The Best Dog Party Games For Your Next Event

Dog Party Activities

It can be hard coming up with activities for dog parties and other canine-centered events that will keep your guests entertained and ensure that everyone has a good time. To make it easier, we put together a fun list of dog party games that you can use at your next party, fundraiser, or just because! Whether you are looking for just one or two games to use as an icebreaker or are looking to put on an all-day event, I am sure you will find the perfect games for your four-legged friends.

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Things to Consider When Selecting a Dog Party Game

When selecting the perfect dog party game for your pup and friends, there are a few things you will need to consider. Some games will require a certain amount of space or equipment. Other games may not be suitable for all dogs. You will need to consider the dog’s temperament, whether they have any food or toy aggression, and what behaviors they know.

Some of the games may need a slight adjustment depending on what the dogs’ needs may be and that is perfectly fine! The important thing is to make sure that no dog gets too frustrated, and that everybody remains safe and has a good time.

List of Dog Party Games

Here is our list of dog party games for your next canine gathering. We’ve added potential variations to some of the games to give you ideas on how you can make it work with your space and pups. Most of these games are based on games played at children’s parties and altered to make them dog-friendly.

Get creative and see what changes you can make to improve these games even more. If you are planning a holiday party, we put together a short list of games for Halloween in a different post.

Musical Mats

“Musical Mats” is a safer version of musical chairs, and you will only need placemats and music. Count the number of dogs that will be playing the game and subtract one. This is the number of mats you will need for the game. You can get the placemats at a local dollar tree or print your own.

Place the mats in a circle and have the owners and their dogs stand in a circle outside of the mats. Once everyone is in position, you can start the music. Each time the music stops the owners need to have their dog sit on one of the mats. The dog/owner duo that was not able to get a mat, is out of the game. This will continue until there is only one pair left.

For this game, it is best if the dogs stay on leash and only be played by dogs with no aggression or reactive issues.

Simon Says

Remember playing this game in school? It is a great way for everyone to show off how well their dog listens! Just come up with a list of behaviors that most dogs attending your dog party will know. If you know your dog’s guests well, you will have an easier time selecting more complicated behaviors for this game.

The announcer will yell out the behaviors to the crowd occasionally starting the behavior with “Simon Says”. The owners need to get their dogs to only do the behaviors that the announcer has started with Simon Says during the time allotted. If the dog hasn’t completed the behavior before the next one is announced, they are no longer in the game. The last pup standing is the winner.

Alternative Ways to Play:

You can also turn this game into a Behavior Race where you make a list of 3-5 behaviors that all your dog guests can do. Time each dog and owner going through the list. The dog that successfully completes all the behaviors first (or the fastest) wins. Dogs can either compete all together or one at a time.

Another alternative to this game is to make a list of behaviors, each increasing in difficulty. If a dog can’t do the behavior, they are knocked out of the game. If you aren’t familiar with what behaviors the dogs at the party may know, you can always give every pair a “freebie” card that they can use to stay in the game.

Pin the Tail on the Pup:

This game is quick and easy to set up and play. Just get out your Pin the Tail on the Pup poster (make sure it’s protected) and some Kong paste or dog-safe peanut butter.  Simply place a few dabs of the paste or peanut butter around the poster, including where the tail would go. One by one, let each dog approach the poster. Wherever the dog licks first, is where he ‘pins’ the tail.  You can make your own or get one of our designs from our Etsy Store!

Hide and go seek

Owners can hide from their dogs, or you can hide toys or treats around the area. Let the dogs run around and find the hidden items. Depending on the different dog’s personalities, you may need to let them ‘search’ one at a time.

Agility

If your dog guests do agility training, you can set up an agility course and time them on it. The dog that completes the course in the quickest time wins. This is a great game to play if you are creating your own Dog Olympics.

Race

Simple and straightforward. Just have a start and finish line marked out and a timer ready. Have the owners at the finish line ready to call the dog to them when it’s ‘go time.’  The dogs can either run the race together or individually. You can also turn it into a relay race splitting the guests into separate teams.

Limbo or Reverse Limbo

Set up an adjustable hurdle. Depending on the size of the dogs, you can either have them jump over it, or play reverse limbo where the dogs need to walk or crawl under it.  Let the dogs attempt to go over or under it one at a time.  The dogs that make it, get to go on to the next round. Adjust the height and let the dogs try again until you have a winner.

Dunking for Balls

There are multiple variations to this game. Fill a tub or small kiddie pool with water and put balls or hotdogs in it. Set a timer and the dog that gets the most items out of the pool in the allotted time wins. You can also mark one of the balls, and the dog that gets the marked ball in the shortest amount of time wins.

You may need to cut the hotdogs down to a smaller size because they can be a choking hazard to some pups. If you have dogs that like to gulp their food or are food aggressive, stick with using balls for this game.

Treats on a String

Loosely tie each treat to a tree branch or stand. Let the dogs try to grab the treats as they sway back and forth in the wind. If any of the pups have guarding or food aggression issues, let the pups approach the area one at a time. You will also want to watch the pups to make sure they don’t accidentally ingest the twine or string around the treat. If your pup is struggling to get one of the treats, you can hold the string to help them out.

Prizes and awards for Dog Games

You can play these dog games simply just for fun and bragging rights, or you can give out awards, medals, or even prizes. You can buy official medals and certificates like these from our store.

If you choose to do prizes, you can award the winners things like dog treats or toys. You can even get prizes for the owner of the winner too! A dog-lover coffee mug, pet store gift card, or any other small gift works great.

Ready, Set, Play!

As you and your pup expand your dog party skills, consider adding some fun party games to your gatherings. Listening and obeying commands even when there are distractions is one of the most important things your dog can learn. Competing in dog games is a great way to practice while hanging out with friends at the same time. Have fun making some awesome memories as you watch the dogs and their owners give the games their best shot!

Don’t forget to check out these posts if you are looking for basic tips on how to throw a dog party or ideas on how to throw a themed event like a Halloween Dog Party.

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