Dog Daycare Games

A dog daycare service is a potentially excellent small business idea for those who prefer to work at home. Those who are unable to leave their dogs alone during the day or are preparing to go on vacation might use a dog daycare service to keep their canine companions occupied and happy while they are away. While a dog daycare service will certainly have plenty of food for dogs and cozy places for them to nap, it is also important to have plenty of planned activities for exercise and to offer the dogs ways to burn off their excess energy.

  1. Fetch

    • Fetch is the most well-known of all dog games. It uses a dog's natural retrieving instinct. An object is thrown for the dog to retrieve or catch. After just a little training, the dog learns to bring the object back so that it can be thrown again. Dogs may be encouraged to place the object on a mat or marked area upon retrieval. Different types and textures of objects and location variety will increase interest.

    Combat (Tug and Keep-Away)

    • Dogs love to play "combat games" with each other and with humans. Heavy diameter cotton or rag ropes knotted at both ends are best to prevent injury to dogs' mouths and teeth. Plastic or rubber toys may also be tied to the ends of the ropes. Using the rope, alternate between playing tug-of-war and trying to keep the rope away from the dog. Vocalization and quick starts and stops by handlers and integration of Fetch encourages movement and exercise.

    Come Relay Race

    • A relay race requires a few handlers standing short distances from one another. The first handler calls the dog, and the next handler calls the dog after it reaches its first destination. Pit two dogs against one another to create a race.

    Obstacle Course

    • Obstacle courses can be constructed from simple materials. A variety of different obstacles allows dogs to show skills, such as jumping over or through hoops, climbing stairs or ladders, navigating tunnels or mazes and weaving through poles. Treats encourage initial participation, but hand prompts can be used as dogs become familiar with the exercise.

    Water Sports

    • Many dogs relish the opportunity to approach water on their own terms, and will play for hours in a pool or with a directed flow of water. Water sports can be combined with all the above activities to vary daily routines. A dog that enjoys getting wet will also enjoy its grooming routine, if you incorporate grooming in your dog daycare service.