Puppy Play

Why is it so important?

As a Puppy School Tutor running weekly classes in Oxford, I get asked the question all the time about why owners should play with their puppy. I can not emphasize enough how important Puppy play is. Play builds your bond with your puppy. You are also seen as someone who is very fun and exciting to be around. By playing with your puppy, they have an outlet for pent up energy and it is a safe way to release that energy. Most puppies, depending on their breed, enjoy tug games with soft toys and rope toys. Not only this, but depending on what toy you are using, it can satisfy those hunting instincts. For instance, the working breeds such as cocker spaniels and beagles will want to tug and play rough as it satisfies their desire to chase and kill (high chase prey drive). Equally so are whippets who will also want to play tug roughly. Whereas cockerpoo’s will be more gentle and use less force in their play.    

 If you use a soft toy to play with your puppy, it encourages them to divert their rough play onto suitable toys and not your favourite dressing gown (it is boring as they get no attention for this). When left alone, most puppies prefer chew toys to chew. This is why it is so important to provide adequate chew toys that they will chew on instead of your brand new shoes!! To encourage puppies to play, animate the toy, pull it about on the floor and pretend it is prey by swishing it about at floor level, they are more likely to play with it.

Also crucially, puppies are learning by putting things in their mouth to investigate what it is and they are learning through play. They are learning the distinction between hands and toy play. They learn that hands are not exciting to play with and nothing will happen if they mouth the hand. They are learning that playing with and chewing toys is very pleasing and comforting and that these items are best to play with rather than mouthing or biting hands.

 If you would like to know about which toys are suitable for puppies, I use and recommend Tug-e-Nuff toys in my puppy school classes. They are perfect for satisfying that natural chase drive and tuggies, in particular are suitable for nervous puppies or dogs, due to their long handles so that they can be played with at a distance. There are also toys to suit all breeds including larger, stronger breeds such as Staffordshire bull terriers, for instance.

Get 10% off these brilliant toys with my special referral link - https://www.tug-e-nuff.co.uk/?ref=talkingpetbehaviour

If you want to join my puppy classes, see here for more info or book now at

https://client.puppyschool.co.uk/booking/PS/8F27AAC1-A319-4CFF-893E-E1CCECE3024C

Having issues with your puppy and don’t know where to turn, I can help, get in touch now.