Fun Fall Games for Your Dog

Fall is an exciting of year for people and pets. It is also a great time of year to play with your pooch outside before it gets too cold outside. The following are fantastic fall games you can play with Fido this season.

Fun with pumpkins

Pumpkins are dog safe vegetables that you can have lots of fun with. There are many things you can do with pumpkins. One of my favorites is to clean the pumpkin out and put treats on the inside. I like to use precooked pieces of hot dog and put them inside the pumpkin. I recommend buying small pumpkin to use for this game. Here are directions:

Clean the pumpkin out, removing all the seeds
Cut multiple small holes in the pumpkin that are large enough for the treats to fit through
Leave the top off and put your treats inside the pumpkin
Give the pumpkin to your dog and watch him have fun

Tip: You may want to put peanut butter on the outside and inside of your pumpkin to get your dog interested.

Fun fact: Pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling) is a great treat for dogs. Just do not feed too much as it can act as a laxative.

Leaf pile scavenger hunt

Many dogs enjoy jumping into leaf piles as much as we do, this game capitalizes on that fact. It also allows your dog to use his nose to find things and do some non-destructive digging. Before you begin the game check your leaf piles for critters (snakes and mice) and any sharp or dangerous items. You can make some bigger piles and some smaller ones to provide your dog with an easier option. This game only works with dry leaves. Here are the directions:

Rake your leaves into a pile
Hide a favorite toy or some treats in the pile
Let your dog outside to find his toy or treat in the pile

You can incorporate more than one leaf pile once your dog gets the hang of it.

As an alternative you could make the piles and play fetch with your dog, throwing the ball into the piles.

These games should make fall a fun time for you and your dog. Be sure to provide adequate water, even in the cooler weather, and read your dogs body language to see when he is done playing.