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Games to Play With Puppies
Games are fun, but they can also teach your puppy valuable skills like retrieving, searching, and obedience. Depending on your puppy's personality and temperament, you can teach your puppy variations of games as vast as your imagination.
- Fetch is a favorite game and can be useful for reinforcing the "coming when called" command, as well as teaching your puppy to bring the newspaper or your slippers if you are so inclined. Learn more about teaching your dog to Fetch.
- Find-the-toy type games teach your puppy to rely on his sense of smell and use his brain. They can also prepare your puppy for tracking.
- Tug is a natural instinct but be careful. When you remember that each game teaches your dog something, you will realize that tug teaches your dog to fight with you. If your puppy has a dominant streak the game may get out of hand. Make sure you are the one to start and finish this game and that your puppy drops the toy on command.
- Agility games are a great way to burn off extra calories and energy. They also increase your puppy's coordination and confidence. Dogs love the challenge of jumping and negotiating obstacles as well as getting the praise you give when they do well. But before you start, be sure to find a trainer who understands that puppies should not stressing their growing bones, joints or muscles through excessive jumping or strenuous exercise.
In the end, games are about a connection between you and your puppy. Sure, your puppy has toys that are fun and provide entertainment. But games include you, and that's the best as far as your puppy is concerned.
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