What to play with a dog for a child?

School-age children who return home before their parents can combine responsibility with fun by playing with their four-legged friend. Children’s play with dogs benefits both and does not require new toys or large investments. How to play with a dog? Just a few common items can provide hours of entertainment for you and your kids.

Food search

This indoor game will require some dry food, tennis balls and an old cupcake pan. Place some dog food in a few of the cavities in the baking dish, and then cover all the cavities with tennis balls. The dog will have fun sniffing out prey and getting rid of balls to get to the treat. Your children will be delighted to see if they can outsmart their pet. This is a wonderful game that can keep your dog and your kids busy on a rainy day. It will also help the kids remember to feed their furry friend before you get home. However, care must be taken that the food used in the game is not excessive or additional to your pet’s normal diet.

Street obstacle course

Weather permitting, your kids can use gymnastics hoops, cones, deck chairs, plastic buckets and old pool sticks to build a fun obstacle course that both they and the dog will love. Kids can arrange their props so that the dog can jump, crawl and dodge every obstacle, similar to the obstacle course you find in dog parks. Of course, a fenced yard is the best and safest place for such games. If the guys will help their little buddy throughout the entire obstacle course, then they will all get the necessary physical activity, as well as strengthen their friendly bond.

dog football

While football is best played outside, it can be played indoors as long as the dog and children have good ball control and you have a room suitable for playing. Take a small soccer ball (or a small hard ball) and set up a small fold-out net or laundry basket to serve as a goal. Kids can practice dribbling skills while their four-legged friend tries to snatch it from them. When playing with pets that need more challenging tasks, kick the ball and ask the dog to bring it to you. However, make sure that both your children and your puppy are safe.

Don’t have a gate or makeshift net? Dogs will still enjoy chasing the ball! Be careful – dogs should never play the role of a goalkeeper, because you don’t want to accidentally step on a dog, kick it or hit it with a ball.

Hide and seek in the house

If your dog is well trained in the “sit” and “stand” commands, this game can keep everyone involved for hours. Children can use training treats or a dog’s favorite toy to tell them to sit and stand still. Then place the dog’s object of desire somewhere within his field of vision so that he can easily reach it. After that, allow your excited pet to come out of the “stand” position and order him to go in search.

Hide and seek only works if your puppy is trained to follow commands. If he is still learning, try the following indoor play idea.

Classic tug of war

Two people can also play this game. Help the children make tug-of-war by braiding strips of fabric from a pair of old ripped jeans. With this new toy, kids can play tug-of-war with your puppy and help him use up some of his day’s energy. Be sure to teach your kids the rules of this game before letting them play unsupervised. Pulling too hard can cause injury or cause unwanted aggression in the dog. Never pull your pet up or forward. Use gentle movements, allowing the puppy to determine the strength of each pull, so that he and your child are safe. This is a great exercise that is sure to tire your pup. Therefore, if you notice that he is exhausted, let him rest to avoid injury.

There are many benefits to kids playing with dogs, including physical activity, learning responsibility, and building a strong bond between kids and their four-legged best friend. By encouraging play like this every day right after school, you will allow this new, healthy, and fun habit to become an integral part of your daily routine!