Puppy Games

Follow The Leader When you first reunite with your dog after being away, do not pet the dog for a few minutes. Minimize eye contact and talking. Give verbal cues calm. When the dog is calmer or responds to your verbal cues then you call the dog to you. Look for relaxed eyes and breathing, a sigh, stretching, licking lips, the dog to move away from you, the dog to sit or lay down.

Around The Room Have members of the family sit in different locations on the floor in a large room. Start the puppy at one person. Each person can have a different squeaky toy too to encourage the puppy. The second person calls the puppy's name and does something to entice the puppy to come to them. The first person says, go to (name]'. The puppy moves around the room depending on the direction given by each person.

Fetch The game of throw the toy, send the puppy, call the puppy to return to you. Keep distance short. Use a puppy's favorite toy.

Hide-n-Seek This game is for older puppies. Hide somewhere and call your puppies name and make noise until it finds you. Have a treat or toy reward ready to give to the puppy.

Pick Up Time This game is taught in steps. First teach "grab" where puppy takes something in its mouth. Then teach "drop" where the item is dropped into your hand. Then move to where you point to a toy on the ground say "grab" then hold out the toy basket and say" drop" so it is dropped into the basket. Always begin with "lets pick up toys

Eenie Menie Minie Mo This game is taught in steps. First have three toys available. Put one under a towel and say, "find it". Encourage the puppy to dig for it until it can see it. Do it first with a smelly treat Then you can have the puppy find the one of the three toys you had in your hand based on smell. (you roll it around in your hands for a few minutes) then put it among the other toys and say, "find it". You can use the specific toys name like "find the bone"

Obstacle Course Just like follow the leader but lead the dog over small obstacles. This should be based on the size and physical ability of the dog. You go first and the dog follows you. Reward and praise as the dog learn to try new things.