Teddy’s Top Training Tip
Many owners love teaching their dogs new things. Training can and should always be continued but including some fun activities will help to strengthen the bond between owner and dog.
Let’s look at some activities that you can do with your dog:
Fetch: Ball or frisbee – both great exercise and lots of fun for dogs. If your dog likes both, then swap them around as you play with them on walks or some back-garden fun.
Games: Scent games in the garden or out on walks, using special treats as an incentive to find, bubble machines that emit favoured bubbles for dogs to chase, or paddling pools/water fountains for those dogs who just love water.
Tricks: Teaching some new tricks, such as giving paw, wave, roll over, etc are useful for keeping the dog’s mind
active.
Digging: Some dogs are born diggers and enjoy nothing more than a dig in the garden. Purchasing their own digging box – which can be a child’s sand pit (you can now purchase some safe dog sand). Remember to include a top when not in use to avoid other animals using the box for the local latrine.
Agility: Class or back garden fun – attending a pet fun agility class or create your own agility course. It is a great and fun way to teach your dog new activities and a super way to give your dog some mental stimulation. Some pet stores have agility sets to buy for garden use, or you can make your own, for example using a hula hoop to jump through, garden sticks for weave poles, etc.
Flyball: A fun sport that drives the dog to go as fast as it can over jumps, run to a box and catch a ball, then race back to the start.
Dog parks: Some parks offer areas of agility, lakes for swimming or playing off the lead with owners and other dogs.
Canine holidays: What better way to explore the UK than to look at different areas of the country to visit with your dog(s) and have some fun with walks, canals, forest adventures, and so forth.
These are only a few examples of activities for you and dog, why not go out and have some fun today!