Playing with your dog is important, and it’s a fun activity. It can be used as a reward, a learning experience or just as a reason to hang out with them! Not enough owners play with their dogs and most dogs are simply given lots of toys and left to learn to entertain themselves. Don’t let this happen to you and your dog!
How to play in a way your dog loves:
- Let the dog latch onto the toy and keep the tension while moving the toy around in fluid
motions. - Do NOT use sharp or uncoordinated movements; you could hurt your dog’s mouth, neck or spine.
- Do NOT shove the toy in your dog’s face – this will cause frustration!
- Keep the toys low to the ground.
- Keep play sessions short – always leave the dog wanting more! (around 15 seconds per session is enough).
Toys are a bridge between dog and owner.
Craig Ogilvie (Master Dog Player and creator of the Interactive Play Method.)
The best types of toys for playing are really very simple:
- Stuffed toy
- Lotus ball with or without rope
- Long rope toy (see photo)
- Old tea towel
Remember – quality of play over quantity!
Beastly Thoughts Professional Dog Services sell Kong snakes, lotus balls and lotus ropes. We also hold play workshops so make sure you’re on our mailing list.
To check out more from Beastly Thoughts click here.
Author: Karen Boyce for Love Wrexham Magazine
Karen Boyce is the owner of Beastly Thoughts Professional Dog Service (BTPDS), the largest pet dog training establishment in Wales. BTPDS specialise in puppy training and reactive dogs, but offer a whole host of obedience training classes, lectures, webinars and online training hubs and groups. Karen was named Animal Star Awards Dog Trainer/Behaviourist of the Year in 2019. Tel: 07970 488 395 Email: info@beastlythoughts.co.uk Additional Instagram profile: beastlythoughtsdogservices
