Puppy Training Games

When trying to teach commands and tricks to your puppy, you will often feel frustration and impatience. To make the experience more effective and fun, use games to elevate your puppy's interest. Also, reward your puppy after it performs a command or trick during the training process.

  1. Hide and Seek

    • Puppies learn the "come" command by playing hide and seek in a safe, confined area. When the puppy is not looking, hide behind a tree. After sniffing around for you, peek out from behind the tree, squat, stretch out your arms and call the pup by its name to "come." When it arrives, praise the puppy.

    Puppy Catch-Me

    • "Puppy Catch-Me" is another effective game to teach the "Come" command. You and another person sit on the floor about 10 to 15 feet apart, with one holding the puppy and petting it and the other calling the puppy (in a happy voice) to "come." Praise the puppy and give him a treat for successfully following the command.

      When outdoors, have the puppy on a leash until it learns and understands the command. A variation of the game involves the puppy retrieving a ball that you and another person toss back and forth. When the puppy retrieves the ball, praise and provide a treat.

    Where's Your Toy?

    • Puppies enjoy searching for items, and "Where's Your Toy?" gives them the opportunity. Put one of the pup's favorite toys where he can easily find it, and ask, "Where's your toy"? After the pup runs and grabs hold of it, put the puppy outside of the room and put the toy in a spot that hides part of the toy. When the pup returns to the room, again ask, "Where's your toy?" and when the puppy finds it, praise him.

      To give a puppy the chance to explore, hide the toy or treat completely from view. Other than asking the toy's location, you may use commands such as "find your toy" or "go get your toy." Once the puppy finds the toy, offer positive feedback and reinforcements. If the puppy searched for a toy and found it, a doggie treat makes a nice reward.

      Use a variation of this toy-retrieving game by playing fetch with your puppy. Throw a toy in the opposite direction of the pup, have the pup run to it and bring it back. As with the search game, shower your puppy with praise and rewards upon returning with the toy.