If there’s one thing your dog looks forward to every day, it’s playtime. We’re guessing you do, too. Playing with your dog is one of the greatest joys of pet parenthood. It’s a wonderful feeling akin to playing hide and seek with your friends in the neighborhood when you were still little. But beyond seeing your beloved pup having fun outside and enjoying themselves, there are a lot of benefits to playing with your dog.
Here are five benefits you and your dog receive when you play with them.
1. You’ll keep them mentally healthy
Like humans, dogs can get bored easily. It’s even worse if you’re a pet parent who has to go to work all day, leaving them at home alone.
Playing with your dog really helps with the mental aspect of boredom and stimulates their brain. Interactive games like playing fetch help to build their focus and discipline. This also helps your dog stay alert to their surroundings.
2. You’ll promote their physical well-being
Everyone needs a little exercise in their daily life. It helps maintain a healthy body among many other benefits. And dogs are no exception because they also need exercise to stay in good health.
Being able to play or walk outside can help keep your dog’s organs healthy and lubricate their joints, as they might be lying down all day while you’re at work.
Not only is exercise good for your dog’s health, but they’ll also be able to expend all the pent-up energy they might have while waiting for you to come home.
3. You’ll bond with your pup
Being able to go out with your dog, whether it’s a simple walk or playing at your nearby dog park, will help you grow closer to them. It’s one of the many benefits of playtime with your pup.
Getting to spend quality time with your beloved pooch can help strengthen the love and friendship you share with them. You provide them with the chance to have fun, and you help earn more of their trust and loyalty. They’ll even come to know you as the one who brings joy to their life.
4. You can relieve their anxiety
Playing with your dog will help alleviate any anxiety or stress they might have, especially when you leave them at home all day. Spending time with your pup can definitely help soothe their nerves and give them a calm demeanor. Playing with them can also help foster a more positive outlook for yourself, especially if you battle depression or feel stressed.
5. Playing with your dog is good for you, too!
With all of the benefits your dog might have during playtime, it can also benefit you! Being able to go out for a walk or play fetch with them is not only physical exercise for them but for you as well.
Playtime with your pup can also help stimulate you mentally and relieve stress. It reminds you to stay in the present moment. And of course, the bond you forge during playtime with your dog will last them their whole life, as well as yours.
