Summer is a great time to play with your dog, whether you go outside to play in the sun or stay indoors when the temperature gets too hot. Now is a great time to break out some old classic games your dog loves, or to try out some new games. Here are some games to try indoors or outdoors this summer!
1. Tug-of-War
Playing tug-of-war with your dog is a great way to keep your dog active and strengthen your bond. Grab a tug toy and let your dog try to tug it out of your hands. Make sure your dog responds to commands like “sit,” “wait,” or “down” so they don’t get over excited with the game and can take breaks.
2. Hide-and-Seek
You can teach your dog to play hide-and -seek with you and have them running around the house looking for you. You can begin to teach your dog by starting off the game by stepping behind a corner and telling your dog “find me.” When they find you, give them praise or a treat. Then tell them to stay and find a new spot. Continue the game until your dog understands and then you can make your hiding spots more challenging.
3. Water Fetch
During the summer, you should help your dog stay cool while being active on hot days. Adding water into the mix is a great way to keep them cool while having fun. You can set up a sprinkler and throw toys through the water for your dog to chase after. If you have access to a pool or a beach, you can throw toys into the water for your dog to fetch.
4. Obstacle Course
If you want to get creative, you can set up your own backyard obstacle course for your dog. Set up obstacles for them to move around, jump over, or crawl through. You can make tunnels out of cardboard boxes or weave poles and jumps out of PVC pipes. Be sure to keep all the obstacles close to the ground and reward your dog when they overcome the obstacles!
5. Find the Treat
Keeping your dog active mentally as well as physically is important. You can play find the treat games to keep your dog thinking about overcoming challenges to get their treats. You can try different variations to discover which one your dog likes best. You can put a treat in one hand and make your dog guess which hand has the treat. Another way to play is by putting treats under cups and making your dog move the cups to uncover the treat. You could also use a muffin tin, hide treats in the tin, then put balls or a dog safe cover over each treat. Your dog will have to get the treats out from under the obstacle and inside the tin.
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