Printable sheet
Puppy in the garden with a butterfly fluttering nearby and a big tongue-out smile. A cheerful printable for kids; download the free PDF.
Printable sheet
Free for personal and educational use
Download PDFPrintA long-haired puppy with one paw raised, tall daisies on both sides, a rock, grass and a butterfly.
Color the puppy golden and make the daisies white with yellow centers.
Come up with three games you would play with the puppy in the garden.
Adult dogs sometimes let smaller dogs win during play so the game keeps going.
A puppy in the garden is not just having fun. It is learning. For a young dog, play is the best school there is, teaching it to control its body, get along with other animals and figure out what in the world is safe.
When puppies play together, they chase, tumble and nip at each other. That is how they learn bite control: if one bites too hard, the other yelps and stops playing. This lesson, called bite inhibition, helps puppies grow into gentle adult dogs.
Dogs even have a special signal that means let's play. They stretch their front legs forward, drop their chest and keep their rear end up while wagging their tails. This pose, known as a play bow, tells other dogs that whatever comes next is just for fun.
Running through grass, sniffing flowers and chasing butterflies also sharpen a puppy's senses and burn off energy. A puppy that plays enough sleeps better and chews fewer shoes, which is why vets suggest several short play sessions every day. Short, playful moments with toys also teach a puppy to listen, take turns and calm down when the game is over, which makes training much easier later.
