Playing with your cockapoo is a great way of bonding. It will prevent them from finding their own games to play, like chewing your best shoes or skirting boards. Here are some great play ideas…
Find the treat. (this is one of my personal favourites)
Show your dog a treat and ask him to stay. Go into the next room and hide the treat (to start with low down is easier) Tell him find a let him enter the room. Start easy (in view) and get harder (under things and higher up). When he finds it praise him. You can play this with toys as well, they love it.
Find the person
This works in the same way as find the treat. Ideally you need two people and places to hide. One person distracts the dog, the other hides. Tell him to find and the name of that person. The person hiding give him a good bit of fuss when found. Keep this simple to begin with, hiding in obvious places where they can see you. When they approach you, give them lots of attention and repeat the exercise. You can increase the difficulty as your dog gets used to the game.
Good old fetch!
This can be played inside. Make sure the toys are soft and the floor isn’t too slippery. Tug of war is a great way of strengthening their teeth and teach self control. They need to learn what is toy and what is your fingers!
Food fun
Dogs are by nature scavengers. Instead of using a bowl to feed your dog, why not try a kong or a food puzzle. You could incorporate the “find a treat” game into this one too.
Name their toys
Cockapoos a very intelligent. You can name their favourite toys. You will have to name that toy every time you pick it up, he will eventually associate that name to that toy. You can then play find that toy amongst their other toys.