It is so much fun to play with your dog. Both you and your dog will enjoy it. Take a look at this fantastic dog game and have fun!

Have two toys, one favorite and one least favorite. You’ll also need another person to help you or your dog in a long line. Stand in the middle of the room, garden or field. Throw the least favorite toy for the dog to look for. Repeat this a few times.

Then throw the least favorite toy in such a way that your dog runs after it, even though you’re not saying ‘fetch’. Prevent your dog from grabbing the toy: either your helper catches the toy and holds it so the dog can’t grab it, or you hold the line yourself to prevent the dog from reaching the toy.

Call your dog to you. Most dogs won’t respond right away, but once they realize they can’t have the toy, they’ll turn to look at you. As he looks at you, praise him and pull out his favorite toy. Throw this toy behind you, let the dog look for it and repeat the exercise.

The idea is to teach the dog that if he is chasing something and you call him, he should come to you as you have something even better for him and you are more interesting than what he is chasing.

Other games you can play with your dog:

o Encourage your dog to work for part of his daily food ration. If fed dry food, spread it around the house or garden. If you give him wet food, divide it into portions and place it in small bowls or margarine lids. Then ask your dog to find the food. Be sure to remove uneaten food afterward.

o Even when your dog is on a leash, you can have him catch appropriate toys or treats, or look for dropped treats, or you can run with him or play controlled tug-of-war games. All this helps to make life more interesting.