Most dog owners would agree that playing with your dog is certainly one of the greatest joys of dog ownership. Dogs are always enthusiastic and eager to play with us and if we do it right, games help us to form a tighter bond with our dog, relieve stress in both parties and also get us both moving. That means a fit, active dog and a fit active owner.

However, some games can cause problems if they aren’t done properly.  For instance, does your dog run circles round you and insist on winning every game you play with him?  If this happened every time you played a game with your child, then I dare bet that the relationship between you and your child would soon be tested!!  If your child just HAD to win every game you played together and refused to give you back the ball and ran taunting circles around you, then I’m sure most people would refuse to play with such an arrogant and annoying little person.

But it’s amazing how many self-respecting individuals will happily play this way with their pet dog. Did you know that your dog is actually saying, “Play with me but remember that I’m always the winner and you’ll always lose and I’ll keep the ball!!” when he displays this type of behaviour?

The very best games you can play with your dog cleverly disguise dog training.  When you’re playing with your dog not only are you exercising his body but also his brain, but you need to know how playing with your dog can also undermine your position as pack leader if you don’t play with him properly.

Fetch the ball or the toy is a fantastic way to exercise your dog.  But if your dog repeatedly brings the ball back to you but as soon as you try and pick it up he grabs it quick and runs away, then he is dictating who always wins – him !! If you finally do get hold of the ball to throw it and he dances around your ankles and jumps up trying to reach the ball, eventually managing to grab it and then takes it to his dog kennel or his dog bed and refuses to play any more then he has won.

One way to try and stop this is by putting him on a long 6-foot lead before the first ball is thrown. Ask your dog to sit and reward him with a throw of the ball. Let him drag the leash while he runs after it and if he tries to run off with the ball once he’s got it, quickly step on the lead, ask him to sit and repeat the process again. This way, the game is fun and it shows him that you are prepared to play but you are still the boss.

Some owners like to play a game of “catch me if you can” to exercise their dog.  This invoves your dog zooming around in circles around you, at best perfecting his ability to never be caught and at worst practicing his ancient predatory circling skills.  Have you ever watched a working Border collie herd sheep? When your dog runs circles around you like this, then you’re the sheep and certainly not in control so therefore not the boss.

Wrestling with your dog is unfortunately a favourite with many families but they often don’t realise that this game actually simulates fighting in dogs and can involve growling, pinning down, grabbing and kicking. When dogs spar with each other they use their teeth in the same way as we use our hands.

Their dog counterparts are well-equipped for this type of wrestling, but our skin is much more delicate. Not only that, but it can also set a dangerous precedent whereby your dog assumes all humans want to wrestle.  Children usually lose in these types of interactions because dogs are better at it and are  generally stronger.  Dad might find it OK to wrestle with the family dog, but the children and granny would certainly lose as your dog will not differentiate between who are weak and who are strong.

Never grab your dog by his fur or slap his face – not only is this not a “game” but it is guaranteed that your dog will become wary of human hands and could very possibly be dangerous if someone tries to grab hold of his collar in an emergency. It is very often children who tease the family dog in this way and it’s worth noting that just one person can ruin a puppy with sadistic games, so stop any behaviour of this type immediately.

Tug ‘O’ War is another favourite game, but remember that this promotes your dog’s bite, hold, shake and kill instinct traits that are generally not considered desirable for a family pet. Tug ‘O’ War was once viewed as something not to be encouraged in family dog training circles but has recently made a comeback especially as a reward during training. In the spirit of this new attitude, if you must play Tug ‘O’ War with your dog always make sure that you start and end the game and that you keep the toy. This way, your dog will soon realise that you are the pack leader and you are allowing him to play.

After a good play session you will both have had some fun, your dog will be exercised and so will you and you can sit down and let you dog lie down in the comfort of his favourite dog bed until you decide to take him for a walk or have another play session.