Warmer weather is (hopefully) approaching which means lots more outdoor training opportunities!
You can find my pack and me so many different places during the spring and summer. We love being outside from the backyard, to the park, to parades, to Art Prize, to nature trails, to beaches, to playgrounds… You name it and we are there!
We go out in the winter too… but… this is Michigan so it’s not quite so fun…
So why playgrounds?
Well, frankly, because they’re fun and I’m all about fun in my training! Lots of great foundation pieces can be taught in and around playgrounds and well as body awareness skills, confidence boosting, relationship building, and teaching skills for dealing with distractions.
These are some games we play when we visit the park.
Paws Up:
This is such an important game for dogs to learn and willingly offer! Especially for agility dogs or any sport that involves obstacles or props.
Almost every playground set up has stairs and most have a nice landing. Letting your dog put their feet (front, back, or all four) on those steps is super for building confidence, helping body awareness, and helping the dogs stay on their toes guessing what you might ask them to do next.
I always start with this game and work on it until they are confident in getting up onto unfamiliar surfaces. I only continue with the other games on this list if they are confident and happy!
Walking the Plank:
Lots of playgrounds have some sort of sway bridge that moves underneath a dog’s feet. Letting the dog walk along this bridge helps engage their core, prepares them for some less common agility obstacles, and helps boost their confidence when they succeed! It is also an exercise in trust, so always make sure you have your dog’s back.
Slides:
This is a tricky one… Slides are designed for kids and not designed for dogs. There are a lot of inherent safety risks with letting your dog go up or down a slide because of the slick surface and curved design.
However, some dogs think they are the best things ever (Jetpack!!) and could go down over and over and over again (Jetpack!!).
Letting your dog go down a slide is really just about having fun. It’s a great way to reward your dog if they like it and it’s a great relationship building game. And with the really short slides, they can even get enough momentum to run up the slide!
Tunnels:
Ok, you might have to crawl through with your dog for some of these! Playgrounds are all about different surfaces, difference sounds, different feels. Helping your dog through a tunnel like this can do wonders for building their confidence and resilience to stimuli in everyday life.
Swings:
No, I don’t mean putting your dog on a swing…
Training in and around a swingset is a fantastic tool to proof your training. Playing tug and keeping a dog engaged near where someone is swinging and making the swingset creak is easier said than done! But the more you can make that activity second nature, the easier it will be to desensitize your dog to other distractions you may encounter in the environment.
Besides all of these games, just going to a playground and hanging out off the equipment is really good desensitization to sights, sounds, and smells of everyday park life and will lead to a happier, healthier, and more stable dog!
A few safety tips and common courtesy guidelines to follow…
Never take your dog on a playground if kids are actively playing on it… It’s for the kids first and foremost and you never know if one might have an allergy or a phobia of dogs. Always best to politely keep your distance.
Always make sure your dog is healthy and sound before performing any sort of strenuous activity. Make sure they are warmed up before any jumping or sprinting. And always be cautious when working on narrow or tall equipment as there is a higher risk of injury.
If your dog is hesitant or nervous, go slow and end on a really good note. Lots of praise and rewards.
Always always always keep your dog on leash and clean up after them!!
And most importantly, have fun!
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