Dogs are popular animals and liked by many people.

Not only intelligent, they also often act

cute around their owner. Learning to play is an important part for every dog's life. Whether
it's a young puppy who need to learn appropriate forms of play or an older dog who’s
learning social behavior, encouraging the right type of play can provide many benefits.
Besides being fun, playing can help your dog express natural social behavior, keep them
mentally and physically healthy, and activate the release of endorphins into your dog's
system.

So, how do we encourage the right kind of play with our dogs? The first thing to understand
is that every dog is different, and therefore every dog will have a different preference on
what constitutes a fun game. Here are some tips that can make playing with dogs more
exciting and enjoyable

1. Teaching your dog to play

What you need to do if your dog has never been taught how to play is only have one
dog at a time in the room whilst teaching to play. Get down to floor level and keep your
voice high-pitched and excited. Don’t push the toy towards the dog, especially towards the
mouth or face. Instead pull the toy away and cradle it as if it is something special or delicate
to peek at, not have.
2. Play chase and retrieve
Many dogs enjoy playing chase and retrieve. Whilst for some this may come naturally,
other dogs will need to be taught how to play. Start by finding a toy that your dog likes.
Encourage your dog to chase after it, by throwing it out a short distance. As soon as he picks
it up, give him lots of praise and encourage him to bring it back to you. If your dog picks up
the toy but won’t bring it back, you could try running away from him, which will encourage
him to run towards you. Don’t chase after him as this defeats the object of the game.
3. Do hide and seek
Just like the game you played as a child. You are going to hide from your dog and have
them find you. If you manage to hide, you have to tell them so they can come and find you.
The game can be played with one or multiple dogs. Unlike traditional Hide and Seek if there
are multiple dogs, there will be multiple seekers, not hiders.
If they are still struggling to find your hiding place, hold a handful of treats so your dog
sense of smell can find you.