularly effective way to help dogs feel confident while having fun, and won’t make your pet think they’re the leader.
Hold the tug-of-war toy at waist level so your dog won’t jump on you or someone else. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Teach your dog to throw objects. Although many hound breeds have a hunting instinct (such as a retriever), most dogs love to play with objects. You can choose from a standard activity toy (such as a ball) or a lightweight plastic disc or a disc made of hard plastic or rubber. Get the giver’s attention with the object in hand, make sure their eyes follow the toy as you move it around, and then throw the toy away. Call the dog back with the item and use the “Drop” command like a tug of war before throwing it again. ^{[5] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

If your dog doesn’t understand at first that you want them to chase the toy, you should start teaching your pet how to play throwing objects by playing a game of tug of war in which you throw objects 30 to 60 centimeters away. The dog will still catch the item at this distance, and you can slowly increase the distance to convert it into a throwing game. ^{[6] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}
Sticks are often a popular item used for outdoor throwing, but can cut a dog’s mouth or cause injury. Instead, use pet-safe toys or choose soft stuffed toys to play with around the house. ^{[7] X Research Sources}
It’s also a pet-friendly activity that doesn’t exhaust you and keeps your dog entertained for long periods of time by changing direction, distance, and height when the toy is thrown. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Play hide and seek with the dog. This is a useful game because it stimulates dogs to use their sense of smell. Get your dog’s favorite treat or treat hidden in an area where the dog can’t see you. Then call the pet’s name and wait for them to come find you. Praise the dog after he finds you, and give one of the treats or play a short tug of war with the toy you used. ^{[9] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

Use the “Stay” command to prevent your pet from following you while you run away. If your dog doesn’t know the “Stay” command, this is a game that can teach them this command, or you can ask someone else to hold the pet in place while you hide and release as soon as you do. call the dog. ^{[10] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}
Choose an easy-to-find area while teaching your dog the game, and gradually increase the difficulty as your dog learns how to play. After your pet has mastered it, you can hide in a faraway place to force them to use their sense of smell to find you. ^{[11] X Trusted Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Go to source}

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Join a dog flexibility training group. If your pet has a lot of energy and is willing to follow commands, you should consider joining a dog flexibility training group. ^{[12] X Research Resources} You can find information on these groups at your veterinarian, your local pet store, or on the internet. The flexibility course uses a variety of objects and paths to teach the dog how to navigate. Objects include winding poles, seesaws, jump rings, ramps, and pipes.

This fun object-collecting activity tests owner and dog’s ability as a group to find objects and paths in a competition with owner and other dogs.

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Teach vocabulary to dogs. Another fun game is to teach dogs to learn vocabulary. As you pass the toy, say the name of the item. For example, the ball. Say, “Ball,” and give the ball to the dog. Then ask the dog to give the ball and repeat the process of saying the name and passing the ball to the pet. Then when the ball is on the floor, point to it and say, “Take the ball.” The dog will associate the word ‘ball’ with the real ball and will run to pick it up. You can apply this method to almost any object, as long as you use one simple word. ^{[13] X Research Source}

Play with your dog often. Once you have fun games and toys available, you should play with your dog often. Play with your pet twice a day for about fifteen minutes each. You can combine the game with other exercise activities for dogs, such as a walk to a nearby park before playing and walking home.

Choosing the right dog toy

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Learn the importance of toys. In addition to keeping your pet from getting bored, playing with toys helps prevent unwanted behavior and helps pets feel satisfied when alone. ^{[14] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the right source} Toys are also a helpful way to teach your dog new commands and games.

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Buy active toys for dogs. This is the type of toy that the dog loves to play with the most. They are usually made of hard rubber or thick rope that is knotted so that the dog can be carried away and chewed without immediate damage. ^{[15] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}

Some people use toys made of raw hide, but this material can choke dogs because they often chew on small pieces of skin, so you should choose toys made of hard rubber to be safe. ^{[16] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}
Tennis balls are popular activity toys. However, you need to pay attention to observe the dog when playing tennis balls, and when the pet chews the ball, throw it away immediately to avoid suffocation. ^{[17] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}
Some brands of durable and active dog toys include Nylabone and Kong. ^{[18] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source}

Buy distracting toys for dogs. Some toys have a function to keep your pet busy and play for hours when you can’t. This type of toy is usually a puzzle with a reward inside that attracts the dog’s attention. Many of these toys allow you to crush the treats and mix them with peanut butter (a dog’s favorite!) before adding the mixture to the toy. The dog will then chew on the toy, gradually reaching for the reward and peanut butter after a while. ^{[19] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}

The “busy box” is a popular toy of this type. They have a hard rubber block and allow you to hide the reward inside, making it possible for the dog to get the reward only by moving the toy around to let the reward drop. ^{[20] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}

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Buy soft toys for your pet. Dogs love stuffed toys in addition to those with hard materials. Soft toys usually come in two types: a light one that your dog can carry around continuously, or a “destructive” type that requires force to pick up and shake vigorously. ^{[21] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source}

Although the construction is not a soft toy, bubbles can serve as a “destructive” toy for dogs. Blow bubbles, and if the pup likes it, they’ll pounce and bite excitedly. Just make sure you buy brand-safe bubbles in case your dog might swallow them if they burst near their eyes. ^{[22] X Research Source}
Soft toys that squeak are a very popular “destroy” toy because dogs will often shake the part that makes the noise to fall out. ^{[23] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the source} Always keep an eye on dogs when they play with this toy and immediately throw away the whistle and loose parts to prevent suffocation. ^{[24] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}

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Try a variety of toys and alternate them constantly. As with any toy, you need to try a variety before you find your pet’s favourite. For example, a dog might not be interested in a tennis ball but play for hours on a rope. Prepare four to five toys that your dog enjoys and replace regularly, giving your dog one to two toys per week. ^{[25] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to the source} That way your dog won’t get bored with toys.

Substitute each toy for rolling, soothing, “destroying,” and one for takeaway/chewing. ^{[26] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}
Dogs often have a favorite soothing toy that they always cherish. This is often the main toy in the process of replacing toys that you can give your pet to use regularly. ^{[27] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source}

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Do not use furniture in the house. Household items such as old shoes, jump ropes, or belts are not suitable for making toys. Dogs cannot distinguish between old shoes and new shoes and can destroy and chew on entire objects in the house. They will eat things you never thought of.

Buy toys that are safe and of the right size. Remove items such as cords, ribbons, or other items that can cause suffocation from the dog’s toys. ^{[28] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to source} You should also choose toys that are the right size for your pet. Large dogs can swallow small dog balls, and small dogs cannot use large dog toys. ^{[29] X Trusted Source The Humane Society of the United States Go to Source} If your dog swallows a piece of a toy or foreign object, they can enter the stomach or intestines, costing you money for medical treatment. treatment or surgery. Some signs a dog has swallowed a foreign body include: ^{[30] X Cahn CM Research Source , Line S. The Merck Veterinary Manual. 9th ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2005}

Vomiting or retching
Comatose
Anorexia
Pain or discomfort in the abdomen

Advice

Playing with dogs is a fun part of being in a relationship with them, so you should enjoy it!
Don’t play “chase the dog”. If you have to go out you will have a hard time calling them back.
When you’re not happy with a dog’s behavior, distract it with something else. Positive reinforcement is always more effective than negative reinforcement, because you won’t scare the dog.
Do not play rough with puppies. They may resist every time you play. At that time, you or the dog will be seriously injured.
Never hit or harm a pet intentionally.
Do not force the dog to play with you, or they will not be interested in this.
Speak softly to your dog to let them know that the owner is having fun with them.
You can learn information on training and teach your dog to obey basic commands by using the switch
Do not let your pet play too hard.
Give your dog water to drink after playing.

Warning

Thorough training for pets. Some dogs can become overly aggressive and lose control of their strength. Do not let other people, especially young children, play with the dog until you are sure they are not biting or jumping on others.

Steps

Play games with dogs

Choosing the right dog toy

Advice

Warning

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