Playing with Dogs - The Rules of Engagement

We all know that dogs need both physical and mental exercise. Did you know that you can combine both types of exercise during play? Combining the mental exercise of impulse control with the physical exercise of play helps modulate a dog’s excitement level. Through these rules of engagement, you can help prevent your dog’s excitement level from ruining all of the fun.

Oftentimes, dogs ask for our attention at inconvenient times. If you’re distracted when your dog gives you the ol’ fetch/ bark/ jump/nip combo, you’re likely to toss the toy so the barking, jumping, and nipping will stop. Uh oh. What did you just reward? The fetch/bark/jump/nip combo now becomes the way your dog invites you to play. And, your dog’s excitement level rises from there. It’s so easy to accidentally reward unwanted attention seeking behavior and oh so hard to diminish.

Unless, you change the fetch/bark/jump/nip combo with a new routine. Or better yet, teach your dog these six rules of engagement before they create a fetch/bark/jump/nip habit.

1. Ask your dog to sit.

   Doing this can prevent the excitement frenzy that often leads to barking, jumping, and nipping.

2. Reward your dog with play.

   This play can be tug, chase, or fetch.

3. Play for 30-seconds up to 2-minutes.

   Frequent interruption also prevents frenzied play.

4. Stop playing.

   Don’t pull back on tug toys. If your dog pulls back, lean in to prevent the tug game from continuing.

5. Ask/wait for your dog to sit.

   This helps your dog learn that stopping play is also a cue to sit. This is a great way to decrease excitement levels.

6. Resume playing and loop back to number 3.

   These rules of engagement help keep your dog’s excitement levels to a dull roar.

   Watch the video below as an example of the rules of engagement in action.

Teach your dog these rules of engagement for playtime.