The Power of Structured Play: Why and How to Play with Your Dog

Why Play Needs Structure

Many dog owners leave toys out all day, allowing their dogs to self-satisfy. Its not uncommon for dog owners to believe they are somehow being cruel if they don’t allow their dog permanent access to toys. There is a strong case that the opposite is true! While leaving toys out may seem harmless, unstructured access to toys reduces their value and at worst could be adding to any behavioural issues. To read more about this see the Blog previous : "Should Your Dog Have Permanent Access to Toys? Why Play Needs Boundaries"

Structured play, on the other hand, does many things including build engagement, reinforce training, strengthens your bond and helps with arousal control in dogs. It has the bonus of teaching your dog to listen while in high states of arousal.

Getting Started: What You Need

To set up a successful play session, you’ll need:

- A flat buckle collar on your dog.

- A minimum 6-foot lead to maintain control.

- A toy (start with your dog’s favourite but aim for variety over time).

- 15 minutes a day dedicated to play (this can replace some walk time).

Introduction to Tug Play

Tug is an excellent game for most dogs because from the start its interactive, high-energy, and helps develop arousal control. To begin:

1. Introduce a Start Word – Before presenting the toy, use a verbal signal that play is about to begin. I use “Ready!”

2. Engage with the Toy – Use a second signal to let your dog grab the toy. I use a noise or a word for this.

3. Build Excitement – Keep the game fun and engaging— remember tug is a competitive game, the objective is to win the tug! It is also important to let your dog win sometimes to boost confidence and maintain interest.

4. Use the Leash for Control – If your dog wins the tug, allow them a “victory lap” while keeping control with the leash.

This is an important part of arousal modulation; the victory lap or celebration is a natural part of the predatory sequence. Once you have celebrated with your dog use the lead to bring them back in and continue the game. This also prevents the dog going to the next part of the predatory sequence which is consume!

Keeping Play Engaging

- Start with short sessions to maintain enthusiasm, 2-3 minutes can be enough to begin with.

- End the game while your dog is still eager to play—leave them wanting more!

- You, not your dog, should decide when play ends. Finishing at peak excitement for the game is another opportunity for your dog to practice lowering arousal. This is important because exciting things happen in life which you may not be in control of, and it may not be safe for your dog to interact with whatever the exciting thing is, so having them self-regulate is important!