How to Have Fun with Your Dog Outdoors
You can have fun with your dog outdoors by playing games with it like fetch, since most dogs love retrieving things. Energetic dogs will also love a good chase, so try taking off running and see if your dog follows! If your dog likes sniffing and tracking things down, try playing hide and seek with it. To do this, let your dog sniff an item, like a toy or a ball, so it knows the scent of what it's going to track down. Then, hide the item somewhere outside and tell your dog “find it!” Your dog may not catch on right away, so try pointing or walking in the direction of the hidden toy to give it a hint.
Find a place with open space. Finding a place where your dog has lots of room to run is important when you're playing outside. Look for a place with a lot of open space, like a dog park or the beach. If you're having trouble finding a place, ask other dog owners where their favorite spots to play are. Get away from the road. Neither you nor your dog will have much fun if you are worried about it running out in front of a car while you're trying to play. Find a spot that is far away from any roads or that is fenced in to prevent your dog from accidentally running into danger. Go to places with lots of stimulants. While a big open field might be a great place for your dog to run free, it will probably get boring pretty fast for you and your dog. Look for places that have trees, bushes, and even a pond or lake. Finding a place with a variety of vegetation and different stimulants will give your dog plenty of things to explore. Build a fence around your yard at home. If you have a backyard at your home, make sure you build a secure fence around it if you plan to let your dog play in it. Putting up a fence will give you the peace of mind that your dog will stay safe while it is running and playing with you. Play fetch. One of the most classic games you can play with your dog outside is fetch. Traditionally, you'd throw a ball or a stick you found outside for your dog to retrieve and bring back to you. You can, however, vary how you play fetch to keep it interesting for your dog. For instance, try bringing some other toys with you, like a toy bone or stuffed animal, and throw these for your dog to retrieve. Also, vary the height, direction, and length at which you throw while you're playing fetch with your dog. This will help keep it interested in the game. While you are playing, work on your dog's obedience training. Focus on training your dog to learn commands like “come,” “drop it,” “lie down,” and “release.” Throw a Frisbee. Playing Frisbee with your dog is a bit different than playing fetch. The Frisbee hangs in the air after you throw it, giving your dog an extra challenge in trying to catch it before it hits the ground. Once it catches the Frisbee, have your dog return it to you so you can throw it again. You can buy Frisbees in varying degrees of toughness, depending how aggressive your dog is when playing this game. If your dog is rather gently with the Frisbee, a soft Frisbee will be fine, but if your dog is tough on Frisbees, get one that is more durable. Play with water. Generally, dogs love water and yours will probably enjoy playing or swimming in it while it is outside. Try setting up sprinklers for your dog to run through in your back yard. If your dog can swim, take it to the beach or lake to play in the water. You can also use a pet life jacket to make sure your dog stays afloat. Make sure you have a towel handy to dry your dog off before it comes inside the house or gets into your car. Play hide and seek. Hide and seek is a fun game for your dog, as well as one that will allow it to practice its tracking skills. To start, show an item, like a toy or ball, to your dog and allow it to sniff and study the item. Then take the item and hide it. If you have another person with you, you can have them hold the dog while you do this. Or, depending how well your dog is trained, tell your dog to “stay” while you hide the item. When you come back, tell your dog to “find it” and allow it to go hunt the item. You can give your dog verbal clues if it is having trouble locating the item. For example, say “Good!” if it is getting close and “Uh-oh” if it is heading in the wrong direction. You can also help your dog by pointing in the direction of the toy or moving in the direction where it is hidden. Praise your dog enthusiastically when it locates the item. You can also give it a treat after finding the hidden toy. Practice nose work with your dog. Nose work is a scent detection activity used by professionally-trained K9 dogs that work with police. You can teach your dog to do it by first practicing inside by hiding a toy or food in an enclosed room. Don't interrupt or try to help them; let them find it on their own, then reward themselves by eating the treat or playing with the toy. Keep training them for 3 months to a year before introducing a “target odor”--a specific scent for an object you want them to find. When your dog gets skilled at this, you can start taking them outside for a fun hide-and-seek scent game. To learn more about nose work and sign up for workshops, visit the official site here: https://www.k9nosework.com/about-us/what-k9-nose-work Get your dog to chase you. Another way to have fun with your dog outdoors is to get it to chase you. To do this, mimic another dog and bend down in front of your dog, putting your hands on the ground. Then take off in one direction. Your dog will likely catch on and chase you. Vary the patterns in which you move, making it more challenging for your dog to catch you. Blow pet-safe bubbles for your dog. Buy some pet-safe bubbles online or at your local pet store. You can blow some bubbles around your dog and allow them to chase after them, snapping at them with its mouth and bursting them with its nose or paws. It's important to get pet-safe bubbles, because regular bubbles will be toxic to your dog if ingested, as well as irritating to your dog's eyes or skin. Work on scent tracking. Tie a string around one of your dog's favorite toys—preferably one it has just been chewing on—and drag this toy along the ground in some type of pattern (like an “L” or “S” shape, for example). Hide the toy at the end of the trail under a big leaf, some sticks, or a pile of grass. Bring your dog to the beginning of the track and tell it to “find it.” Your dog will love using its scent-tracking skills to locate the toy. If your dog is having trouble, try pointing to the ground or dragging your finger along the scent trail. Ensure your dog is wearing a collar or microchipped. You should make sure your dog is wearing its collar all the time, but especially when you take it outdoors. Even better, take your dog to the vet to get a microchip implanted. Even well-trained dogs can run off after another animal or car and become lost. Making sure your dog is microchipped or wearing a collar with your contact information on it can help ensure sure your dog is returned to you if this happens. Pack a bag for your dog. If you're planning to spend a good amount of time outside with your dog, make sure it has everything it needs to be comfortable. Pack a bag that has essentials like water, a water bowl, food, bug spray, a canine first-aid kit, and poop bags. Preparing for your dog's needs ahead of time will allow you both to enjoy your day. Practice basic commands. You should start practicing basic commands with your dog when it is a puppy so that you can keep control of it when it becomes larger. This is especially important if you and your dog are playing outside without a leash. Focus on basic commands like sit, stay, heel, come, and lay down to start. 
Find a place with open space. Get away from the road. Go to places with lots of stimulants. Build a fence around your yard at home. Play fetch. Throw a Frisbee. Play with water. Play hide and seek. Practice nose work with your dog. Get your dog to chase you. Blow pet-safe bubbles for your dog. Work on scent tracking. Ensure your dog is wearing a collar or microchipped. Pack a bag for your dog. Practice basic commands. 