Are you looking for fresh ways to stimulate your dog and keep them entertained? There’s an array of easy DIY games that you can set up at home, which will provide hours of fun for you and your puppy.
Not only will these games help you bond, but they can also teach several valuable skills to your pup, such as the sit, stay, drop, and come commands.
1. A Classic Game of Fetch
No list of games to play with your dog would be complete with the traditional favorite: fetch. Toys are a great incentive to get your puppy started; then, you can work your way up to newspapers, slippers, and other household items.
When your puppy is far away from you, shout out and call his name to get his attention. When he returns, ask him to drop the object and make sure you have some treats on hand to reward him when he does.
2. Flirt Poles Engage Puppies’ Natural Prey Drive
A flirt pole or stick is a great way to provide mental and physical stimulation for your puppy. A flirt pole has a rope attached to the end of a long pole that allows your puppy to exercise their natural prey drive. This is an excellent way for your puppy to practice impulse control while exploring their instincts in a non-destructive manner.
When you play with a flirt pole, ensure that you let your dog “win” every now and again to keep the game engaging. You can make your own DIY flirt pole with PVC piping, bungee cord, and a dog toy. If you’d rather buy a ready-made product, plenty are available online.
3. Nose Work Is Great for Scenthounds
Nose work is particularly stimulating for scent hounds such as Beagles and Dachshunds, who have a highly developed sense of smell, though you can adapt these games to suit any breed.
Create a simple obstacle course with plenty of smelly treats hidden in places, such as upturned boxes, a pile of toys, or inside a container. As your pup learns what to do, try making the obstacles more complex while lessening the treats. A snuffle mat is a great way to stimulate your dog to engage in nose work too.
If you think your dog could have a competitive edge in this game, consider attending a trial through the National Association of Canine Scent Work.
4. Hide-and-Seek: A Beloved Playtime Favorite
Hide-and-seek is a favorite pastime for kids and puppies alike, and for the latter, there are several essential skills that this game can teach. Hide-and-seek teaches a puppy their name, recall commands (such as “here” or “come”), as well as the sit-and-stay command.
To begin with, you’ll need a minimum of two humans to play the game, so one of you can stay with your puppy and teach them what to do. At the start, you’ll need to keep the puppy in place with you until the other human calls their name; over time, you can teach them how to sit and stay in a hiding place, so that they can play this game with just you.
5. Tug-of-War: A Game Puppies Naturally Engage
Tug-of-war is one of the easiest games to teach your puppy, as they will likely start playing this game themselves with minimal prompting. Playing an interactive version of this game alongside them allows you to teach them which toys are and are not appropriate for chewing.
When you play tug-of-war, make sure you allocate specific toys and avoid using everyday items such as socks, which could blur the boundaries of acceptable behaviors for your dog.
If they pick up an inappropriate item to play tug-of-war with, practice the “drop it” dog command and give them a treat every time they follow your order.
6. Fill a Digging Box with Sand
Dogs love nothing more than a good dig, so provide them with a space to satisfy this urge. Make their own digging pit using a container filled with wood and sand from a local hardware store.
The dig box alone will be an excellent place for your dog to have fun and let off some steam; if you want to make it even more exciting, try adding a couple of their toys inside and see how long it takes to find them.
7. Cardio Twists Let Your Puppy Release Energy
This is a great way to have some fun with your dog while providing them with a workout at the same time. If you have poles, great; if not, you can use several everyday objects such as chairs or cones.
Start slow and instruct your dog to weave their way between the poles; as they learn what to do, you can increase the pace and the number of poles to give your dog a great workout.
8. Three Cups Rewards Your Pup
You’ve probably seen a magician utilize the three-cup game to perform a sleight-of-hand trick in an activity that is sometimes referred to as the shell game.
To play this game with your dog, you’ll need three upturned cups and a prize (doggy treats are ideal). Place the treat under one of the cups, then shuffle them around. If your dog chooses the right cup, they get the treat.
Paper cups or yogurt containers are ideal for small pups (try poking some holes so that the scent can escape), while sturdier ceramic plant pots are suitable for large or rowdy dogs and come with a ready-made hole.
9. Blowing Bubbles at Your Puppy
Who doesn’t love bubbles? These magical sparkling spheres are fun to look at and even more fun to pop. Your dog will love chasing these floating objects around the house or garden. Remember that your dog is likely to use its mouth during this game and avoid any commercial products containing toxic ingredients.
You can make your own dog-friendly bubbles by mixing ¼ cup of unscented soap with a bullion stock cube (and a sprinkle of sugar if you like). Still, keep the quantity small, don’t let your dog access the bubble mixture, and make sure you clean any liquid off their face and body once you finish.
10. Give Your Dog a Massage
At the end of a play session, a little doggy massage can do wonders to relax your dog and strengthen the bond between the two of you.
Start by gently rubbing small circles around your dog’s neck, moving slowly to the shoulders and chest. This can help calm your dog and provide significant stress relief, but make sure they’re calm before you begin.
