Articles: Catch me if you can, Bobbing for treats, Tug of War and Keep Away
2 Games Your Dog Will Love: Catch-Me-If-You-Can & Bobbing-For-TreatsBy Dave Swanborough
Catch-Me-If-You-Can
One of the most popular games dogs play with each other is the game of “catch-me”. They delight in being either the chaser or the chasee. Most dogs are more comfortable in the role of chasee when playing with people. Some trainers caution against play-chasing your dog for fear the dog will learn she can evade you. But most dogs already know you are as slow as a slug.
Before playing this game, you should teach your dog to come when called and you should use distinctive words to signal the beginning and end of the catch-me game. Begin the game with "I'm gonna get you!" and stalk your dog, pouncing at him. Give chase as best you can, but if he leaves you in the dust, either crouch down and wait for him to do a fly-by (when you can pounce at him once again) or turn around and run full blast the opposite way - a sure-fire way to get him headed back in your direction.
Some dogs like to see how close they can pass without hitting you. If you have one of these, stand perfectly still so you don't run into the dog's path. A high-speed collision with a dog is very dangerous for both of you. At the end of the game, give a game-over word such as "finished" and call the dog to you using his regular recall command. Give him a treat and take a break.
Bobbing-For-Treats
This game will give your dog the ability to pick up floating or sunken objects from water, plus it's fun watch with other dogs that join the dog-party! It is basically the canine version of bobbing for apples. Since no self-respecting dog is going to get his muzzle wet for an apple, all you need to do is substitute dog biscuits, hot dog slices or other treats. Experiment to find some that float on top, some that float just below the surface and some that sink.
If you're having a summer pool party, you can use a child's wading pool and let each dog splash around after the treats. For more formal affairs you can use a large bowl or pot. There's a reason you don't just fill up your bathtub, though: One sight of it filled with water and all your doggy guests will head for the exit, sure you have a dreaded bath planned!
Fill your pool or bowl with lukewarm water. If you're using a bowl or pot, change the water between contestants; if you're using a pool just empty it after the entire contest. Let each dog have a practice bob until he gets one treat. Then start the clock and see how many he can grab in two minutes. Can anyone get them all?
A variation on the theme for ball-crazy dogs is to fill a kiddie pool with tennis balls. See how many balls each dog can pick up and give to his person in one minute. The person is allowed to get in the pool and encourage the dog in any way, and she can take each ball from the dog as soon as the ball is totally out of the water. The person can even help by picking up balls herself - of course, using only her teeth.
About the Author: Dave Swanborough is the Webmaster and owner of All About Dogs a website dedicated to supply resources and information to help all Dog owners better understand their pets needs. http://www.dogscatsdogs.com/
Source: www.isnare.com
2 Games Your Dog Will Love: Tug-of-war & Keep-awayBy Dave Swanborough
Tug-Of-War
Tug-of-war is one of those games that many dog trainers will caution you against playing with your dog. The reasoning is that it pits you against your dog and, at some point, you invariably allow the dog to win, giving him the idea he can best you in a battle of strength. For some dogs, this could create delusions of grandeur. Most dogs, however, already know you are helpless against them in any war of wills. They learned that when you gave them treats from the table or allowed them to push you to the little sliver of mattress on the side of the bed.
However, you can preserve the illusion that you're in control by adding a couple of elements to your game of tug-of-war. The way to do this is to first teach your dog to give you a toy when you ask. Ask nicely "may I?" and offer to exchange a treat for the toy. Repeat this until your dog learns to trade the toy for a treat whenever you ask. Now you have a way to end a tug-of-war game in a draw, simply by asking your dog to give you the toy. You also have a way to start the game by using a special tug toy that you bring out just for this game. Tell him "tug time!" and entice him to hold on by starting with gentle, quick small tugs.
And of course, use common sense when you play tug-of-war. Don't jerk your dog's head back and forth or up and down; neck problems are not uncommon in dogs. Don't allow your dog to hang from his teeth; at least his hind feet should always be on the ground. If he has dental problems, this may not be the best choice of games. And dog trainers are right when it comes to some dogs. Dogs who have a tendency to be aggressive or domineering with their people should find more cooperative games to play.
Keep-Away
Dogs love to play keep-away. You can practically hear them giggling as you lunge to grab their prize and they pull it just out of reach. True, you'd be foolish to teach this game to a dog you want to use as a reliable retriever (a dog playing keep-away with a bird would never be invited back for a day in the duck blind), but most of us don't have such aspirations. By using words that tell your dog when the game is beginning and ending, you can separate it from everyday life and make it clear its not up to him to decide to start playing.
You can also use a special toy that is dedicated only to playing keep-away. Give him that toy, say "Thief! Thief!" and give chase. At first he may think you're serious and stop in his tracks, so you may have to combine it with tug-of-war or other chasing games to build his confidence. When the game is over, say "you're under arrest" and ask that he bring you the toy. If he does, reward him. If he doesn't, simply turn and walk away. Game over. Letting him know that even keep-away has rules helps prevent him from playing keep-away with your car keys when you're late for work.
About the Author: Dave Swanborough is the Webmaster and owner of All
About Dogs a website dedicated to supply resources and information to help
all Dog owners better understand their pets needs.
http://www.dogscatsdogs.com/
Source: www.isnare.com |
