The Power of Play

Play is a natural behaviour for dogs and provides countless benefits for both their physical and mental wellbeing. Research has shown that dogs who play regularly with their owners tend to be more optimistic, more engaged and easier to train.

Why play works

• It builds a positive association with you — you become the fun one
• It gives dogs an outlet for natural behaviours like chasing and tugging
• It's a brilliant reward in training, especially for dogs who aren't food-motivated
• It builds confidence in shy dogs and helps energetic dogs learn off-switches

Play well, not just often

Good play has structure. Start the game, let your dog win sometimes, and end it while they still want more. Short bursts with pauses in between teach arousal control — the ability to get excited and then settle again, which is one of the most useful life skills a dog can have.

Play in the meadow

At Club Walks we build play into every session with training games, agility jumps, trampolines and supervised social play. Groups are carefully matched so that play stays appropriate, and we step in early to keep things relaxed rather than letting things tip over.