Hi all,

I know this might sound a bit daft but...what games do you play with your dogs and how do you teach them more advanced games eg hide and seek? Our 12 week old Dobe is a lot of fun but we have read in various places that you shouldn't play tug of war games with large breeds (have heard they teach the dog to resist/fight you) and he isn't the slightest bit interested in retrieving most of the time (my partner's experience of dobes when he was younger suggests this isn't uncommon for them - Odin would rather go off and chew his toy!). If we hide things and encourage him to find them he just looks a bit puzzled (though he's probably just wondering how I keep losing his toys) ! We do train him and have a few games he likes and he is learning well except when interested in other things in the garden! We also are starting puppy classes this weekend now he's had his shots.

Just wondered if there were good co-operative games anyone can suggest or games that stretch them a bit mentally as Dobes are so intelligent.

Also, what's the best way to teach the command 'leave it' or 'drop'?

Many thanks,

Jude

Mine are quite partial to scrabble or Mah-Jong, but Monopoly has always been a firm favourite :)
Sorry...my warped sense of humour at it again!
My dobes used to thrive on long walks swimming and lots of fetching of sticks......guess they were happy with their lot.

I would be glad if he turned out to like Trivial Pursuit but seriously...we've also been told that we shouldn't take him for long walks when so young (2 x 15 mins per day due to growing bones and all that) and so that's why would like some more games ideas for puppyhood! When he's older, I have lots of long walks planned and trips to the Lakes :)

You can teach him to 'seek' things by letting him watch you put a treat on the floor on the other side of the room and telling him to find it, then he can watch you put one under a cushion, or an upturned flower-pot etc. Once he's got the idea of what he's doing you can put 2 cushions down, but only one has the treat under.....then the game gradually gets more complicated, until as an adult he can search a room.
Good brain exercise!
:)

I know there are mixed views on whether or not a dog should be allowed to play tug games, but I feel they are absolutely fine as long as they are not rough "playfighting" ending up with owner and dog on floor and dog being put in a position where it can learn to use its weight and power for control. (some dogs will still be fine even with this but not all ).

I play quite fierce games of tuggie with my dog, I tend to use a Ragger and the play is often her reward for something done well. I use it at the end of a track as many people feels this simulates the dog hunting with its pack and then getting into a tug of war when getting hold of the beastie they were tracking

If you follow rules, such as teaching the dog to drop immediately, and the dog obeys, there really is no cause for concern. If the dog does not drop, the toy gets put away or you re-train to drop or give. If the general relationship is good, and the dog obedient, and owner is in control, and tug games are used for reward especially, I have never heard of a case where it has gone awry.

If the dog has a fav. toy you can hide it so the wind blows the scent towards him, and then if he brings it back he gets a throw or tug as a reward.

Lindsay

Edited to add: if he isn't keen on retrieving you may find it helpful to fill a fluffy pencil case with tasty treats, and zip it up and let him play with it, then produce a treat out of it, this often gets a dog into retrieving mode :) .

toy swapping is a good game....take 2 toys of equal status , throw 1 and get the dog to bring it back. when he does, throw the next toy, and so on. start by only throwing a foot or so, and build up.