• There are so many fun games to play with your doggie, and all of them increase the bond you share. All dogs need physical exercise every day, but they also need mental stimulation and challenges. It doesn't matter if you buy toys for your dog or use household objects to create games, your dog craves and will thrive on quality time spent with you.
  
  

Ball Games

• Soccer
  Teach your dog to play soccer by gently kicking a soccer-style ball toward your dog. Encourage her to get it. Because a soccer ball is too big to pick up in her mouth, give her time to figure out that she must push it with her nose or hit it with her paws. Give her lots of praise when she moves the ball, and soon you and your dog will be playing soccer.
  
  Soft Ball Fetch
  Dogs and people usually play fetch outdoors, but indoor fetch with dog-safe soft rubber or plush balls can be fun too.
  
  Basketball
  Use an indoor/outdoor child-sized basketball hoop and ball set, which you can buy secondhand. These can be adjusted to suit your dog's height and ability. After repeatedly showing your dog how to drop the ball into the basket and rewarding him each time he succeeds, you and your dog can play basketball together.
  
  

Problem Solving Games

• Put a treat inside a cardboard box and let your dog work to get it out.
  
  "Find It!" is a game that encourages dogs to think and to use their sense of smell. When your dog understands the game and knows the "find it" command, hide a treat under a throw rug or towel and ask your dog to search for and uncover it.
  
  Make the game more challenging by teaching your dog to find objects by name, and, after much practice, to help out around the house by finding keys, remote controls and other misplaced items.
  
  

Outdoor Party Games

• Some fun party games are: bobbing for hot dogs, in which the object is to retrieve small pieces of cooked hot dog, or any treat that floats, from a tub of water; relay games involving dogs and their people; and paw painting using sheets of butcher paper and dog-safe paint.
  
  

Movement and Balance Games

• Teach your dog to jump over logs, short bushes, hurdles; to climb stairs and ramps; or to walk on raised walkways, planks and fallen tree trunks. If your dog is comfortable balancing, teach her to sit or lie down on these surfaces.
  
  

Backyard Games

• Build or buy a sandbox (try Craigslist or garage sales) for your dog. Have your dog stay and watch you bury his toys in the sand and then release him from the stay and tell him to "go dig!" Later, bury the toys when he's not watching and then send him outside to "go dig!"
  
  Play "search and find" tracking games in your yard by hiding a treat or toy and having your dog follow your scent trail or hide treats all over the yard while your dog stays in the house, and then let him out to seach for the hidden treasure.