WHY PLAY IS IMPORTANT

By Bobbie Anderson and Tracy Libby

Teaching your puppy to play with you establishes a trusting bond and a strong human-canine relationship, as well as a reward system. A puppy that trusts you will be more open to learning because he has no fear or anxiety—two emotions that inhibit learning.

Play also creates fun, fun creates focus, and focus maximizes your puppy’s propensity to learn. The more your puppy focuses on you, the more attention you will have from him. The more attention you get, the more you will be able to teach him. Equally important, the more you play with your puppy the more he will want to play with you. You will become the most exiting aspect of his world. Subsequently your puppy will be more attentive to learning and less inclined to wander off and find his own fun—or trouble! Truly, there is no limit to the fun you and your puppy can have and the behaviors you can instill when you teach your puppy to learning using interactive play.

Fun and games are also vital for stimulating circulation and building strong bones and muscles and a strong heart. Play nourishes and energizes a puppy’s mind, keeping it active, healthy, and alert.  As puppies grow and mature, play is the perfect Rx for releasing stress during training sessions and while on the campaign trail.

PUPPIES POSSESSED

Puppies spend countless hours playing with their littermates—running, freezing, stalking, pouncing, and wrestling each other to the ground. They twist and turn and sprint as they body-slam and somersault and playfully nip each others ears and necks. At first, the play is friendly and good-hearted, but as the puppies grow the ground rules quickly change and the play becomes more competitive as the more dominant puppy—or puppies—try to take charge. This type of play helps puppies to hone their natural prey instincts including herding, hunting, and retrieving. As a trainer, you can capitalize on these natural instincts and drives to instill the specific behaviors that help to produce an enthusiastic and motivated canine.

Some puppies are gregarious, happy-go-luck and ready for any activity at the drop of a hat. The sight of a tug toy or ball is enough to whip them into a frenzy. Most herding breeds, especially Border Collies, Australian Shepherds, German Shepherds, and Terriers fall into this category. Naturally, little incentive is needed to get them to play. However, some puppies are not born with naturally strong play drives, which, generally speaking, include the toy and non-sporting breeds. Exceptions to every rule exist, and the genetic lottery can produce toy or non-sporting breeds with strong play drives and herding and hunting breeds with little or no drive. While it takes more energy to engage these low-prey drive puppies, you should never abandon the goal of interactive play. (See Block Six for tips on increasing low play/prey drive.)

            That said, every puppy has something in his life that he really, really loves, be it a furry toy for a Beagle, a squeaky toy for a Terrier, a raccoon-scented cloth for a Coonhound, or chase recall games for Siberian Huskies and Whippets. Some dogs go crazy over plastic water bottles or garden gnomes or rubber hoses. My Sheltie Trump loves his empty tuna can. When Trump was a baby, I used to it roll around on the floor and he would go crazy chasing and grabbing it. As a result, metal scent articles were never a problem. Also, I would tie a long string to a little dumbbell and jerk it around on the floor for him to chase. Subsequently, one of his favorite obedience exercises is the retrieve. Your first goal as a skilled handler is to discover your puppy’s favorite toy. That “something” that excites and stimulates and drives him manic. Then use it only to incite play.

Thankfully, most pet stores, catalogues, and dog show vendors carry a huge array of toys that roll, rattle, squeak, or light up. Some are attached to ropes or filled with food or mimic furry varmints. You’re bound to find that special “something” that your puppy loves.