Before class begins, you will need to cut out plenty of bone-shaped pieces of tagboard. Make them two or three different sizes, as well as many different colors. Students can then sort the bones into piles of different colors, and then into piles of different sizes. If they need, you can supply them with labeled boxes to put each size or color into. Older preschoolers can use real dog biscuit bones, since different brands may be different sizes and colors.
This game will seem familiar to students and be different because of its dog theme. The game is a variation on Simon Says. Just say, "The trainer says...put your hands on your head." If you begin a command with "the trainer says," the children should all follow it. If you do not, however, the children should ignore it. Any child who does not follow these rules is "out," and the last person who remains in the game wins the round and becomes the new trainer. Make sure to include plenty of dog-related commands, such as "Bark like a dog" or "Crawl on all fours."
In this traditional game, one child stands with her back facing the rest of the children. A fake bone or other object lies behind the child, and the rest of the children try to steal the bone without being heard. The "doggy" barks if she hears someone stealing the bone. If a child manages to get the bone without being barked it, he then hides the bone somewhere on his body (or behind his back). The children chant, "Doggy, doggy, where's your bone? Someone stole it from your home!" The "doggy" then turns around and tries to guess who stole the bone. If the guess is correct, the "doggy" gets another turn. If the guess is incorrect, the person who is holding the bone becomes the new "doggy."
This is perhaps the most common dog-related game that kids play. They enjoy pretending to be dogs or to be taking care of dogs. Possible "let's pretend" options include a vet's office, a pet shop and a dog show. Use as many props as possible, such as bandages, boxes to represent cages, or blue ribbons, in order to make the scene more realistic.