“5 FUN THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR PUPPY”
– By Shirin Merchant
Puppies are simple souls and small things in life can make them happy. Here are five effortless ideas that will help put a wag in your pup’s tail.
Go for a beach picnic
Puppies absolutely love gambolling in the sand, sniffing the wet surf and chasing the waves. Carry along a picnic basket and your puppy’s day out will be complete. Do make sure you keep your pup on a leash if you are unsure of the area or if it doesn’t have a good recall. Follow basic sun care advice to ensure that your pup does not end up with a heatstroke or sunburn the next day.
Get down and play
A pup wants no more from its best friend than a good romp on the floor. Get down on the floor, bring out your pup’s favourite toy and have a lovely game. Make sure you praise and pet your pup for playing well.
DIY puppy agility course
All pups love to play around on agility equipment. Now you can put your own little agility course up at home without investing in expensive agility equipment. Line up three chairs then teach you pup to weave around them. Borrow a kiddie tunnel and teach your dog to run through it. You can also line up a couple of kiddie shoe boxes and encourage your pup to jump over them. Once your pup can tackle all three obstacles, link them up to form your own miniature agility course. Keep it creative, but not too industrious. You can get more ideas from an agility website.
Remember to keep things simple and avoid asking your pup to jump too high or too frequently to protect your pup’s growing bones. Agility encourages your pup to use its mind to negotiate its way through the obstacles and is a great way to teach your pup to develop eye-paw coordination.
Cuddle up
Your pup will love spending time with you. So cuddle up on a sofa or bean bag and watch your favourite soap opera with your little best friend snuggled up on your lap.
Sniff it out
Your pup will absolutely love this game. Hide a treat in one of your hands then close your fist. Present both fists to your dog and ask him “which hand. Most dogs are bound to nose the hand that contains the food. When your dog does that, immediately praise him, open the fist and let him have the food. If he noses the wrong hand, show him the correct hand, but do not give the treat. Encourage him to try again. In no time at all, your pup will be able to indicate the correct hand without an effort.
