Day 1,416

Nico was very excited to play with his toys this evening. Normally, toy play happens post-dinner, but today, he wanted to play as soon as I got home. I strongly believe that playing with a dog is an essential form of bonding. Play also exercises their brains and reinforces appropriate boundaries. For example, when Nico gets excited, he is prone to grab at us with his mouth the way he would with another dog. When he does that, we immediately stop playing. This is an excellent way to teach him that grabbing at people with his mouth isn’t appropriate. We also use play to practice the “out” command and other boundaries. It’s fun for everyone.

Many thanks to my Patreon supporters for making this series possible. Support through Patreon allows me to focus on projects like this.

Gear Used For This Shot

Sony A7RIV - Sony 50mm f/1.2 GM

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Brendan Wiltse

Brendan is a professional landscape, nature, and wildlife photographer with over 20 years of experience. He holds a Ph.D. in biology from Queen’s University and is an accomplished research scientist. His photography focuses on the conservation of the natural world. He is most well known for his work photographing the Adirondack Park in upstate New York but has worked across the eastern United States and Canada.

https://www.brendanwiltse.com
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