Learn About the Benefits of Different Play Styles
Play is an important activity for you and your dog. Playtime gives dogs the mental and physical exercise they need and will improve your mood and relationship with your pet.
Fetch Play
Gets Them Moving
Dogs require daily physical exercise and playing fetch is a great way to tire them out while still having fun.
Gets Them Thinking
Fetch exercises a dog’s brain as well as their body. Games encourage dogs to make decisions as well as to learn and follow sets of rules.
Improves Behavior & Mood
Spending time playing with a dog reduces stress, improves social skills, and strengthens the bond between pet parent and pet.
Decreases Destructive Habits
Regular play reduces boredom and the liklihood of bad behaviors such as chewing and barking.
Tag @TallTailsTrail in your pet’s fetch photos!
Fetch Play Tips & Tricks
- For Dogs
- Teach Hold
- Show your dog the toy and when he investigates the toy, praise/click and treat
- When your dog is regularly putting the toy in his mouth, build duration by not immediately clicking/praising. When your dog holds the toy for more than a few seconds, praise/click and treat. Then, do the same but introduce a verbal cue like “hold.”
- Teach Fetch
- Place toy in sight but away from your dog and introduce new verbal cue like “get it” or “fetch”
- After successful close-range pickup and return of the toy and, extend the distance and continue to click/praise and treats
- If your dog picks up the toy but doesn’t return it, bring two toys and show your dog the second toy. They’ll want to return to get the new toy and that’s when you click/praise and treats.
- It is important to practice this game with a variety of fetch toys and in a variety of environments.
- Teach Hold
- For Pet Parents
- Supplies needed
- An array of fetch toys to see which your dog responds to
- Bits and pieces of high-value treats
- Clicker (only if you clicker train)
- Stay patient and keep trainings short and fun
- If your dog doesn’t play fetch, do not be concerned. There are many factors that go into a dog not playing fetch such as genetics, health, loss of interest, the wrong toy, or lack of training
- Supplies needed
Teething Approved
Tug games train mouth control by directing dog’s teeth to an approved object like a toy versus household items like your shoes.
Teaches Self-Control
Tug play improves impulse control and teaches valuable skills such as “take-it” or “leave-it.”
Builds Confidence
Games such as tug-of-war naturally build a dog’s confidence and socialization with humans and other dogs.
Improves Behavior & Mood
Spending time playing with a dog reduces stress and strengthens the relationship with everyone in the family.
Tug Play
Tag @TallTailsTrail in your pet’s tug photos!
Tug Play Tips & Tricks
- For Dogs
- Teach “Drop It” with a treat
- Use a low-value toy and let your dog play with it for a few seconds
- Place a high-value treat in front of your dogs nose and when your dog drops the toy, praise/click and give a treat
- Once your dog knows to drop the toy as soon as you show the treat, introduce a verbal cue like “drop it,” “trade,” or “out”
- Teach “Drop It” with a toy
- Present a tug toy and start playing
- After a few seconds, go still and your dog will eventually get bored and drop the toy
- When they drop the toy, reward them with another game of tug
- Once they drop the toy immediately after you go still, introduce the verbal cue.
- Teach “Drop It” with a treat
- For Pet Parents
- Only use toys when playing and never use your hands or items you don’t want your dog biting/chewing/playing with later
- When done properly, tug play does not lead to aggressive tendencies but it’s important to set boundaries and teach the above rules
- Tug games should only be initiated by the pet parent
- Pet Parents should be the ones in control and end the game if the dog is getting over stimulated, obsessed or overly aggressive at grabbing the toy
Sensory Play
Activates All Senses
Plush toys that squeak, crinkle, and crunch will excite your dog’s senses through sound, smell, touch, and sight.
Excites & Engages
When your dog chomps down on the toy, the sound resembles prey during a hunt.
Gets Them Moving
A great game to play is hide & seek. Let your dog smell the toy, hide the toy, and watch your dog find the hidden toy by following their nose.
Provides Comfort
The soft textures & familiar scents of home within the toy will comfort your dog while resting and traveling.
Tag @TallTailsTrail in your pet’s sensory photos!
Sensory Play Tips & Tricks
- For Dogs
- Teach Hide & Seek
- Let your dog smell a plush toy and then tell him to sit and stay out of sight or put him in another room to prevent him from seeing you hide the toy
- Hide the toy in an easy place at first and tell your dog to “find it”
- When your dog finds the toy, praise/click and treat
- As your dog gets used to this game, increase the difficulty of the hiding spots
- Teach Hide & Seek
- For Pet Parents
- This game burns off energy, teaches a dog to find their own toys, and teaches your dog sit/stay in a fun manner
Positive Reinforcement
Reward-based activities are not only fun but can help positively shape or change your dog’s behavior.
Gets Them Thinking
Dogs love a good challenge. Search-and-find games help energize, entertain, and mentally stimulate your dog.
Teaches Essential Skills
Most dogs were bred for specific jobs. Activities with repetitive and predictable outcomes will entertain and engage your dog.
Keeps them Curious
Reward toys keep your dog engaged through a variety of activities & rewards. They can also reduce the chances of destructive behavior due to boredom.
Reward Play
Tag @TallTailsTrail in your pet’s reward photos!
Reward Play Tips & Tricks
- For Dog
- Use these toys for a rousing game of fetch following the Fetch Play Tips & Tricks in the other section.
- For Pet Parents
- When fetch play is over, reward your dog with a special treat.
- Apply a dog-safe spreadable onto the toy and watch your dog lick it off with excitement.
- Or, insert treats and kibble into the cavity, nooks, and crannies of the toys and have your dog search and find the rewards.
- In warmer weather, fill the cavity with dog-safe bone broth, freeze, and cool your dog off with a tasty treat.
- Be sure to remove the toy after reward play is done and keep out of reach until the next round.