Whether it is spent with other pups in the pack or with some adults, play time is instinctive for many young animals; it is also one of the most important things that could develop a cub’s survival and social skills or behavior. And as such this could be a huge advantage and a handy trick to grant your pooch a valuable learning experience by using nothing more than fun games. Almost like “Sesame Street”.
A good start could be the famous hide-and-seek game that could learn your puppy not only to the command “Come” but could also keep it occupied while it develops some hunting and finding skills. As in any other game until it gets better in sniffing around the house in search for you just hide in places that are very easy to find. Such spots could be in the same room, no more than a couple of feet away and only after these don’t cause a problem you could start hiding in other rooms or in places that are harder to find.
The procedure itself is quite simple, actually. Call its name, say the command “come” and make a lot of cheerful and fun noises so that your furry ball could find you easier. Only when it actually does come to you don’t forget to reward your pet either with a delicious treat or a lot of attention – or both. In this way the puppy will soon make the connection between the command and some positive feeling. After time you could decrease the treats.
Another kind of a game that could learn your puppy to listening skills and obedience is classic fetch that includes the commands “sit” and “stay” before you release it to run after the toy with the verbal approval “fetch”. It could be quite tricky but if you begin your play/learn sessions soon after you adopt your puppy it should be all right. Also make sure to make these exercises every day but not more than five or ten minutes at a time because you could only bore your four-legged friend.
There are other things that you should try to avoid as well. For example, no matter what kind of a game you come up be creative, keep your pet interested and always offer it rewards and physical affection. Avoid any other games that could encourage disrespect and aggression such as rough play or using your hand as a toy because after years that could cause many problems; you could even end up unintentionally hurt. And if your pup does some mistakes or disobeys at first don’t get frustrated because that could only ruin your connection and trust. Be patient.
As long as you consider these things you could by no problem combine a canine’s love for play with education and training so that you could grow a fine adult dog.