Do dogs need to play?

Of course, every animal in captivity needs to play, in the sense of needing recreation. It is simply not enough to look after their food, hygiene and exercise needs. Most pets need actual play. Of course, creatures like fish and turtles cannot play interactively with humans, but they too flourish if you provide variations in their environment, which make their life in their limited world a little more interesting.
As for the larger animals like dogs and cats, ideally they need more of their kind to play with. If that’s not available, they need your active participation in a game of catch, or fetch, or hide-and-seek, or go-find, or a rowdy round of tug-of-war. This way, an animal gets to use many parts of its natural instincts, that it would have used in the wild. For instance, lying in wait and pouncing or ambushing, sniffing out something, chasing, shaking something in its jaws…all these activities are part of its original skill sets needed for hunting. Since your dog or cat cannot or does not need to do this in his or her domesticated life, playing with you is the one way it can indulge in these instinctive activities. This way they also enjoy body-contact, which is an important part of their pack life in the wild.
While many people pooh-pooh the idea that pets have a sense of fun, any long-time animal watcher will tell you that this is very much part of their mental make-up. A dog at times enjoys ‘teasing’ its owner by tugging at his sleeve and running away, or fetching the ‘wrong’ toy, or nipping playfully. Mock fights, hiding, running away with things…all these are an animal’s way of playing and drawing you into a game.
The market is full of interesting and safe toys for cats and dogs – balls, rings, string twists, chewy toys, Frisbees, and the like. These make for great games, but cats and dogs are known to entertain themselves with even a simple string or a dried up coconut shell.
How do you know when your animal is in the mood to play? He or she makes it quite evident. A dog may fetch a favourite toy and drop it in your lap or on your foot. He may give you a piercing, intent stare, sometimes with a lowering of the front, with the rear end held up high, tail wagging, and small yaps or woofs. This is classical ‘come, let’s play’ body language. Take the cue and go play with him at this time, whenever you or any other family member can. However, a few ground rules, before the games begin!

Discourage nipping, scratching and lunging at you. It can be painful for you and for anyone else trying to play with your pet. It is also often aggression hidden behind play, so it’s best to put a stop to it. A sharp ‘no’, a small whack, or a calling off of the game will help your pet to get the idea that you don’t enjoy this kind of thing and will not play rough-house. Be very particular about not letting him or her go for your face, even in play. However, some amount of wrestling and horse play is fun too, if you’re up to it, and your pet knows the limits.

When kids play with pets, adult must supervise at first, to make sure that neither child nor dog hurt each other. Small children can be quite rough, as can little puppies – both need to know the rules, and sometimes, you’ll have to play referee and get them to go easy on each other. Most dogs, especially big ones, are quite careful about not dropping children or nipping at them. However, do keep some basic first-aid at hand, in case of minor scratches and bruises. Teach kids about what parts of an animal’s body can easily get hurt, like ears-twisting or tail-pulling. Also teach kids not to try to extract a toy from an animal’s mouth, even if you are able to do it, and the pet allows you to do it quite comfortably.

Do make the time to play with your pets. It’s not just good for them, it is a hugely satisfying, fun and de-stressing activity for you too. A bored, listless animal is a sad sight indeed; and lack of recreation is often the cause for quicker ageing, hair and appetite loss and bad tempered behaviour too. On the other hand, there are few sights in the world as beautiful as the happy grin of a dog who has just enjoyed a great game with its owner.