How to entertain your pet, so it was still for the benefit of his health (and, of course, in any case brought him no harm)? It is particularly important to correctly identify the issue, if you have a small puppy, or vice verse - an old dog, or a bitch that is in her heat. Here are some ideas how you can play with the dogs.

Pulling things

Warning: it is not possible to play this game with the young puppies! In puppies this game may cause the wrong development of them teeth.
Play with any toy or a stick, dragging hit. By the way, this game can do a good service if there is a need to correct your dog's behavior. If your dog is a distinct leader, then at the end of the game you should give the command "give" (or "leave it") and then pick up the toy - so you will be a "winner". And if the dog does not have enough self confidence, then at the end of the game the toy should be given to the dog (now your dog is a "winner").

"Selecting objects"

Choose few items your dog is already familiar with and he knows them names. Put them on the floor beside the dog. Add one thing - the new, whose name your dog does not know yet. Start with two objects: the familiar and the unknown. And let the dog to select and give you the object you will name.

"Hide and Seek"

At home you can play with a dog like this: show her an object (the stuffed toy for example), then go to the other room and hide it. Then call the dog (and if you have your dog too impatient and you set a goal to develop her stamina, it is better to bring the dog to the room on the leash). And finally you command "Seek!"
Later you can make the game more complicated, but that will work only if the dog is well prepared (for example, an adult dog, which temporarily can not move much). You may use several toys at once. Hide them and ask your dog to find them all, even though the dog may not know how many are they. You may also hide and offer to find the toys, whose names your dog already knows. 
If you are playing on the street, let your dog to hide her face between your knees. And you at this time through the toy away and give a command: "seek!" (or "find it"). If there is snow on the street you can use the ball made from the light plastic, because it will not get lost in the deep snow.

Another common variation of this game - to "accidentally" drop a glove or a handkerchief. And let the dog find it. Over time your dog will enthusiastically follow you, checking if you did not loose anything.
You have your friend to accompany you during the walk? Great! Then you can ask him to hide something from your stuff on the tree (but not very high, so the dog was able to get this thing).

On the shore.

Likewise, you can search for things near the water - the dog will "hide", then hear a splash, and then do not just swim and retrieve the object, she will have to look for it first. From time to time, you can throw an object on the shore (and if there is a small pond - to the opposite shore).
Make the task more difficult: ask your dog to wait and throw two objects - both familiar to the dog by name. Ask your dog to bring back only one of them (you will throw it first). If you do not name the object you want to be retrieved, then the dog will go first for the object, that was the last to fall in the water.

Another option - to throw a few toys, and then ask the dog to collect them all.

Most of the dogs do not mind to swim after the small rocks. You can throw them in front of the dog, and she will follow the "route" you designed for her. And if instead of stones you will through crackers or just some small pieces of bread, for your dog it will be more pleasant and encouraging. And for you it will be easier to teach her how to swim.
Often, dogs love to run, where the water is not very high. Then you can throw stones near the shore to one side or the other, the dog will ran along the beach, jumping into the water after the rocks or tasty treats.
If your dog is able to dive, it can be trained to catch things that are not on the water surface. For example, if you throw a stick up, then it will fall and go down into the water for a few seconds, surfacing later.