Fun Games for Dogs and Puppies

Introduction

Dog games are a great way for you and your dog to have fun. They also help keep your dog active and mentally stimulated. Here are some of our favorite games that you can play with your dog or puppy:

Hide and Go Seek.

  • Hide and Go Seek. This is one of the most popular games for dogs. It’s also called “hide and seek,” but we’ll call it hide and go seek for the sake of variety. You’re going to hide, and your dog will try to find you.
  • Where can you play this game? In your house or yard, or if there’s a park nearby (or if you live close enough to walk to a park), outside on any open lawn or field that’s not too busy with people or other animals in it—so maybe not even at the park itself!
  • How do I play this game? First, pick up some treats (like dog biscuits) from your pantry so that they are available when needed during the game. Then find somewhere in your home where you can easily hide: behind furniture; under tables; inside closets; behind curtains/blinds/curtains/shutters/blinds/shutters; behind appliances like refrigerators or washing machines (not ones that are actually running). Don’t worry about being too obvious—the point is for YOUR DOG TO BE ABLE TO FIND YOU AND THEN GET A TREAT FOR IT WHEN THEY DO!

Now let’s go over some strategies for hiding effectively:

  • Try not looking directly at their eyes as they approach – this might give away where exactly on their body is going to be looking while they try finding us! Instead look somewhere else – maybe at a spot somewhere near our chin line so that our eyes aren’t giving anything away yet either way (and then make sure they don’t see us moving before we actually start moving).

Play Catch.

Play catch is a great game for dogs and humans alike. It’s important to use a ball that’s not too small or too large, because your dog will get frustrated if they can’t catch it. You should throw the ball so that your pup can easily catch it in midair, but you also want them to have fun chasing after it.

If your dog knows how to bring back a thrown toy and then drop it at your feet when asked, then this game is easy! When you throw the ball, let them chase after it until they’ve caught up with it (if you’re indoors). If there are other people or animals around who might steal their toys (or if there are other dogs around), always encourage them by saying “good boy/girl!” whenever they bring back their own toy so that they know bringing back toys will earn praise from their owners. This will reinforce positive behavior and encourage them not only when playing with balls but also during all games involving toys!

Play Ball

For this game, you need a tennis ball (or any other similar sized ball) and a willing dog. Make sure that the tennis ball is not too small for your dog to hold in its mouth; if it’s too small, they won’t be able to grip it with their teeth and they’ll just drop it.

To teach your dog to bring the ball back, start by throwing it far away from them so that they have to run after it. When they catch up with it, encourage them by saying “good!” and then throw again further away from them than before. Repeat this until both of you are tired (for example: three times for each side).

Then try teaching them how to drop when asked by giving an “easy” command (which means something different for every owner). This will let you know what word works best for each breed of dog so that all commands are understood easily by both owner and pet alike!

Tug of War

Tug of war is a fun way to get your dog’s energy out, and it can be great for teaching them some skills. Start with a soft tug toy that’s easy for the dog to hold onto, like this one from Kong. Tug games are great for dogs with high prey drives (like Huskies or Labradors).

If you want to play tug with your puppy instead of an older dog, start by supervising closely and make sure the puppy has food rewards available when he drops the toy. Also keep in mind that puppies should not be left alone with any type of toy that could pose choking hazards (balls, stuffed animals). Once your puppy knows how to drop his toys on command and is past the teething stage, he’ll be able to safely enjoy playing tug-of-war!

Practice the Sit Command

The sit command is a very important skill for your dog to know. It can be used as a reward, or to keep them out of trouble.

Sit is a great social skill that you can use while at the park with other people and dogs. It’s also good practice if you have any plans on bringing your dog into public places where they will meet new people or other pets.

If you are training your dog at home, it’s always helpful to start by teaching them how to sit in one spot (on command). This way, when they see another animal or person come near them; they won’t immediately jump up and run over!

Indoor Agility Course

An agility course is made up of obstacles that your dog must jump over, crawl under, climb over and more as he moves his way through the course. Agility courses can be made in your backyard or indoors with items you may already have around the house.

  • A great place to start is with an agility tunnel. Tubes can be found in pet stores and online. Make sure it’s wide enough for your dog to fit through comfortably without having to squeeze too much (about 2 inches per inch of your pup’s length).
  • Another option is a PVC pipe frame set up like an obstacle course at an actual competition—the blue plastic piping comes apart easily so you can change up the configuration of jumps or tunnels depending on what works best for your space and needs! You will also need some type of padding on each end so that it doesn’t hurt when they land after jumping off them (think carpet tape).
  • With these two things set up, all that’s left is laying down some treats at each station along with some toys so they’ll want to go back again!

Fetch With a Purpose (or with an Object)

Let’s say you’ve already trained your dog to bring back objects like a ball, but what if you want them to bring back something else? A plastic bottle with kibble inside, for example. This is where fetch with a purpose comes in! If you want to teach your dog that it’s no longer about the game of fetch and instead about bringing an object back from wherever it has landed, this is how you do it:

  • Get down on one knee and throw an object far away from yourself (or another person). Make sure they see what you have thrown so they know where they’re supposed to go get it.
  • As soon as they pick up the object–even before they come running back–you can give them treats as a reward for picking up whatever item was thrown. This will help develop their connection between “I threw this” and “I need my pup’s help retrieving.”
  • Repeat many times until your pup begins understanding that retrieving objects is its job now!

Mental Stimulation Games

Mental stimulation games are an excellent way to keep your dog’s brain active. With people and dogs getting older, it’s important to keep mentally stimulated so that they can stay sharp and healthy. The following are some fun ideas for things you can do with your pet:

  • Take them on walks around the neighborhood, or around a park if there is one nearby. Letting them sniff the ground helps them retain their sense of smell as well as gives them something to focus on other than just walking straight ahead!
  • Play hide and seek with treats in your home or yard; hide some treats where they can see them but not reach them (like behind something or under a stool) then make sure they know what “find it” means before starting this game so that they don’t give up too easily after only finding one treat! Hide another treat when they’ve found all three (or more), repeat until all treats are gone from within sight!
  • Make puzzles out of cardboard boxes by cutting holes into different sides then closing off one end completely (so only two sides remain open), put small treats inside each box then let Fido figure out how he needs t

These games are great for your dog.

Dog games are great for your dog. They help keep them mentally stimulated and physically fit, which leads to a happier dog! Dog games are also great for your dog’s socialization, as they will be more likely to play with other dogs while they’re playing the game you chose. It’s important that you choose a game that is appropriate for the size of your dog’s mouth; if the ball or toy that goes with the game is too small, it may get stuck in its mouth and cause injury!

Conclusion

We hope that you and your dog have enjoyed these games. The key is to keep things positive and fun, so the game will always be a great experience for your pup. If you have any questions or comments about these games, please let us know in the comments below!

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