Why playing with your dog is important

Playing with your human is the prime goal of our doggos, it helps them to stay fit physically and mentally. Playing also caters to their emotional needs since they learn to be expressive through playing. They also learn to communicate and learn new tricks and obedience through playing.  Playing and having fun relieves stress in your life, and the same is true for your dog. In fact, adding different types of play into your dog’s daily routine is critical to his development of a healthy, loving personality. We all know that playing with dogs is enjoyable, but what we don’t frequently discuss is how beneficial it is to their general health. Play gives cognitive, physical, and social advantages for dogs, and it is an excellent stress reliever. Listed below are some reasons why play is important.

·   Physical Exercise is Provided through Play

We’ve all heard that a weary dog is a good dog, and there’s some truth to that. Dogs require physical activity every day, and if those demands are not addressed, they may acquire detrimental behaviours (such as excessive chewing) to pass the time. If you are having difficulty providing your dog with adequate exercise each day, you may augment their schedule with some at-home playing.

Playing is a simple approach to get your dog additional physical activity every day. Games like tug, retrieve, and frisbee are physically exhausting for dogs, and by incorporating a few fast play sessions each day, you’ll be able to build a schedule that gives your dog plenty of exercise.

·    Playing with your dog strengthens your bond.

Spending quality time with your dog is one of the finest ways to enhance your relationship, and playing together is a fantastic example. Humans and dogs are the only animals that play well into adulthood. And the sense of playfulness we enjoy with our dogs is part of what makes our connections with them so wonderful; it’s difficult not to create a profound attachment when you can play and have fun together.

Researchers believe that playfulness in dogs was chosen during domestication and that it is one of the most important components in developing emotionally based ties with our canines. Therefore, if you’re searching for a reasonably easy (and pleasant) approach to improve your relationship with your dog, include more playing in your routine.

·   Mental Stimulation is provided via play.

Another reason why dogs need to play is that it gives them mental activity. Mentally stimulating exercises (also known as brain games) are a fun way to improve our dogs’ lives by providing them with meaningful activities. Aside from physical exercise, I prefer to incorporate a few fast cognitively engaging activities into my dog’s daily routine. Furthermore, because these activities relieve boredom, they reduce the probability of our pets developing behavioural difficulties such as excessive barking or chewing.

Nose work games, puzzle toys, snuffle mats, and stuffed Kongs are examples of dog brain games. They’re simple to play, and they’re a great way to keep dogs focused, active, and entertained throughout the day.

·   It’s an Exciting Way to Train (and Improve Manners)

Playing with dogs is enjoyable, but it is also an excellent method to practise basic training and improve manners. Playtime is one of the first ways pups learn fundamental etiquette; if they play too rough, they’ll likely get a nip from a littermate or mother, or they’ll stop playing entirely.

So, how can we keep the trend of utilizing play to train our dogs going? We can achieve this by playing interactive activities with our dogs. Take, for example, the tug of war game; it’s a fun activity in and of itself, but it also teaches your dog how to control their emotions, or how to be gentle while using their mouth. Our dogs are constantly watching us, so when we play, they are picking up on social signs from us.

·   Boredom is relieved by play.

One of the most significant advantages of play for dogs is that it eliminates boredom and keeps them engaged. It may be difficult to keep our dogs entertained throughout the day, and when they become bored, they will find their own methods to occupy themselves, which sometimes entails unwanted habits such as excessive barking.

You may reduce the risk of your dog acquiring harmful tendencies by playing with them many times every day. When you add additional playtime to your dog’s routine, you’re providing them something valuable to do and keeping them from finding methods to busy themselves that may entail chewing up your shoes.