Why are games and dog toys important?
Many people do not fully appreciate the importance of play sessions with your puppy or young dog. Dog and puppy games allow each player to discover and learn about each other and build familiarity of strengths and weaknesses, as well as general traits. Not only does this ensure your dog grows up to see humans as a source of pleasure and enjoyment, it also helps build a bond of trust between you that will become important for effective training in the future. Also, whilst your dog sees you as a consistent source of amusement, they will want to be near you waiting for the next interesting thing to happen. This has obvious benefits in terms of recall and avoiding your dog seeking amusement elsewhere (i.e. chasing other animals, wandering off etc) When and how often? Playing should be seen as a reward for good behaviour, so don’t start if your dog is being a nuisance. 3-4 short sessions a day should be sufficient, but also encourage other people and visitors to play games with your dog. Th
