Do your dogs play games?

[John B. Hughes/Absinthe]

   Prophet's Game:      I arrive home from work and before I let the kids into the house I grab a treat for each.  I then open up the front door into the front courtyard. I then open up the doggy door from the back yard  and they come racing through the house  and impatiently position themselves at the front door in the courtyard anxiously awaiting the treat. .  I then give each a treat . Tarah, being the eater that she is, consumes her treat in the flash of a light.  Prophet on the other hand has created a game of "catch me if you can and maybe you'll get lucky'.  He has no interest in eating the treat.  He holds it in his mouth and runs a short distance from Tarah and then literally throws the treat on the ground all the time watching her.  That catches her attention and gives her hope.  When she gets close enough he grabs and runs.  No attempt is really made to eat the treat.  So look, throw, wait, grab and run.  Tarah every so often gets a breakage bit, so she is rewarded and continues the game.  Prophet just seems to get off making her run after him and play his game. If she gets a piece of the treat, oh well!  There'll be another one tomorrow!   It's my game and I win!   He really enjoys  being a  lovable little  shit!

[Carmel Murphy]

On a regular basis when there is no room on the couch, Megan will pick up Abbey's favourite toy and throw it around and sure enough, every time, Abbey hops off the couch to take the toy and Megan steals the comfy place on the couch and Abbey loses her couch spot;o)) Works 100% Poor Abbey hasnt worked it out yet;o)))

[Virginia Thielsen]

Watching the dogs play games is one of my favorite, lowcost daily entertainments and why I will always have at least two. Every morning Gracie (setter) deliberately irritatesTrae by licking inside her ear or gently head butting her off the sofa until Trae takes off after her and the romp through the house begins. The funniest part is watching my husband lift his leg to let Gracie through without missing a beat while eating his breakfast. Somehow the game always ends up with Trae chasing Gracie until they flop down together for a cuddle and a nap.

In the evening, they each get a chew toy. While Gracie will generiously share her toy, Trae will not. Gracie has come up with some very creative ways to distract Trae into leaving the toy. A few of my favorites: 1) running to the front door barking her head off until Trae follows to see what the fuss is about then racing back and stealing the toy 2) Coaxing a human into playing fetch; Trae chases reflexively and Gracie has the toy she wanted 3) Gracie will drag Trae's bed into the living room, prance in front of Trae and then lay down on it. When Trae comes over to give her a piece of her mind, Gracie grabs the toy and races to my side (the no fighting zone).

Lest you think poor little Trae never wins in these games, have no fear. She is small and quick. If Gracie so much as turns her head to see who entered the room, Trae has BOTH toys in her mouth and has them under a chair or table where the big galoot can't reach them. Never boring in our house!

[Norma Pape]

Derry does this all the time so much so that dog owners in our park have taken to avoiding us as Derry pinches their dog's toys. I have frequently heard 'Oh no its Derry.' Me, I've given up chasing him as he is getting worse.

[Howard Glansfield]

One of my dogs likes to steal the ball off another dog playing in the park and then dumps it in the river and happily watches it float away...or sink...depending on the ball! I have tried to stop him but he just too quick.He can manage to get two tennis balls in his mouth at the same time and close his mouth thus fooling everyone that he hasn't got a ball at all.

[Cathy Smythe]

Our boys are constantly in the toy box - tug of war is one of their favourites!

[Howard Glansfield]

That's a lovely photo Cathy.