Hide And Seek With Your Dog

Entertaining While Training

By Jackie Nelson

Are the blustery, chilly days giving your pups cabin fever?

A fun game you can play inside with your dogs is good ol’ Hide and Seek. All you need is a dog that has a reasonably good sit-stay command and is curious about your whereabouts.

In the house, I put my pups in a sit-stay (one of them doesn’t stay well, but as long as he doesn’t follow right behind me, it is good enough for this game). I run off, acting goofy and keeping their attention.

Ready Or Not Here I Come!

cat hiding under couch cushionMy dogs are little, so when I hide, I do not need to be completely hidden. If my legs, feet and face are hidden, they are challenged enough.

I give their release command in a happy voice, “Okay – Here” and settle in to watch them dash about, looking behind doors, under tables, out windows. They are pretty creative when it comes to where they think I might be.

When one of them finds me, I pop out with a big “Yay!” and we all celebrate. Sometimes I toss them a treat but usually we just do a little victory dance and start the game over.

via GIPHY

I love hide and seek because it works on their skills, the stay and come command in particular. It reinforces that it is always great to find (and come to) me.

If you have a hunting dog withdogs hunting a good nose, this might be an entirely different game, but it would be amazing to watch how your dog handles the challenge.

What games do you play with your dogs?