Feel free to throw in a “Good boy!” when your dog is enjoying play. This will encourage them to seek out the behavior more in the future![2] X Research source
After a while, your dog should show signs that they’re warming up to their toys. If you had pushed them to play before they were ready, you’d have run the risk of spooking a nervous dog or confusing an unsocialized dog. Instead, you let your pup develop an interest in their own time!
Keep sessions no more than five-minutes long when you first begin playing with your dog. Wait until your dog is clearly enjoying playtime and seeking out playtime without your encouragement before you increase your session length.
Creating moments of major thrill for your dog will help them associate playtime with the most fun they’ve had in their lives. This will encourage them to seek out playful behaviors more often.
Before your dog really learns to enjoy playtime, it’ll be best to rotate quickly. Once a week should be perfect. Over time, you should be able to stretch this out, opting for a month-long rotation cycle instead. Eventually, the constant excitement of new toys will cause your dog to learn to love play.
To help you identify which toys and types of play your dog most enjoys, try exposing them to as many toys as possible. Go for varieties in toy function, texture, noises, and even colors. This way, it’ll be that much easier to help your dog see how fun play can be. Draw your pup in with their very favorite activities!
Stop-start motions can be really engaging for dogs. Try jumping forward, stopping suddenly, and then starting again to get your dog riled up. To play hide-and-seek, tell your dog to sit and stay. Then, hide from your dog. Next, call out from your hiding spot. When your dog finds you, provide a reward.
Flavored chew toys can teach your dog to enjoy gnawing on their toys for play. Dab a tug-of-war toy with peanut butter every day. When your dog gets used to chewing on the end of it, start shaking the other end around. After a while, your dog should get comfortable tugging it back from you.
Eventually, your pup will probably come to investigate the treats in your hand. Let your dog sniff around rather than trying to engage with your pet right away. This will establish a level of trust between the two of you. Wait for your dog to send the signal that they’re ready to play. Usually, this will come in the form of a “bow,” meaning that they will duck their heads and lay their arms flat on the ground in front of them. Let your nervous dog set the tone for your play and don’t be too rough. By developing some trust, you’ve opened the door to future play with your dog!
