Love Wrexham Magazine - Issue 3 - September 2019

Pets
Playing With Your Dog: Why Is It So Important?
by Karen Boyce, Beastly Thoughts Professional Dog Services
“Toys are a bridge between
dog and owner.”
Craig Ogilvie (Master Dog
Player and creator of the
Interactive Play Method.)
Playing is an important and a
fun activity in the life of your
dog. It can be used as a reward,
a learning experience or just as
a reason to hang out with them!
Not enough owners play with
their dogs and most dogs are
simply given lots of toys and left
to learn to entertain themselves.
Don’t let this happen to you and
your dog!
How to play in a way your dog
loves:
• Let the dog latch onto the
toy and keep the tension
while moving the toy around
in fluid motions.
• Do NOT use sharp or
uncoordinated movements;
you could hurt your dog’s
mouth, neck or spine.
• Do NOT shove the toy in
your dog’s face – this will
cause frustration!
• Keep the toys low to the
ground.
• Keep play
sessions
short – always
leave the dog
wanting more!
(around 15
seconds per
session is
enough).
The best types
of toys are really
very simple:
• Stuffed toy
• Lotus ball with
or without rope
• Long rope toy (see photo)
• Old tea towel
Remember – quality of play
over quantity!
Beastly Thoughts Professional
Dog Services sell Kong snakes,
lotus balls and lotus ropes. We
also hold play workshops so
make sure you’re on our mailing
list:
https://beastlythoughts.co.uk/
email-opt-in.html
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