Of Course Your Dog Can Find Food, But Can Your Dog Find YOU?

Typist: Bethany
My favorite game to play with my first husky, Natasha, was hide and seek. As a little girl it was great fun to have my dog find me no matter where I stowed myself. This game with my dog was something I would occasionally show friends. Remember how no one ever wanted to be "it" when playing hide and seek with your childhood friends? Well, Natasha was always "it!"  Not once did it occur to young me that this amusing dog and kid hide and seek was a cool trick, great exercise or excellent recall training. But as an adult, I continue to have fun playing hide and seek with my dogs and while it is still entertaining, it is also easy fit dog fun and productive training time.

I'll be "it!" Let me be "it!" I want to be "it!"

When I used to play hide and seek with Natasha, my brother or a friend would hold Natasha's collar while I hid. Sometimes I still play this way, with Jason, my mom or another training partner distracting one or all of the dogs while I hide. But more often, I will sneak away to hide while Wilhelm, Brychwyn and Huxley are distracted with a nap, a chew or a wrestling match. It doesn't take them long to notice I am missing and dash off to find me. And when they do, they get lots of praise and a jackpot of treats.*

Behind the pot again? Well, we found you!

To begin teaching the hide and seek game, either have a helper human assist your dog in finding you or hide somewhere very close to your dog, in a place that your dog frequents and finding you is relatively easy. When I taught this game in junior handler classes, partners would encourage beginning hide and seek dogs to "find Susie." After playing only two or three times, most of the dogs would leap about the room to find their young handlers. If your dog needs any extra encouragement, pleasant noises like giggling or even happily saying your dogs name will get them started or sped up in searching for you. Avoid using any recall words like "here" or "come" while playing hide and seek with your dog. This training game is a fun and informal way to get your dog to want to be near you. Hide and seek doesn't necessarily need a training label or word but using "find" before any family members

Huxley found my mom in the bedroom.

name means your dog can one day be "it" in a game of hide and seek with multiple people. Make sure every time your dog finds you or anyone there is a large amount of praise and an even larger amount of treats!*

Hide and seek is a training game that you and your dog can play almost anywhere. We play indoors and out, at home or on the road. It is an especially excellent reminder of a recall when we are traveling. And for me, playing hide and seek holds extra special memories of bonding time with my first dog. I suppose you could say that hide and seek with the dogs makes me feel like a kid again. The dogs get a childlike me, praising them and dolling out treats plus they learn to come to me no matter where I am. Hide and seek is a lot of learning, exercise and fun for everyone!

*Be sure to count treats given during training or anytime of the day towards your dogs total daily caloric intake.

My mom's dog Morgan found me next to the couch.

Morgan is really glad he found me!

Do you play hide and seek with your dog or would you like to teach them how?

Our hide and seek training game post is a part of the Fit Dog Friday Blog Hop and January's K9 Kamp. Thanks to the hop hosts and K9 Kamp Kounselors SlimDoggy, Peggy’s Pet Place and To Dog With Love. Click on the blogs below to learn more about having fun and getting fit with your dog!