[chandlerT]

Anybody have any tips for wearing out two 4 month old pups?? Its far too icey, windy and just darned nasty to walk them. Heck, what am I talking about? I can't even get Dixie to use the potty outside --- Too cold on the tushey!

So I've tried games, I have ice cubes of frozen beef broth for teething moments, They run and bark around the house... Anything else I can try to get these pups worn out? I just know they are bored out of their minds! (I am!)

[attachment=195:th_puppies014.jpg]

 

[Mikey T]

So I've tried games, I have ice cubes of frozen beef broth for teething moments, They run and bark around the house... Anything else I can try to get these pups worn out? I just know they are bored out of their minds! (I am!) [/b]

Tug of war

Played with rules, tug-of-war is a tremendous predatory energy burner and good exercise for both dog and owner. It serves as a barometer of the kind of control you have over the dog, most importantly over his jaws. The game doesn't make the dog a predator: he already is one. The game is an outlet. It’s intense, increases dog focus and confidence and plugs into something very deep inside them. The big payoff is in lowered incidence of behavior problems due to understimulation and a potent motivator for snappy obedience. There is a maxim in training: control the games, control the dog. It's also extremely efficient in terms of space and time requirements.[/b]

But my dogs don't tug or play with toys! see How to Create a Motivational Toy

If your dog is really motivated by food and has never shown any interest in toys, an option available to you is to take the motivating toy you have chosen to work with and simmer it in a pot of liver, or chicken broth to make it more attractive to your finicky hound. BE LEERY--if you choose to go this route, be very careful your dog is never given an opportunity to be alone with this wonderful smelling toy or THEY MAY EAT IT. Surgery to remove this from their gut will be neither pleasant nor cheap.[/b]

also from cleanrun magazine tip of the month the basset picture is mt Macey

 

[Mikey T]

Tug of war
But my dogs don't tug or play with toys! see How to Create a Motivational Toy


also from cleanrun magazine tip of the month the basset picture is my Macey

[/b]

 

[murraysmom]

I don't have any suggestions, but that's a nice picture of Macey!

 

[Kezzy&Snoops]

personally, I'm often tempted to put fluffy socks on the hounds and use them to clean the hallway. they tear around inside so they might as well be useful!

 

[chandlerT]

personally, I'm often tempted to put fluffy socks on the hounds and use them to clean the hallway. they tear around inside so they might as well be useful![/b]

Oh goodness! That made me laugh out loud! Sad thing is - my two would just flop over and try to eat the socks.

Thanks Mikey T! They love to play tug-o-war with each other but I'm sort of the third wheel. lol. They look at me like, "why are you controlling the rope? What'd we do?"

And it is all too ironic with the article of tearing open a paper bag. I came into the living room this morning only to find they had shredded the newspaper into the tiniest particles I've ever seen. And I thought I needed to go and buy a paper shredder! Silly me!

Thank you all!

 

[Rubydoo]

We got Ruby as a puppy when we lived in New England and it was brrrrrr cold! I put newspaper down in the shower and Ruby learned to potty there when we coulnd't get outside.

As for activities to wear out a pup, you can get the collar and leash out and teach how to walk onleash and make a game out of it. You can play games on the floor (you on the floor) which will wear you out too. tee hee

You can rub the feet to get the pup used to having the feet touched and not get scared when it's nail cutting time (something I wish I knew to do at the time).

 

[AmyB]

Do you have a basement? Even at age 10, Spencer needs exercise when the weather keeps us in. I take him down in my basement & play with him there. He doesn't normally spend any time there, so when we go there, he is always investigating all the nooks & crannies. Of course I stay with him, as there is plenty of trouble to get into. I keep a basket of toys there & because he doesn't get there alot, the toys are "new" to him & he enjoys playing with them. My basement is big enough that I can throw a ball for him also. Basement play time is never as good as a walk, but I have found it to be better than nothing.

 

[Elmer-n-Button]

You could play "Doggies in the Middle" with tennis balls. Just roll them back and forth to another person on a bare or carpeted floor and let the pups chase them. Hint: You will need a lot of tennis balls for this game :lol:

 

[chandlerT]

You guys are awesome!

I wish I had a basement. We are in Texas though and basements are very rare around here... But that would be really great if we did...

I'm definitely going to give the doggie in the middle game a try.

I've also now cut a hole in a tennis ball to put treats in... A make shift kong, I guess lol. They adore it and will push it forever! ---If you make one though, watch the fingers when cutting the holes!

edited to add - and be sure to wash the tennis ball out with soap. They sometimes have a weird residue in them.

 

[2hounds]

I play tug of war, and doggie in the middle with mine. I don't know how much room you have in your house but I also run up and down the hallway with mine. After about 2 times of me running up and down they continue by themselves for a while. An indoors Basset 500.

~Heather