Guess what? You don’t have to go broke to keep your dog entertained! There are so many fun ways to play with your dog without toys that don’t cost a penny! Skipping the toys every now and then may even help you and your pooch bond better and making training a bit easier. Check out our favorite ways to entertain and train your dog without a ton of toys.
How to Play With Your Dog Without Toys
Hide & Seek
Hide and seek is a fun human game that can be played with your dog, too. Every rule of hide and seek is exactly the same when playing with your dog, except for who is assigned to each role. Your dog may not grasp the concept of hiding so easily, so he (or she) will primarily be the seeker. When your dog wins the game, reward him with a treat.
Wrestling
For dogs, play wrestling can be an exciting activity as long as it’s done in a responsible and safe way. Teach your dog that there’s a time and place for play wrestling, as well as who they’re allowed and not allowed to wrestle with.
Your dog should never engage small children or other animals in your home who are skittish or people who are unfamiliar with your dog. If your dog plays too rough, stop immediately and let him know that his behavior was bad without scolding him. This way, your dog will learn that it was unacceptable behavior and hopefully be more careful in the future. Remember, how you play with your dog dictates how your dog will play with you.
Cup Game
All you need for this game is your dog and some of his favorite treats. First, you need to get your dog’s attention. Grab a treat and put your hands behind your back. Randomly choose a hand to hold the treat, close them and present both hands to your dog.
Let him pick a hand and if he guesses correctly give him the treat! At first, your dog may guess pretty easily because they can smell the treat, but the game will get harder as you get more of the treat scent on your hands.
Tag
This game is an excellent way to get active with your dog. Tag your dog and run away from him. He’ll be so excited that you’re running around that he’ll start chasing you and running around with you.
Frenetic random activity periods, also known as FRAPs, are random bursts of energy that dogs experience that makes them want to frantically run around. If your dog experiences FRAPs, playing tag will most likely trigger the response and give your dog the necessary outlet to release some of that energy. Not only is it good for your dog, but it’s an extremely fun exercise for you, too!
These are just a few simple ideas for how to playing with your dog without toys. All it really takes is a little creativity on your part and the two of you will be having fun before you know it. This doesn’t mean that you should forgo dog toys altogether, it simply means they’re not an absolute necessity.
Do you have any favorite ways to play with your dog without toys? Share below!
