Every time I talk to someone about their dog, I always ask “does your dog like toys?”
“Oh yeah! She loves to destroy them!”
That’s cool, destruction is FUN! But it’s not the only thing you can do with dog toys.
At my training facility, we love to have fun with our dogs! And this often involves using dog toys. Teaching your dog to play a game WITH you, is a beautiful way to bond with your dog.
But don’t take my word for it, ask your dog! Have fun with your dog’s toys, and let your dog watch and join in. Bounce their ball really high, or throw it and chase it yourself! And don’t just do it once, make a real game out of it!
If your dog doesn’t want to play with you, there’s a chance you just haven’t found the thing that piques their interest. Maybe you should put their soft plush toy on a string, then whip it around to encourage them to chase it. Or maybe they prefer a ball that *squishes* nicely when they chomp on it.
Play around, experiment, try to figure out what makes your dog go “Whoa! That looks cool!” When you figure it out, let us know!
And if you need help figuring your dog out, we are always here.
Jen
Jen Humphrey owns The Right Paw in Princeton MA. When she's not spending time with her Husband and two year old daughter, she's training or competing with one of her dogs. She current lives with two Staffordshire Bull Terriers and a Shiba Inu. Follow them on Instagram to see what they're up to.