News release

From: The Royal Society

Puppy play - A game of tug of war may be the best way to strengthen your emotional bond with your dog. Over 408 dog owners filled out surveys on their relationship between themselves and their dog before and after a month of increased daily play or training, or unchanged behaviour. The results suggest “even a few extra minutes of daily play significantly enhanced emotional closeness”, with tug of war coming out as the favourite activity. Royal Society Open Science [Images available]

Play interactions improve the dog-owner relationship

Royal Society Open Science

This new study shows that play may be more important than training for strengthening the emotional bond between dogs and their owners. Using a large survey and a four-week intervention, we found that both play and training were linked to relationship quality, but only increased play caused a measurable improvement in emotional closeness. Training alone did not enhance the bond. Breed group also influenced relationship scores and interaction patterns. These findings highlight play as a powerful and accessible way to improve human–dog relationships, showing that everyday playful interactions can make a meaningful difference.