What is play with a dog, and what isn’t it?

We’ve all heard or read about how important play is in building a relationship with a dog. We usually associate it with tugging toys, throwing balls, or goofing around. But before we go any further, it’s worth asking ourselves: do we really understand what play means from a dog’s perspective?

Dogs, in addition to their physical needs, also have social needs — including the need for contact with others. But does the need for contact automatically mean a desire to play? Not necessarily. A dog may simply want to spend time in our company, without it having to take the form of play.

Does nipping or stealing things mean the dog wants to play? No — this can be the beginning of behavioral problems caused by an excess of emotions the dog cannot handle.

Does chasing a ball mean a desire to play with a human? Again, not really. It may simply be an expression of a strong prey drive — a moving ball triggers the hunting instinct.

So, we see that many behaviors we mistakenly interpret as “playful” do not necessarily mean the dog is actually playing. Play with a dog should be based on mutual understanding and interaction, not just on our assumptions.