Fun Games to Play with Your Dog
A dog can’t tap its paw on the keyboard and search up youtube videos for the purpose of entertainment, nor can’t it go out for a drive to catch up with an old friend to pass time. So how do dogs deal with boredom? If you are a dog owner, you probably know dogs kill time by taking lots of naps throughout the day. Well, the good news is your dog is probably well-rested, but a bored and well-rested dog is a recipe for disasters. So I am here to save the day with some fun activities you can enjoy with your dog at home to keep boredom-related mischiefs at bay.
The Throwing Game
Number of participants: 2 -3 people.
How to play: Spread out in a large circle and throw your dog’s favorite toy from one person to another. Call your dog’s name. This game usually tires out my dog in 15 minutes. Make sure you let your dog win once in a while because some dogs tend to give up the chase if they simply can’t win.
The Up and Down the Stairs Game
Number of participants: One person
How to play: Throw your dog’s favorite toy down the stairs and make them fetch. The back and forth is sure to tire them out. Make sure they don’t slip and hurt themselves. Playing on carpeted stairs is better than wooden stairs.
The Hide and Go Seek
Number of participants: 2 people
How to play: Have one person hold your dog and the other person hide with a squeaky toy in hand. The person hiding will then squeak the toy to trigger your dog to hunt for the sound. This exercise is awesome because it definitely brought back some fun childhood memories of mine.
The Treasure Hunt
Number of participants: 1 person
How to play: Let your dog smell the treats to get them excited. Lay the treats around the house. This will keep them entertained for a while when they run around the house hunting for mouth-watering treats.
The Lazy Mom Tug-o-war
Number of participants: 1 person
How to play: When I’m doing chores around the house, I like to tie my dog’s leash around my waist along with her favorite toy attached. As I am walking around the house, I am keeping my dog entertained while doing chores. Be sure to put padding around your waist so that leash burns can be avoided. Trust me, that’s a tip you’d want to follow.
The Kong Chew Stuffing Game
Number of participants: zero
How to play: Stuff your dog’s Kong toy with frozen peanut butter or treats. When I’m busy working, this trick keeps my dog busy for at least a good 20 minutes.
The Ice Cube Treat Game
Number of participants: Zero
How to play: Freeze your dog’s treat in a tiny glass container. Remove the ice block and let them go at it. This is a great way to cool your dog down in the summertime but remember, no large ice block because it could potentially damage your dog’s teeth, and also do not offer ice cubes to dogs with dental issues.
The Hand Shuffle Mania Game
Number of participants: 1 person
How to play: Grab a treat and let your dog smell it. Then hide both of your hands. Next, put your hands in front of your dog with a closed fist and have your dog guess which hand the treat is in. Wear an old mitten so that your hands will be scratch proof.
The Bring Me a Present Game
Number of participants: 1 person
How to Play: You know you are a dog owner when you have toys laying around the house. It drives me nuts every time I trip over my dog’s toy and when this happens, I know it’s time for a fun clean up game. Start by grabbing a toy and throw it. Have your dog fetch the toy and give the command to bring you a present. Eventually, your dog will associate present with toys and every time you give this command, your dog will come running with his/her toy. This makes the cleaning process fun and you don’t have to lift a finger.
The Creative Chase Game
Number of participants: 1 person
How to play: Your child’s remote-controlled car comes in handy for this game. Tie your dog’s toy on the remote-controlled car and drive it around the house. This will keep your dog busy chasing the toy around the house. Be warned, if you have a large dog, this might not be a good idea for the wellbeing of the car if you know what I mean.
Enjoy these games!