It's All Fun And Games!

Do you play with your dog? I don't mean teaching your dog things in a playful way, I mean playing dog games with your dog.

I do, and I think everyone should. I was talking to some friends and realized that not everyone does, though. In fact, some people didn't understand what I was talking about, so I figured I could give a few examples. If you want scientific studies that playing with your dog is a good thing (or if you want support for the opposite) I'm sure you can find something if you go looking. I don't don't really care: I think it's good, I think it's fun, that's all I need.

I can sign off on the "fun" part!

Today, we'll be teaching you the kissing game. It's very complicated - like all dog games! What you do is you sit down opposite your dog (in our case I sit and Monster lies down, because he's pretty darn big) and you kiss him. I'm not being weird here, at least not in that way. It's simply quickly touching your lips (or I suppose you could go with your nose or your chin if that feels better) to the front part of your dog's muzzle, while looking into his eyes. Very quickly your dog will catch on to this game, and it becomes a staring match where you both try to be the kisser instead of the kissee. Look, look, look, kiss! Haha, I got you!

Smooooooch!

Yeah, that really is all there is to it. Dog games are simple. What makes it fun? No clue... Perhaps it's just that the dog thinks it's so much fun? Perhaps it's because there's no goal, no right or wrong?

What's it good for? Monster has a bit of a problem with people staring at him - and with him being asked to stare at people - as well as with people bending down over him or having their faces very close. I think this game helps him with that, making people's faces and staring eyes a lot less threatening. But even if I didn't think that I'd still play this game, simply because we both think it's fun.

If your dog doesn't think it's fun, don't play! (You may want to give it a few tries to see if he catches on, especially if he's not used to you playing with him, but if he's clearly uncomfortable you should of course stop.)

And be careful your dog doesn't get too excited, at least if he's Monster's size. If we play this game when Monster's stressed, or if we play with too much energy or for too long, he'll eventually start using his paws too. Getting hit in the face with a flying Monster paw can really hurt.

Monster also gets a reward if he manages to land several kisses in a row: he gets to chew on my nose a little. I'm not sure how this rule came about, but that's the thing with the dog games: they happen naturally and you both understand the rules involved. Dogs can't talk, but you know you can still understand them if you try. Considering how hard they work to understand us, I think they deserve the same from us from time to time...

There will be more dog games in future posts. Maybe tug (although everyone knows that one, and most even use it in training, it's still a dog game because you don't have to teach it to your dog), or hide and go seek (which sort of qualifies, at least on the fun part), or push and shove, or hand over paw, or I'm gonna get you, or where'd you go, or...

Human, you're feeling sleeeepy. When I bark once you will wake up and want to play. WOOF!