Hide & seek with dogs, anyone?!
One of my favorite games to play with the pups is Hide & Seek, especially on crappy days when most of our time is spent indoors.
I remember playing it quite a bit as a kid and like it a lot for the pups as well because it ticks off several boxes.
For one, it engages them on a mental level since they have to concentrate on listening to my commands.
It also challenges them on an olfactory level since the pups have to rely on their noses to sniff me out.
Last but not least, it’s good physical exercise since they’re running around the house, including up-and downstairs.
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What You’ll Need For Hide & Seek with Dogs
I typically allot 10-15 minutes for a session of Hide & Seek, but you can obviously go for longer sessions, too.
Your pup(s) will need to know the “stay” command and you’ll need something your dog is willing to work for.
For my pups, the clear answer to that one is TREATS! If your dog isn’t food motivated, you can also use a favorite (squeaky) toy.
I use a dog treat pouch to carry them around the house with me, but of course it’s not a necessity. I just like the convenience of being able to strap it around my waist and reach into the bag as I go to reward the pups.
In case you’re wondering what kind of treat bag I use – it’s the treat pouch by Mighty Paw which I recently reviewed.
We Play Hide & Seek in 5 Easy Steps
Step 1: I Tell Missy & Buzz To “Stay”
This game starts with a good ol’ “stay” command. I usually tell the pups to go into their respective crates and “stay” in there. We’ve played this game so many times that they know to wait for my release which, in this case, is “Come find Mommy”.
If you need a few pointers on how to teach your dogs a “stay” command, check out my post below to see how I taught it to Missy & Buzz:
Training A Solid Down-Stay Command
Step 2: I Go Hide Myself Somewhere Inside The House
This is where the fun begins – I hide myself somewhere inside the house.
Some of my favorite spots are:
- in bathtubs
- behind curtains
- inside closets
- behind furniture
I also hide inside the pups’ crates.
Obviously this is only going to work for you if your dogs are large to extra large.
Other hiding spots are behind doors, under the dining room table and, if I want the pups to work extra hard, in my bed under the covers or in my car in the garage.
Step 3: I Call My Dogs & Tell Them To “Come Find Mommy”
As mentioned above, I release the pups from their “stay” by saying “Come Find Mommy” in a happy, loud, upbeat voice.
Use whatever word or phrase you want your dogs to associate with finding you. You could just call them by using their names or saying “come” if that works better for you.
Just remember to convey pure happiness in your message – no dog is going to feel inclined to come your way if you sound pissed or angry.
Step 4: I Reward The Pups With Tasty Treats For Finding Me
Here’s the part that Missy & Buzz love best – their food rewards!
Depending on the size of the treat I use when we play the game, they’ll get one or two bites whenever they find me.
I use a number of single-ingredient treats for the pups, typically freeze- or air-dried ones.
Favorites are anything by Real Dog whose monthly single-ingredient treat box we are subscribed to.
But also limited-ingredient ones like Instinct Raw by Nature’s Variety and Live Pawsitive’s single-ingredient treat selection.
Step 5: Repeat Several Times
Once the pups have claimed their reward, I tell them to sit or down-stay where they found me and go to my next hiding spot.
We typically play this game for 10-15 minutes, then go take a potty break, and then the pups will relax on the couch.
Depending on my schedule, I either join them or do whatever I have to do. The beauty of this game is that it burns a nice amount of physical AND mental energy and leaves the pups somewhat pooped and ready for a nap.
How to Play Hide & Seek with Dogs: Bottom Line
The pups and I have been playing this game for 5+ years. When we first started playing it, we lived in an apartment.
While we didn’t have any stairs for some added physical benefit like we do now, it worked perfectly fine there as well.
It’s a good indoor boredom buster and works well to practice some basic obedience. For example, the “stay” and “come” commands.
If you’d like to take it up a notch, you can also take this game into your yard! This is going to be more difficult for your dogs because of the outdoors distractions.
Give it a shot either way and let me know how it went! As always, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section!
Related Reading:
- Mighty Paw’s Dog Treat Pouch – Perfect for Dog Walking & Training
- Training A Solid Down-Stay Command
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