Lilly likes to play hide-and-seek. But, she’s a total cheater. She often breaks her stay before she’s released, or she sneaks a peek when we slink off to hide. To prevent this, Tom often hides while she’s outside. Then, I let her in and say “Where’s daddy?” Lilly loves this game. Perhaps her calling is in tracking.
Clearly, she understands patterns because her seeking always begins with checking frequent hiding spots from the past — under the covers on a bed, in various closets, behind certain doors.
We particularly like watching her dig for daddy in the covers. Do you remember that Miracle Whip commercial with the dog making the sandwich? He’s chopping and his lips flap. That’s what Lilly looks like when she digs to get Tom. She makes this really ornery face, digs with her front feet … pausing only to sniff any tiny openings she can find to make sure he’s really under there.
So, it’s dig, dig, dig … snort! Much like when she’s hunting voles outside.
Once she makes an opening (not a hole in the covers), she throws herself headfirst into it. Kissing Tom wildly and making monkey-like sounds. If you make those ooh-ooh sounds back at her, it makes her even crazier.
Lilly LOVES this game. She really loves to play it in the morning, when she first wakes up. Once she’s fed and pottied, then she goes on a hunt for daddy.
She will hunt for me too, but I usually only warrant a flying pounce. Once she feels me underneath her, then she’s off doing something else.
Another variation on this game is something we learned from the book Beyond Fetch — Interactive Activities for You and Your Dog by D. Caroline Coile. I interviewed Caroline a while back for a piece I wrote for Modern Dog. She’s lovely and offered a bunch of great ideas for games you can play with your dog.
One that Lilly really likes is called “Remember Where?” Essentially, I let her see me place treats around the house, but I tell her to “Leave it,” and we move on. Then, we play fetch or do tricks or whatever for several minutes. Then, I ask her, “Remember where?” and she has to think it out and remember where in the house I left treats. She usually gets the first few pretty quick, but it can take her a few minutes of hunting to get the rest.
I’m not sure if it’s really her memory or if she’s using her nose to find them, but she really likes the game. It’s a good one when it’s cold outside, and I want her to work at doing something.
Still … if you ever need confirmation that your dog really loves you, hide. Even if it’s been just a few minutes, they really love finding you and treat you like you’ve been gone for days.
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