[Welshtyke]

We have adopted two Basset rescues, joined our local canine club etc..

However I have not had dog since I was in my early to mid teens now I am just the wrong side of fifty.

However, after reading much on the internet and general research rough play is not such a good idea. Bassets do not generally do fetch, so I am shopping for ideas to stimulate our dogs through play

 

[Josie's Dad]

Anything that involves chasing and chewing

 

[FloppyToby]

maybe something that involves hiding a tasty smelling treat like a hide and seek sort of thing. put those big ol' noses to some use!

 

[Midge n Hazley]

I guess it depends on your definition of rough play. My two enjoy a good bout of basset 500/wrestling at least once a day. There are many hounds enjoying agility, hunting, etc. Even tug o' war is a good thing.

 

[Mikey T]

Even tug o' war is a good thing. [/url]

Tug of War SF/spca

Dog owners have been admonished for decades to never play tug of war with their dogs because of the risk of it increasing aggression and/or dominance in the dog. Even many dog resource people such as breeders, trainers and veterinarians caution against this game. This is partly a failure to discriminate between agonistic behavior (conflict resolution & defensive aggression) and predatory behavior. Also, many people have issues about witnessing intensity. Intensity is not aggression, however. ​

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.

Many dogs are not natural tuggers if you are interesting in developing a dog that tugs but it is not much interested see
HOW TO CREATE A MOTIVATING TOY

How To Teach Your Dog To Fetch Or Retrieve

 

[hig4s]

Yeah, fetch is not a real popular basset pastime. They love the chase part. But the don't seem to see the need for the bring back part.

We tried to teach our old basset to play with a Frisbee chew toy.. We would throw it, she would chase it, pounce on it, and then stand there with this look of anticipation, like "OK, come throw it again!"

She loved chase, whether she chased you or you chased her,, and she really loved keep away. She would take one of her stuffed toys and shake it then drop it in front of us. When we would reach for it she would quick grab it back up a foot or so, and drop it again. She would keep this up as long as you were willing to reach for it. If you did manage to grab it, it would be come a tug of war. If we got it away from her we would throw it down the hall. She would run and get it and start the process all over again.

 

[gsally]

We had several different games that held Lucy's interest. She actually did play tennis ball fetch with us, but only indoors. She retrieved but she didn't willingly give up the ball for us to throw it again. There was a little bit of tugging action in between. She loved to wrestle with our son(being careful of back, tail and ears). We also played, Keep Away, Basset in the Middle and Hide and Seek w/toys. These were all indoor games b/c outside, she was always tracking!

 

[Welshtyke]

Many thanks to all who have replied, it is really helpful

 

[vb3]

In his youth I gave Rosco an empty 2-liter bottle. I squeezed the sides of it just enough so it wasn't completely full of air and then put the lid on it. On a hardwood floor that is good for a couple of hours of puppy entertainment.

 

[mydawgz]

My Benny loved to play with 2 squeaky toys at one time! LOL. He had a small hamburger and small french fries. We called it "playing soccer"! He would pick up the hamburger and I would gently kick the french fries past him... then he would run over and grab the fries and I would run over and get the hamburger.. He would go on and on just exchanging and nudging the two toys with me. He was so much fun! I miss him so much.

 

[lvnMattie]

Miss Mattie still to this day plays with empty water bottles, she runs through the house with it in her mouth!! We had to start taking the tops and plastic ring off of them cause she would rip them off and try to chew them up. She loves squeaky toys!! They are her favorite. We have a rope toy for her and she still has the same rope toy that she had as a puppy. She will play fetch for awhile and then she will smell something else out. When Miss Mattie is ready to play she is so fun to watch!!

 

[chuckandginny]

Exercise

Rosebud really likes one of those balls that you fill with kibbles/treats and as she rolls it around a treat falls out. She'll play with the ball for 15-20 minutes.