There are literally thousands of ways to entertain your dog. With all the work you’ve already done in making their home a good one, chances are you are a bit exhausted already and maybe not feeling the most creative. Here are some tips for easy and affordable entertainment options to play with your dog. DIY is good whenever possible and will give you and your pet a sense of accomplishment.
After all, the dog will probably see and ‘help’ you by making them a special toy and reward you with appreciation. To do this, get a stick from an outdoor tree and remove any small branches and leaves from it. The size will really depend on your dog. For larger dogs, get a larger and thicker stick or for smaller dogs, get a smaller and thinner stick making sure that it’s sturdy enough not to break. That said, the dog should have no problem handling the stick by using its jaw, so avoid any wood that is damaged or ackward.
If you haven’t played fetch before, it’s okay. It seems to become a fun game that never gets tiring despite being rather simple. You take the stick and wave it around, telling the dog things like, “here we go… let’s play” while sort of teasing them in a nice way and enticing them into it. Then happily yell, “FETCH” before throwing the stick away from you and the dog at a safe enough distance away to run.
This could be at the park on a long retractable leash, in the yard or anywhere you feel safe with enough free, visible space to unleash your canine companion. Of course, you don’t want to lose sight of your dog or play such a game without knowing they will return to you. You can practice with a smaller stick at home to make sure they understand. This can also be done with a very inexpensive frisbee. Another idea is to play with a flirt pole.
Make a flirt pole by attaching a thick string or thin rope to a stick or other pole like a dowel rod. Wave and move the toy around to encourage jumping and following around. When all else fails, there’s always Tug of War. For tug of war, all you need is a good rope according to the dog’s size and thickness. Tie a knot on each end and firmly, but not too aggressively, invite the dog to battle with you by pulling the rope in each direction to see who wins as the opponent gets tired and lets go.
Don’t forget to bring a sprayer mist of water, bubbles and other low to zero-cost things that will add even more excitement. The dog will enjoy a fresh, cooling spray of water and perhaps become mesmerized by the blowing of bubbles in the wind. The dog may even try catching the bubbles.