What Dogs Want by Mat Ward – Games, activities, and practical tips to enjoy life with your dog

In 2021, in the middle of the pandemic, I was in my second year of university. I was coming out of one of the most important relationships of my life and had decided I would stay single for a while. I couldn’t have imagined the pandemic would last so long, forcing me into that solitude for real. My mood, especially being stuck at home, tended to slip toward a depressive state.

I spent up to ten hours a day in front of the computer for classes. During breaks, when I didn’t have lectures, I still sat at my desk working on assignments, reading, or preparing for the next lesson. I often skipped lunch and, after almost a year like that, I had become pale, painfully thin, and plagued by back pain like someone thrice my age. That’s when I decided the cure for my malaise would be a dog.

After all the necessary steps, he finally arrived. This puppy became my reason to smile, to go out, to break up the monotony of my days. Sometimes I literally felt my heart bursting with love for him. It never seemed enough, never close enough. When he was little, I always carried him in my arms, but after six months it became impossible: a chocolate labrador weighing twenty kilos (44 lbs at the time, now 77) is hardly feather-light.

My love for him kept growing, consuming me, and I wanted him always near. But apart from holding him, brushing him, taking him for walks, and talking to him constantly, there wasn’t much else to do. So we started watching movies together. One in particular – A Dog’s Journey 2 – I like much more than the first, and I always cry at the end. That’s when the idea struck me: to look for books that would help me feel even closer to him. Not something heartbreaking like Marley & Me, but any text about dogs, really.

I began adding them to my Goodreads list, and it became a little ritual: every time I felt “overwhelmed” by love and wanted that extra closeness, I looked for books about dogs. It’s happened about three times in these five years. And here I am now, writing these lines before my day officially begins: we moved into our new home in May, and the kitchen we ordered then is finally being delivered today. Leon has padded over from his bed to sit beside me. How lucky I am to have a dog.

This time, it was What Dogs Want. (Every time I read the title, I can’t help but think of the cult ’90s/2000s movie What Women Want with Mel Gibson!).

I read most of the book while walking with Leon. I started it a bit “by force,” pushing myself to give it at least twenty minutes a day – that’s what I do with books that don’t grab me right away. At first I insist, and then my stubbornness to always finish what I start takes over. I think I could count on one hand the books I’ve ever left unfinished; even if it takes me years, I eventually go back to them. Seeing them sitting there incomplete really bothers me.

And here’s the point. What Dogs Want is a clear, straightforward manual packed with practical ideas to make every day with our dog more stimulating and peaceful. I didn’t find anything I hadn’t already tried – because, if you listen, your dog teaches you himself – or that I hadn’t already read in articles, blogs, or seen in tutorials. But it’s still a useful collection, especially for anyone experiencing their first real love story with a dog and starting with zero experience. And in that sense, it’s definitely worth the read.

What Dogs Want - Food for fun - turning food into play

In my third and final year of university, I spent the last semester in Cardiff—still during the pandemic. Things there were handled with more common sense than in Italy, but the trip to get there with a Labrador and five suitcases on a train is a story that deserves its own chapter. What matters is that once we arrived, far from familiar places, smells, and people, Leon fell into a depression and stopped eating for weeks.

It was during that time that I truly grasped how useful it can be to turn food into a game. I hadn’t read What Dogs Want yet, but you quickly realize how valuable certain tips are—especially when you’re just starting out.

January 25, 2022 — Photo of me with the giant bag of food in my arms, a 20-minute walk on foot because I didn’t have a car in Cardiff.

You should know I don’t come from money: I made it to Cardiff thanks to a scholarship and a loan from my stepfather (money I still haven’t—three years later—paid back 🙈). My grocery shopping was always bare-bones, and yet within two weeks I’d already bought two 12-kilogram (26.5 lbs) bags of food for Leon. One was a local brand that seemed trustworthy; the other was a well-known brand I’d stopped giving him in Italy because I didn’t consider it healthy—but he seemed to like it, so why not? Result? Nothing. Nada. Leon still wouldn’t eat.

So I started scattering kibble along the hallway, tossing it far so he’d run and “hunt” his meal. Suddenly, Leon was having fun and eating at the same time. Thank goodness—my homesickness was already intense; if he had piled on too, it would have been unbearable.

What Dogs Want - Nose-work: your dog’s superpower

The book devotes space to simple, engaging scent games like “Find it,” where the dog gradually learns to search for a hidden treat. It’s training that combines fun, focus, and the use of the nose.

Other recommended games include:

• Which hand? — guessing which hand holds the treat

• The magic cup — the classic cup game

• Track back — finding a dropped toy by following the scent trail

What Dogs Want — Solving everyday problems

Jumping up on people or pulling on the lead are two common behaviors the book tackles clearly and practically. The strategy is consistent and simple: reward the dog only when all four paws are on the ground, ignore attention-seeking done the wrong way, and never let pulling become a way to move forward during walks.

What Dogs Want — A perfect book for beginners

A quick note (perhaps a little late): there isn’t an Italian edition, but there is a Spanish one, and in my opinion it’s doable—the book has lots of illustrations and not too much text. You’ve got this.

In short, What Dogs Want is a light yet valuable read. It doesn’t bog you down with theory; instead, it offers positive, practical tools you can apply right away. Perfect for beginners who want to enrich their dog’s daily life with simple, fun, and effective activities.

🔗 Goodreads link: What Dogs Want (literally “Cosa vogliono i cani”) by Mat Ward

🛒 Amazon link: If you haven’t read it yet, here’s What Dogs Want by Mat Ward on Amazon