1. Bonding – Dog play allows us to engage in a joint activity with our dog. In particular, we teach our dog certain skills, or work together with him to achieve common goals. This helps significantly with the bonding process.
2. Pack leadership – While playing with our dog, it is important that we stay in control of the game. I set up some rules for the game and teach my dog to follow those rules. This helps to keep everyone safe, and helps to teach my dog good behaviors during his play sessions. Rules and structure will also put us in the leadership position and help establish us as the pack leader.

Play Fun Food Games with Your Dog
3. Positive outlets for hyper energy – Setting up regular play sessions will also help redirect our dog’s hyper energy into positive areas. This lowers the likelihood of him becoming frustrated, or finding games to play on his own that may not be people or property friendly.
4. Dog obedience training – Dog play also presents a great opportunity to obedience train our dog. I throw in frequent breaks during play sessions, so that my dog does not get overly excited and loses control. Break-time is a great time to slip in some obedience training commands.
5. Fun for everyone – Playing with our dog is fun for everyone. If we do it right, our dog will have a blast and so will we. I keep dog play sessions short, interesting, and rewarding. I experiment with a variety of games to keep my dog engaged. I stop playing before he gets bored, so that he will always want more.

Bonding – Dog play allows us to engage in a joint activity with our dog.

Why Food Games?

Why Food Games?

Food games are especially fun to play with a dog, because food is usually a strong motivator. Instead of giving my dog all of his food in his silver bowl, I keep some to use during our play sessions.

It is always strange to me why some people are against using food during play and training. Dogs need to eat, therefore we either make them work for their food or give food to them for free. Giving free food to a dog does not teach him anything except that food is easy to come by, and no effort needs to be expended to get what he wants.

On the other hand, using food during play and obedience training teaches the dog that-

• Food is not free.
• Food comes from us.
• Food is a reward for doing work for us.
• Working together with us is a good thing because it results in a fun and rewarding play session.

Food games are especially fun to play with a dog because food is usually a strong motivator.

1. Find-It

One of my dog’s most favorite game is Find-It.

I start by playing this game in my enclosed backyard.

• First, I call my dog to me and reward her for coming.
• Next, I show her that I have a small but tasty treat in hand. This usually gets her undivided attention.
• Then, I say “Find-It” and throw the treat a very short distance away and in clear sight.
• The motion naturally catches my dog’s eye and she pounces on the treat.
• I mark that behavior (Good!), praise her, and reward her with another treat.

Once my dog gets familiar with the game, I stop rewarding her for finding the treat. I also start throwing the Find-It treat farther away, and make it more challenging for her by throwing it into long grass, holes, or under bushes.

The Find-It game is also fun to play while out on a walk. My Siberian Husky loves going on hiking trails, and when it comes time to go home, she will usually want to linger behind. This is usually when I start playing the Find-It game with her to get her moving together with me in a homeward direction.

1. Find-It

Most dogs love this game because it is rewarding and they get to practice their instinct to smell and search for food. As such, it can also be useful to motivate and distract dogs who are anxious about going outside.

Note – Of course, do not play this game in areas where there is trash, wrappers, poop, poisonous plants, or dangerous objects that we do not want our dogs to “find”. I only play this game after my dog has grown out of her “put everything in her mouth” phase, and after we have some training under our belt.

When playing any game with our dog, it is important to consider the environment, as well as our dog’s temperament, age, training, past experiences and more, to ensure that we use food and other motivators properly, to encourage good behaviors and discourage bad behaviors. Always make sure that our dog and everyone else around is safe.

Once my dog gets familiar with the game, I make it more challenging for her by throwing it into long grass, holes, or under bushes.

2. Buried Treasure

2. Buried Treasure

My other dog, a Shiba Inu, can be very lazy when it comes to working for his food. Often, he will lie about and wait until my Husky has finished working on a food toy, and come clean up what she has left behind.

However, the “Buried Treasure” game always gets him going on his own.

• I start by getting all of his toys together in a corner of the room.
• Then I put little bits of kibble in some of the toys and bury them under other toys.
• In the end, I have a pile of toys, some of which have buried kibble.
• To top everything off I sprinkle some kibble down at the pile of toys and let it trickle down to the bottom of the pile.

Shiba Sephy has a lot of fun finding all the buried kibble while digging through his pile of toys.

Shiba Sephy has a lot of fun finding all the buried kibble as well as digging through his pile of toys.

Of course we can also bury toys in a sand-box or in holes in our backyard and let our dog dig them out. This game is great for teaching a dog which backyard areas are sanctioned excavation points, and which areas are off limits.

If we do not have a sand box, then another fun variation of the game is to hide food toys in various locations around the backyard or house. I start by hiding the toys in easier to find places and let my dog see where I am putting the stuff. Once he understands the game, I can increase the level of challenge by putting him in a separate location while I hide his toys. Once he understands the game, I may also start to put the toys in harder to look for, but safe places.

For more advanced hide-and-seekers, we can even set up an agility course that the dog must conquer in order to find all the food.

Only do this after the dog is already trained and comfortable with each of the agility obstacles.

Of course we can also bury toys in a sand-box or in holes in our backyard and let our dog dig them out.

3. Food Puzzles

Dog Play 3 – Food Puzzles

Finally, another great way to engage our dog is by putting his food into interactive food toys. In this way, he has to exercise his mind and figure out the toy puzzles, before he can get to his food.

There are a fair number of interactive toys that my dogs enjoy. The toys are fun, keeps them occupied, and gives them something interesting to work on.

In addition to ready-made interactive food toys, I always try to figure out new ways to create food puzzle games for my dogs.

Interactive food toys are fun, keeps them occupied, and gives them some great mental exercise.

Sometimes, I may also combine multiple interactive toys together.

For example, during Halloween, I tried a chicken bobbing game (a variation to the apple bobbing game). I filled a container with water and placed little pieces of chicken under the water. Then I let my Husky bob for the pieces of chicken. She had a lot of fun and it is also a great way to cool down.

My dogs also love tearing apart cardboard boxes to get at the food inside.

Sometimes, I may combine multiple interactive toys together to change the food puzzle and increase the challenge of the game.

I always supervise my dog when trying out a new interactive toy. I make sure he does not swallow anything that may be unhealthy, a choking hazard, or may disrupt his digestive system.

There are many other fun ways to play with our dog and keep him happy and well exercised. Some of my dogs’ favorite activities include neighborhood walks, playing with other dogs, flirt-pole, and more.

I try to always keep dog play fun, upbeat, and rewarding. This will make everyone happy, and enhance my relationship with my dogs.

A busy, and tired dog, is a well-behaved, relaxed, and fun companion!

Husky Shania bobbing for pieces of chicken during Halloween.

Today I got to go to an awesome place called the SPCA.

There were many dogs there and many interesting smells. There was also a nice, enclosed play area where I got to romp around in an off-leash format.

A very happy Shiba Inu after a visit to the SPCA.

This play area had many balls, frisbees, ropes and interesting objects strewn about, so I had lots of fun.

It wasn’t long before I saw this really hairy dog called Zen.

His face had some similarities with a Shiba, which means that he is quite handsome; although not as handsome as me.

A handsome hairy dog called Zen. But not as handsome as me!

True to his name, Zen was very calm, so it was a challenge to get him to play. In fact, for some incomprehensible reason, Zen just wanted to be with the 2-legged ones.

Everybody knows that 4 legs are superior to 2 legs! And a Shiba Inu is the most superior of all.

Anyway, I was not about to give up, so I did my best to get Zen to relax and acknowledge my Shiba-awesomeness. I jumped up on him, I ran around, I play-bowed, I did my air-butt move, I humped him on the side, back, and front. Ultimately, Zen realized what a cool dude I am and started romping around with me!

True to his name, Zen was very calm, so it was a challenge to get him to play with me.

Den Female says that I was a pest and Zen played with me a little in the hopes that I would leave him alone; but I know better.

Everybody realizes that I am totally AWESOME … eventually.

I just need to apply my legendary Shiba persistence and everything always works out in the end. 😀

Shiba Wisdom

If at first you don’t succeed, try and try again!

Everybody realizes that I am totally AWESOME … eventually.

Dog play will help keep a dog busy, as well as channel his energy into fun and constructive activities, that does not involve any property destruction. Dog play will also help with obedience training, deepen our dog relationship, and establish us as the pack leader.

Here are some important things to remember while playing with a dog:

Dog Play – Fun Games to Play with Your Dog or Puppy

1. Establish dog play rules and enforce them consistently.
2. Remember to have frequent breaks during play, so that our dog can refocus his attention on us. Frequent breaks will prevent him from getting over-excited, and losing control of himself.
3. Keep sessions short, interesting, and rewarding. Stop playing before our dog gets bored, so that he will always want more.
4. Cycle through a variety of games. Variety is the spice of life!

Remember to have frequent breaks during play so that the dog can refocus his attention on us.

Dog Play 1 – Flirt Pole

Fun Siberian Husky exercise and play-time. No shocks required.

A flirt pole is a simple pole/handle that is attached to a rope, with a toy at the end. We may create our own flirt pole, or simply buy one.

I made my own flirt pole by attaching some regular rope to a wooden drain-plunger handle. Then, I attached the Premier Tennis Tail dog toy to the end of the rope. This Premier toy works well because my dog absolutely loves chasing the fox-like-tail.

However, it should not be used with a flexible or bungee cord. With a flexible cord, the toy will bounce around more, and the hard tennis ball may hit us or our dog with much greater force. If I am using a flexible cord, I only use a very soft and light toy with my flirt pole, and I do not allow my dog to tug on it during play.

With this game, we may exercise our dog while not having to overly exert ourselves. Flirt poles are used to raise and train prey drive in dogs. As a result, hunting dogs will especially love this game.

Note though, that flirt poles are also used to train fighting dogs, because it increases their prey drive and coordination. Therefore it is important to have strict rules during play.

My flirt pole rules –

• Do not let the dog jump at us.
• Do not let the dog grab the toy out of our hand.
• A dog should only be allowed to grab the toy after we give him the command to start play.
• A dog should be willing to give up the toy when we ask him to, with NO attempt at resource guarding.
• Have frequent breaks during play to prevent over-excitement.

Always ensure that our dog follows rules and does not misbehave. If he starts to show any kind of dog aggression, stop playing this game.

Have frequent breaks during play to prevent over-excitement.

Dog Play 2 – Water Hose

Dog Play 2 – Water Hose.

The water-hose can also be used to create a fun chasing game for our dog.

Stop from time to time for dog obedience training.

Just like the flirt pole, we can also use the water-hose to create a fun chasing game.

First, I set my water-hose nozzle so that it shoots out a jet of water. Then, I move the jet around for my dog to chase. The big advantage of this game is that we can use it to give our dog a bath.

My Shiba Inu hates going into the bathtub. He is so stressed, he will not even eat food. However, Shiba loves chasing water, and does not mind getting wet during play.

I make sure that the water force is not too great when I spray it around, and am careful not to hit his face. For the safety of everyone, I usually stand a good distance away from my dog. I stop from time to time for obedience training, and I do not allow my dog to jump on me or the hose during play.

A dog may get a bit obsessed with this game, which has some similarity to the laser dot game. I do not to play the laser dot game with my dog because it may cause behavioral disorders.

The water-hose game is a bit different, however, because the water clearly comes from the hose, and our dog can catch it, feel it, and drink it. The laser dot, on the other hand, can never be caught.

Nevertheless, a dog may still get obsessed with, and want to attack the water-hose. If he exhibits this attacking behavior, then enforce strict play-rules or stop playing the game. The water-hose game is not for everyone. Some dogs may not like water, even when used in play.

Shiba loves the water-hose game and does not mind getting sprayed with water while playing the game.

Dog Play 3 – Tug of War

Dog Play 3 – Tug of War.

The best tug playmate for my dog is another dog.

Playing tug of war with a dog may sometimes encourage dog biting. Therefore, we want to follow clear tug rules.

In particular, make sure we control the start and end of the game. I start with a command such as Take it or Tug, to indicate that it is fine to grab the toy. I end with a Drop command.

If my dog loses grip of the tug toy during play, I do not let him lunge or bite at it until I give the Take it command again. If he tries to grab the toy, I give a no-mark (Uh-oh), then the Drop command to stop the game. I take a short break or do some obedience commands before restarting.

If my dog accidentally gets his teeth on me during playtime, I give a no-mark (Uh-oh), stop the game right away, and follow-up with a short break.

If my dog fails to drop the toy on a Drop command, then I stop playing with him.

To remove the toy, I hold it still (stationary), close to his muzzle. I am no longer tugging, just holding still. Eventually, it will become very boring, and my dog will drop the toy. If he chooses to bite on my hands instead, I give a strong no-mark (Ack-ack), and a short time-out, if necessary.

This game is not appropriate for dogs who are aggressive or who have resource guarding issues.

I do not play tug-of-war with my Shiba Inu because he gets too excited and reactive, even with stringent rules. He will follow the rules during the tug game, but after play is over, he shows dog aggressive behavior during other activities, such as dog walking. For example, he started leash biting again after playing tug.

If our dog starts to play rough with members of the household after playing, cease tug games altogether.

The best tug playmate for my Shiba is another dog. That way, he knows that rough play is acceptable with another dog, but never acceptable with a human. At the same time, he has an outlet for his rough play desires.

Sephy and Shania know that rough play is acceptable with another dog but never acceptable with a human.

Dog Play 4 – Ball Games

Dog Play 4 – Play Ball.

There are a variety of fun ball games we can play with our dog. Which games most appeal to our dog, will partly depend on breed and temperament. Try out a variety of games, and identify the ones that our dog most enjoys.

Catch

Throw a small ball to the dog so that he can easily catch it in his mouth. Make sure the ball is small enough to fit in his mouth, but not so small that he can accidentally swallow it.

Once our dog understands the game, we can make the tosses more difficult. We can also play this with a Frisbee, especially if we have a large play space. If he really enjoys playing catch, consider training him for disc dog.

Soccer

Kick the ball away from our dog and get him to chase after it. Once he gets to it, let him play with it for a bit, then kick or step it away from him again.

Soccer is best played with a larger ball that is not easy to puncture or deflate. Rubber balls are quite durable and can work well for soccer. Pick a larger sized ball, so that it is difficult for our dog to keep the ball in his mouth and chew on it. This also makes it easier for us to tackle the ball away.

Some dogs, like my Siberian Husky, prefer chasing after squeaky balls. We may also dab a small amount of peanut butter on the ball to make it more desirable.

Fetch

Siberian Husky Puppy and Shiba Inu playing ball.

Shiba dog holding his red fetch toy.

Fetch is a wonderful dog obedience game. However, it can be difficult to teach to a dog.

While teaching our dog to play fetch, go in small, slow steps. Make sure we already have some obedience training commands in hand, including Drop, as well as a mark and a no-mark. A mark (e.g. Yes, Good) indicates that the dog is doing the right thing while a no-mark (e.g. Uh-oh), indicates that he is going in the wrong direction.

I start by giving my dog a toy. Once he holds it in his mouth, I move a few steps away, and call him to me. I give him a lot of encouragement for taking steps toward me, and praise him well for coming. When he gets to me, I give him the Drop command , and give him many treats for giving me the toy.

Once he is comfortable with this exercise, I try throwing the fetch toy a very short distance away. If my dog just ignores the toy, I try using a more interesting squeaky toy, or coax him toward the toy with treats and lots of praise.

If my dog comes back with the toy, then there is a big celebration. However, more often than not, he will run to it and then come back without the toy. He may even take the toy and go play with it somewhere else, or tease me with it.

Have patience and treat with a high priority item every time our dog goes in the right direction. If he comes back without the toy, we can try and give a no-mark (e.g. Uh-oh) as soon as he drops the toy. Then use the Take it command and offer him the toy again. Once he has the toy in his mouth, walk a few steps back, call to him enthusiastically, and make sure to give lots of praise when he moves toward us.

If the dog runs off to play with the toy, or decides to play catch-me-if-you-can with it, then a higher priority treat or item may solve the problem. Alternatively, we may try a lower priority fetch toy. Do not chase after the dog, as that will initiate a chase game and reward him for his running-away behavior.

Not all dogs like playing fetch. Both my dogs will play it sometimes, but it is not one of their favorite games. Listen to our dog, and do not force him to play a game he does not really enjoy.

Both my dogs will play Fetch sometimes, but it is not one of their favorite games.

Dog Play 5 – Dog Sports

Getting a dog involved in dog sports such as agility training, disc dog, flyball, and lure coursing, can be a lot of fun. It is a good way to train a dog to focus on a joint-activity with us, rather than on other dogs or the environment.

For dogs who are more human focused and less dog focused, participating in a sport with us is more fun than going to the dog park. Check the local SPCA for some classes on dog sports. If not, use the Association of Pet Dog Trainers to find a trainer nearby who teaches it.

Choose a sport based on our dog’s temperament and preferences.

My Shiba Inu is a hunting dog, so he is more interested in prey games, e.g. lure coursing. Shiba is totally uninterested in “fetch”, so disc dog and flyball are out. He will do some agility, but only when he feels like it.

Other fun ways to exercise a dog and keep him happy and healthy include dog walking, dog parks, dog daycare, and obedience training.

Remember to always keep dog play fun and upbeat. This will make everyone happy, and enhance our relationship with our dog.

A busy and tired dog, is a good and happy dog!