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Instead of the frustrating "chase me" game your dog chooses when off leash, practice these games with your dog to increase your chances of catching a possible runaway. Of course, you should also teach a good "Come" command, but these games may help if your dog is less than reliable.

Dog Training Games: Four Life-Saving Ones to Teach Your Dog By playing these training games with your dog, you can increase the likelihood he'll return to you if he gets loose, says dog training expert Kathy Santo.

Is the cold weather stopping you from taking your dog on as many walks as usual? Getting a bit of cabin fever? Some "shaping" training will keep your dog from being bored and will greatly improve your ability to communicate with your dog. Mental exercise tires out your dog more than physical activity.

Shaping is kind of like the old "warmer, warmer, colder, warmer, got it!" game. Break a behavior into small pieces and reward when your dog when they get "warmer." Shaping is used to teach complex tricks one little step at a time.

Shaping With Your Dog - Fun Things to Do With a Box Shaping is a great way to teach your dog how to problem solve. Many dogs get stuck in the trap of waiting to be told what to do or waiting for a cookie to appear in front of their nose and lure them to the correct position.