Dog Obedience Games to Play

An obedient dog is much more pleasant to be around both for you and for people who come over to your home. When your dog is well behaved, you tend to want to be around him more and play with him. Ironically, the more bored your dog is from lack of companionship or play, the more behavior problems he displays, whereas, the more you play with your dog, the more opportunities you have for obedience training.

  1. Teaching "Come"

    • Hide and seek is a great way for you or your child to play with your dog. This game is fun and teaches your dog the very important command of "come." Hide somewhere, either inside or out in the yard, and call your dog's name followed by the command "come." When your dog finds you, give her lots of praise. Do not run, and tell your child not to run, from your dog. This is not chase, just hide and seek. You can play this game as long as you both are interested. One important tip to remember regarding use of the command "come" is to never say come and then punish your dog. Your dog will be more reluctant to come if you do that.

    Teaching "Stay"

    • This game is for dogs who already have a basic understanding of "stay." It takes "stay" to the next level, by having your dog stay even when you leave the room. Put a treat or a toy on the ground near your dog and tell your dog to stay, meaning the dog is not allowed to take the treat or toy yet. Accompanying the command "stay" with a hand-up gesture that indicates "stop" works well with this command. Once your dog successfully stays without touching the treat, you release the dog and let him have the treat. Next, let your dog see you hiding the treat while he is in stay position. Release your dog and let him "find" the treat. Do this a few times until your dog understands the game. Now you are ready to leave the room while you hide the treat. Only let your dog look for the treat when he stays in the other room in "stay" position. Keep increasing the distance and difficulty, as your dog gets better at this game.

    Teaching Impulse Control

    • This game works for dogs who like to be chased. Give your dog a toy and pretend you are going to chase your dog to get her. Say in a playful tone, "I'm going to get you," while approaching your dog. When your dog runs off, chase her for a few steps and then call your dog back and reward her for coming. After you do this successfully a few times, you can mix in other commands, such as "sit" or "down" when your dog comes to you. If your dog does not come to you, just ignore her and do something else. If your dog really wants to play, she will start coming when you call.