Puppy Parenthood: Playtime

When you first bring home your puppy, the excitement to play is instilled in both you and puppy. All those toys you spent hundreds of dollars on just might fall by the wayside to a sock, a stick, or even puppy's own tail. It's frustrating to want to play fetch, but your puppy couldn't care less about the ball in your hand. Here are a few things you can try to get use out of the toys you buy.

1. Don't buy every toy in the store. You haven't had the time to get to know your puppy, so don't waste the time and money buying every toy. Get a handful of different types, textures, sizes, and sounds. Doing this exposes your puppy to a multitude of different kinds of toys that are out there. Puppy might not like tennis balls, but loves a squeaky toy shaped like a football. Let them choose what they like to play with.
2. Watch your puppy. This might seem like the most obvious thing you do when you become a pet owner. What I mean is watch your puppy when he plays. If he/she doesn't pay attention to the tennis balls scattered around on the floor, but high tails it to play with the leaves on the plant in the corner every chance they get, think about getting them a rope toy. The long string on each end are similar to the leaves; they move easily, have a different texture than puppy has experienced, and it can be a challenge to pull apart. Your puppy will tell you a lot if you take the time to observe their interests.
3. Take puppy to the pet store with you. (***Be careful taking your puppy to the store without being vaccinated. Talk to your veterinarian about when you would be able to take the field trip before you do.***) Let puppy walk around the toy isle and test things out. They will go for the toys that are appealing to them. Don't shove multiple toys to them because it can be overstimulating for your puppy.  Give them freedom to explore all the toy isles and choose their favorite one.
4. Choose times when puppy plays with their favorite toy. Allowing them full access to every toy that you've bought them can result in puppy getting bored with the toys. If you remove certain toys and then reintroduce them later, it's like getting a brand new toy for your puppy. This also makes playtime more exciting for both you and your puppy. 
5. Change the playtime environment. It's easy to stay cooped up inside with your tiny pup. But if you have a large breed dog, they won't be tiny for long. Try taking them outside and let them explore. This change stimulates their puppy brains and acts as a new toy. Allow your puppy some time to adjust outside before you start throwing more toys their way. Once they're comfortable, try tossing a toy around. Don't expect your puppy to know how to fetch right away. Some puppies automatically fetch, but many times you have to teach your puppy that activity. Many puppies love to run around and chase you, which is great exercise for you and your pup!  
6. Interact with your puppy. New puppy parents love spending every possible second with their fluffy bundle of joy. It's easy to be less enthusiastic six months down the road when the initial puppy love wears off. Make sure that you take time to interact with your puppy in play. Not only will your puppy be happy to play with you, but you can also work on obedience training while in play. Have puppy "sit" and "stay" while throwing a toy around. Your puppy will want that toy much like they'd want a treat during training. If your puppy takes the toy and moves away from you to play alone, allow them the freedom to do individual play. Don't give in if they come running back to you after you've gone to sit on the couch. When they play alone, it means you are no longer available to play with them. They'll learn that when you are on the floor/outside with the toys, it's time for group play. When you're on the couch, it's time for individual play. 
7. Take your puppy to the park. (***Don't take puppy to the park without being vaccinated. Talk to your veterinarian about when you would be able to take the field trip before you do.***) It can be the park where your kids love to swing, or a dog park in your local area. Dog parks are great because there are other dogs there running around wanting to play, and your puppy can socialize. I've found that this makes my puppy the most tired after play. He loves interacting with the other dogs, chasing each other, and getting treats from some of the other puppy parents! Regular parks are an open field of new smells, sights, people, and animals.

Every puppy is different, so take these suggestions as grains of salt. Learn what your puppy likes and dislikes, and do what works best for your relationship. They crave your attention, and sometimes giving them just that is better than any toy they could play with. Time together will teach you just as much as they learn. Remember that when puppies are young, their playtime tends to be short. As they grow, it becomes longer. (Something I've learned is the harder they play, the harder they nap!) Try some of these and let me know what works for you and your pup!

Live long and prosper.