What games can you play with your dog at home and outside?

This article offers ideas for playing with your dog both indoors and outdoors. There are numerous games for developing muscle tone, training attention, and teaching commands. The owner, who knows their dog's personality and favorite pastimes best, decides what to play with. Outdoor play should be conducted in designated areas, such as forested parks, to avoid disturbing passersby.

Content

1 How to play with a dog correctly
2 How to keep a dog busy in an apartment

How to play with a dog correctly

Active and educational games promote communication between owner and pet and provide necessary exercise for the animal's musculoskeletal system. However, owners of medium and large fighting breeds must adhere to a number of requirements:

The beginning and end of the entertainment should be determined by the person; animal dominance should not be allowed.
It is unacceptable to allow your pet to change the course of the game, even if he is unhappy.
Cruel educational measures must not be used.
Good behavior should be rewarded with a treat or a favorite toy.

Entertainment should be based on your pet's instincts and personality traits. Avoid including any messages that could provoke aggression.

What games can you play outside?

During your walk, you can choose a quiet spot and let your four-legged friend off the leash. In Moscow and other major cities, there are special areas for training and walking dogs—these are where animals can feel free to roam without disturbing residents. It's a good idea to consider the weather conditions to ensure a comfortable experience.

What to do with your dog in winter

Thanks to their wool coats, pets are less afraid of the cold than their owners. However, it's worth focusing more on active activities to keep their muscles warm. These include:

Chasing. This activity is especially beneficial for racing and hunting breeds. In winter, you can compete in speed by putting on skis and letting your dog off the leash.
Frisbee. Brightly colored discs are easily visible against the snow, making it easier for the dog to navigate and successfully catch them. You can substitute the Frisbee with colorful balls. This exercise is great for training puppies, who may have trouble escaping from the yard due to deep snowdrifts.
Tug-of-war. A rope with a ball attached to the end is used. This game is not suitable for young children with underdeveloped jaws; it's best left to an adult. During tug-of-war, a dog may become overexcited and cross the line, displaying aggression. Therefore, it's important to closely monitor its behavior.

In winter, slides are built in almost every courtyard. You can slide down them with your pet, sitting them comfortably on a sled or in a tube next to you and holding them securely in your arms.

How to entertain your pet in spring and fall

During the off-season, when the streets get slushy, people often prefer to spend time indoors. But a four-legged friend gets bored while away the days without active exercise. Therefore, taking your pet outside should be for active entertainment, not just to relieve themselves. And if you don't want to thoroughly clean your dog after rolling in a puddle or mud, you can try leash-free activities:

Obstacle course. Small training equipment consisting of hurdles of varying heights, ladders, and logs is set up specifically for training purposes. These are ideal for teaching the basics of agility.
Jumping. Simply pick up your dog's favorite treat and, teasingly, raise it high. The dog will happily jump, trying to get it.
Parkour. The animal is trained to jump onto an elevated surface, such as a bench or a small stump. Once this skill is mastered, the task becomes more challenging, with commands like "sit," "give paw," and "serve."

On fine autumn days, the best entertainment is a walk in the forest or park, hunting for fallen leaves and looking for a toy in the grass.

After a walk in a forested area, carefully inspect your pet to detect any ticks. It's a good idea to get your dog up to date with all recommended vaccinations.

What games can you play in the summer?

During summer, it's a good idea to spend more time outdoors. You can play any game you want—the season is ideal for running, training, and water activities:

Bathing. Most dogs love splashing around in water. You can have them run in the shallows, dive for objects in shallow water, or swim races—provided both owner and pet are comfortable in the water. Practicing the "fetch" command by throwing a stick into the sea or lake is also helpful.
Search. While walking in the park or forest, you can hide your dog's favorite toy in the tall grass. He'll enjoy finding the treasure using his sense of smell. It's easy to play the role of "treasure hunter" yourself, hiding behind a thick bush.
Tree-walking training. Using treats, teach your dog to walk around trees. With patience, you can achieve excellent results—your dog will walk around tree trunks at a respectful distance from you.

On hot days, walks should be kept low in intensity if your pet suffers from chronic cardiovascular disease, is overweight, or has a thick, dark coat. For these dogs, it's best to choose quiet activities in shady areas.

How to keep a dog busy in an apartment

When going for a walk isn't possible, you can have fun at home, even if you don't have enough space for jogging. Fun games include:

Hand-searching for a treat. Your dog must guess which fist contains the treat. Initially, they'll rely on smell, but if you move the treat behind your back to the other fist, they won't be able to use their sense of smell. Each successful attempt should be rewarded by giving the hidden treat to the skilled detective.
Bubbles. It's easy to entertain your pet by blowing bubbles, which they'll actively chase. An important rule: don't use household chemicals to create bubbles; you should buy special liquids from a pet store.
Little races. Tie a toy to a string and tease your pet, making it jump or run around the room.
Housekeeper. Using simple commands, you can train your dog to fetch needed food and items from the refrigerator or cupboard. To make this task easier, attach a belt to the handle of the refrigerator or closet, allowing you to easily open the door by pulling it.
Hide and seek. Simply hide in a closet or under a bed, then call your four-legged friend's name. This is a useful activity for puppies learning to follow scent.
Tag. A team game that tests reaction time. Two participants hide in separate rooms and take turns calling the dog. You can play tag while doing other things—washing dishes, watching a TV show, or reading a book.
Cleaning the room. It's best to practice after active play, when toys and other objects are scattered. After mastering the commands "fetch," "give (with the name of the object)," and "drop," train your puppy to pick up objects from the floor and put them in a basket.
Candy. Wrap a few pellets of dry food in regular toilet paper, forming homemade candy. The treats are then scattered around the room. To get to the treat, your dog will have to use its paws and muzzle to unwrap each "wrapper" or bite the treat with its teeth. If you're worried about your pet swallowing the paper, you can try a different approach: mix a handful of food with plastic pellets in the box.
Tug of war. You can play it without leaving your couch. The key is to lose the game periodically and not let go of the rope too abruptly.
Laser. For an active dog, a laser pointer is a great way to play. The owner simply draws the dog's attention to a bright spot on the wall or furniture and moves the pointer at a range of 1-1.5 meters. Avoid raising the laser point too high, as this can cause the dog to lose interest or become dissatisfied.

The video features games that will help you teach useful commands and make communication with your owner much more fun.

https://youtu.be/DTAvNlGzMb0?feature=shared

But it's not advisable to continue the fun when your dog starts to feel tired or seems overly excited. Give him time to rest. During this time, you can watch a soccer match together—many dogs enjoy watching sports.

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