Author:
Roger Morrison
Date Of Creation:
21 September 2021
Update Date:
1 July 2024
Content
Most people enjoy playing with a dog. It is a natural behavior for dogs - especially young dogs - and it gives the owner a good opportunity to bond with him. Play is also important for mental and emotional well-being. Depending on the intensity, playtime can also provide a dog with good physical exercise. Play can vary from unorganized spontaneous play to organized intense competition games or sports. Focus on playing with your dog for at least 15 minutes twice a day. Some rambunctious dogs will take longer play times to keep them happy. By learning the right types of toys and games, you can easily create a varied play routine for you and your dog.
To step
Part 1 of 2: Choosing the right toys for your dog
Understand the importance of toys. In addition to taking away your dog's boredom, playing with toys can help make other unwanted behaviors disappear and give your dog comfort when left alone. The right toys are also helpful ways to teach your dog new commands and games. 
Buy active toys for your dog. Active toys are the kind that your dog is most likely to spend time with. These toys are usually made of very hard rubber, or thick knotted rope that your dog can drag and chew regularly without breaking immediately. - Some people use rawhide chew bones instead, but these can easily be a choking hazard when your dog chews off small pieces of the cowhide, so hard rubber toys are a safer option.
- Tennis balls are also a common option for active toys. However, keep an eye on your dog with tennis balls and throw them away as soon as your dog bites them to avoid the danger of them choking on them.
- Nylabone and Kong are two well-known brands of durable, active dog toys.
Buy soft toys for your dog. Dogs also like cuddly toys, in addition to the hard ones. Soft toys usually end up in one of these two categories - a calming toy that your dog is constantly dragging around, or a "scrap" toy that your dog picks up and shakes wildly. - While not strictly soft toys, bells are also great "demolition" toys for dogs. Blow some bubbles, and if your dog likes it, he will playfully nip and bite at them. Just make sure to buy a brand of bubble bladder that is animal-friendly in case the dog manages to ingest some of the mixture, or if one of the bubbles pops close to his eyes.
- Soft toys with squeakers in them are a common "demolition" toy because your dog often shakes it back and forth in an attempt to get the squeaker out of the toy. Keep a close eye on your dog with these toys and dispose of the squeakers and loose stuffing to keep him from choking on them.
Try various options and alternate them. As with other toys, you may have to try several options of each type before you find one that your dog likes. For example, your dog may not respond to tennis balls at all, but can play with a rope toy for hours on end. Find four or five toys that your dog likes and alternate them by giving the dog one or two of them every week. This will help keep your dog from getting tired of the toys. - In the alternation, try to have at least one toy to roll with, one to comfort, one to "demolish" and one to drag or gnaw on.
- Dogs often have an absolute favorite in the "comfort" toy category - one that your dog cherishes. This is often a keeper in the toy rotation, which you can leave with your dog all the time.
Don't use old items from your household. Consumables such as old shoes, elastic bands or belts are not suitable toys. A dog cannot tell the difference between your old shoe and the beautiful one you bought yesterday. In addition, your dog can tear and eat most household items into small pieces. They will eat things you never thought were possible. 
Have a tug of war with your dog. Most dogs instinctively engage in tug of war because one of the ways puppies can play is by pulling on an object with their mouths. Choose a long, soft toy (such as a stuffed animal or a knotted rope) that you can hold away from the dog's jaw and that your dog won't be able to wring out of your hand by shaking its head. Grab the toy on one side and associate a command such as "grab!" With the game. Once the dog playfully pulls for ten to twenty seconds without letting go, you can issue another command, such as "Release". - Obviously, it will take time to teach your dog the commands. Use positive reinforcement and treats to learn these commands. For example, have a treat ready in one hand when you say "Loose". Repeat the command, but don't give the treat until your dog lets go of the rope. After a number of times, your dog will begin to associate the statement and even obey without treats.
- Contrary to popular belief, it's okay to let your dog win every now and then with tug of war. It's an especially good method to help your dog develop confidence when it comes to playtime, and it doesn't automatically make your dog think he's the pack leader.
- Hold the pull toy at or below hip level so as not to encourage your dog to jump on you or others.
Look at the capabilities of dog agility groups. If you have a high-energy dog who likes to obey you, consider joining an agility association. You can find information about these types of associations at the vet, pet stores or by searching online. An agility course has various objects and runs, which the dog is taught to follow. These include slalom poles, seesaws, jump hoops, elevated paths and tunnels. - These fun gatherings test both the owner's and the dog's ability to work as a team to follow these objects and trails in a competition against other owners and their dogs.
Teach your dog a vocabulary. A very fun game is to teach your dog a vocabulary. When you give him a toy, say its name. Take a ball as an example. Say "ball" and give the ball to the dog. Then have the dog give you the ball and repeat the process of naming and giving the ball to your dog. Then, when the ball is on the ground, point at it and say "get your ball." The dog will likely associate the word "ball" with the actual ball and should do it. This process can be repeated with almost any object as long as the word is one simple word. 
Play with your dog often. Now that you know a few fun games and toys, you can make sure to play with your dog more often. Focus on playing with your dog for at least 15 minutes twice a day. You can also combine play time with other exercise for your dog, such as walking to the nearby park, playing there, and then walking home again.
Tips
- Playing with your dog is the fun part of canine company, enjoy it!
- Never play games like get the dog. This can result in a dog that is difficult to catch when you have to go somewhere.
- When you have a puppy, never be too rough. This can lead to a dog fighting back every time you play. In this case, you or the puppy could be seriously injured.
- Do your dog never hurt on purpose and never hit him.
- Make sure you don't force your dog to play with you as he won't enjoy doing that.
- Use a friendly tone of voice on your dog so that he knows you are happy with him.
- You can find more information about training dogs and teaching basic commands at: The wikiHow article Clicker Training Your Dog.
- Make sure you don't exhaust your dog or puppy.
Warnings
- Make sure your dog is properly trained. Some dogs can be overly aggressive and don't realize their own strength. Do not let anyone else, especially small children, play with your dog until you are sure your dog knows not to bite and jump on people.
