How we create the right play atmosphere for our dog

A guest post by Sean

I’m on “Team Play”.

My favorite thing to do with Scout is to play with her. Not only are there a million benefits because play is the most natural way a dog learns and bonds, it’s also the most fun for me. Plus it’s a ton of fun for Scout (and as Haley always says, very biologically fulfilling).

At first, play seemed like a super simple idea to me. Throw the ball, the dog brings it back. Hold the rope, the dog tugs on it.

Anyone who has ever tried this finds out that for many dogs, it won’t work at all. The dog won’t engage or will grow bored very quickly.

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned about engaging Scout in a really good play session is creating a fun “playground” for us.

Tapping into that little kid inside all of us

When I was a kid at a new park, the most important thing was how cool the playground equipment was. If there was just one slide and a few things to climb on, my siblings and I would be bored in about three minutes… and my mom would turn around to find us all staring…