Print your card sheets on cardstock and cut them out. Separate into four piles by difficulty: Easy (green), Medium (yellow), Hard (red), and Bonus (purple). Shuffle each pile separately. Grab your dog's favorite small treats, a timer, and your score sheet.
Before drawing any cards, give your dog a 2-minute warm-up: a short walk, a few sit/stand repetitions, or a quick play session. This gets their focus and energy going — a ready dog is a successful dog!
The active player draws the top card from their chosen difficulty pile. Read the card aloud: the challenge title, description, time limit, and point value. Everyone knows what's coming — including the dog (kind of)!
Start your timer and give the challenge a go! You may use treats, toys, or verbal encouragement to help your dog succeed. The goal is completion within the time limit shown on the card. Partial attempts don't score — but they're still great training!
If the challenge is completed within time: record the points on your score sheet and give your dog a treat and lots of praise! If it's not completed: no points, but say "Good try!" and give a gentle pat anyway. Positive energy always wins.
Pass the draw to the next player (in multiplayer). In single-player, draw your next card. After every 5 cards drawn, take a 3-minute break: water break for the dog, stretch for the human, and a little cuddle moment. 🤗
Bonus cards are wild — roll a die when you draw one! The die multiplies your points: Roll 1–2 = ×1, Roll 3–4 = ×2, Roll 5 = ×3, Roll 6 = ×4 (jackpot!). Bonus challenges are silly and fun — expect laughter. These are the crowd favorites!
At the end of the game, tally everyone's points. The highest score wins! But truly — every dog who participated is a winner. Award a final treat to every dog, a big round of applause, and plan your next Dog Challenge Cards session!