Playing with your dog throughout his life
Photo by Elina Volkova
During their adolescence—from 12 weeks to 12 months—your puppy's teeth usually emerge. Therefore, at this stage, it's important to look for slightly more durable toys, made of rope or rubber, that are appropriate for your pet's bite size. This is a stage of general recognition, during which your puppy is like a sponge, absorbing all the knowledge it can. Here, play becomes a fundamental ally in teaching our pet many things.
Benefits of Play in Youth
During this stage, play helps your puppy to:
- Identify what can be played with and what definitely cannot.
- Develop your frustration tolerance.
- Learn some basic behavior commands.
- Discover appropriate ways to drain your pent-up energies.
- Strengthen the human/pet bond.
- Achieving sphincter control.
Play in Adulthood
In the adult stage—which ranges from approximately 13 months to 7 years—play will be one of the many ways we use our pets to release their energy. Just like us humans, dogs need a daily burst of energy to be happy. A good toy will be our most practical tool for effective daily interaction and relationships with our pets. During the adult stage, you can experiment with all types of toys, taking into account your pet's preferences.
Toys in the Geriatric Stage
Finally, in the geriatric stage—from 6 or 7 years of age onward—it's important to reduce the intensity of play to protect your pet's joints, heart, and lungs. It's also necessary to return to soft, durable toys. Although your dog will have experienced intensive play in their juvenile/adult years and will have developed the habit, it's important to take care of your pet's teeth as they age.
Playing and toys will be activities that will accompany your furry friend throughout his life, allowing him to learn, release energy, socialize, and remain a healthy and happy dog until the end of his days. Play has countless benefits that make our routine with our pets more enjoyable. So, what are you waiting for? Go play with your pet! I'm sure the time you spend playing will become moments you and your furry best friend will treasure.
