Outdoor Games With Your Dog
Outdoor games are a way to improve the relationship with our dog and keep him focused in an environment full of distractions like the outdoors. The park, the countryside and the beach are some of the places where we can take you to practice. Ample space allows the dog to exercise while having fun with him.
Daily walks in the street are good for maintaining a routine, but walks in spaces where the dog can run freely is a tool to expend all his energy.
Nature offers dogs a multitude of different scents. Therefore, when the dog has the first contact with her, his degree of arousal is very high. It is at this point that we must let the dog sniff, recognize the terrain and become familiar with the outside.
As guardians, we must respect the time of the animal’s ‘free walk’. The mere act of sniffing tires them as if it were a joke. It’s a great way to expend his energy and allow him to behave like a dog: sniffing. After passing the first phase of sniffing everything, during which the dog should be free to do this, we can start playing with him.
Here is a list of outdoor games to have fun with your dog:
1. Outdoor games: search
The ultimate smell game. We can use a ball, any other toy or even food and let the dog look for the scent. We can even make him look for someone else who is with us or ourselves, like a game of hide and seek.
2. Overcome obstacles
The field can be our own natural agility . Rocks, tree trunks, crevices, etc. can serve as obstacles to make the dog jump. We can also take advantage of the different textures of the soil: sand, earth, gravel, water… Being able to walk through different spaces will give our dog security and independence.
3. Frisbee
The frisbee is necessarily a game to be held outdoors, and some dogs feel a real obsession for him. It takes a lot of agility and speed to get the puck in the air.
4. Outdoor games: tug of war
It can be practiced at home or outdoors. You can play with your dog by pulling one end or two dogs can even play with each other. Tug of War is a game that helps us practice the catch and release commands with the animal. Also, multi-strand strings are good for teeth.
5. Dog sports
Other outdoor activities to do with your dog are canicross , bikejoring and mushing. All these sports are designed for medium to large dogs that are in good physical shape. The animal pulls whoever runs, rides a bicycle or rides a sled.
In addition, all have different modalities and competitions. For canicross and bikejoring, you need special collars that can be purchased at any pet store. Running is an activity that expends a lot of energy and exercises the muscles of dogs. Also, it’s a good option to get in shape with them.
6. Swimming
Swimming is very beneficial for dogs. The resistance of the water makes swimming a highly recommended sport for gaining muscle tone. It is a very complete sport and less aggressive to the muscles and joints than the previous ones, as the animal does not need to carry all its weight.
Swimming is also highly recommended as rehabilitation therapy, always after a rest period after surgery, although it is not easy at first if the dog is reluctant to water. There are water parks for dogs and beaches that allow entry.
7. Outdoor games with other dogs
Dog parks are a good way to socialize our dog. Getting to know other dogs will teach them to behave around other dogs. Good socialization is very important when the dog is still a puppy so that it does not have behavioral problems as an adult. Furthermore, playing and interacting with other dogs on a regular basis is a very positive action for the animal’s mental health.
These are some of the many outdoor activities and games you can play with your pet. Choose the most suitable one depending on your pet’s characteristics, size and age.
