Dogs can feel like energizer bunnies sometimes, especially during puppyhood...
and "puppyhood" usually lasts 2+ years, oh joy! And it honestly IS a lot of joy, but let's face it, sometimes the dogs are bouncing around and it's raining, or it's cook-an-egg-on-the-sidewalk hot out, or you have the flu, or you're just freaking tired already, and can you puh-leeese go to sleep for five minutes Rover??
In moments such as these, you're going to need my five favorite ways to exercise your dogs and/or entertain puppies without wearing yourself out in the process. Ready to take notes??
1. Blow bubbles. Oh em geeeee why didn't I think of this sooner! I am particularly proud of this idea, because I came up with it myself (so rare in the age of Pinterest!). If you have a puppy, you need to buy some liquid bubbles and start blowing, STAT! Our 6 month old puppy Jayne thinks popping bubbles is pretty much the most fun ever. And all I have to do is stand still and practice zen breathing while he literally leaps all around the yard, happily chasing and popping bubbles, and expending tons of surplus energy. However, if your dog is older than 6 months-ish, they might be mature enough to realize that bubbles appearing out of a wand isn't "normal" and smacks of Magicks and You're-a-wizard-Harry, and might want nothing to do with it. Our older girl Kaylee refuses to come near the bubbles, and seems to thinks that they might be the Ghosts of Tennis Balls Past, out to wreak vengence on her. She actively shys away from them and will go inside to avoid them, which, if you are NOT a dog person, hints at another possible use for them... getting harassed by the neighbor's dog, loose again? Whip out the bubbles and put them to good use! There's a good chance that a pesky dog will find them VERY distracting, if not downright intimidating, and will leave you alone post-haste.
While I haven't tested the "puppies love bubbles, older dogs don't" rule on very many dogs yet, it does hold true so far with my neighbors' two dogs as well.
*safety note* Especially with a puppy, you want to play this game on some nice cushy grass or mulch, since jumping on concrete can be really hard on a dog's growing joints.
If you're the non-hiding human, tell the dog "find mom / dad / Julie / whatever," and then that person should call (briefly) the dog's name from his/her hiding place. The dog usually figures out the gist pretty quickly. And as a bonus, if you ever actually NEED your dog to help find somebody, they already understand the concept based on the game. (if you tell my dog "find Mommy" when I'm not around, she will get right to sniffing and lead you right to me...)
As a childless adult it's actually pretty fun to have a reason to play hide n' seek again, and if you do have kids it's even better, since you can entertain the munchkins AND the dogs at the same time... perfect!
3. Find-the-treats. Oh so easy... you can play this scavenger hunt game inside or outside. You start by tossing a treat on to the ground nearby while your dog is watching you, and say "find treat!" Your dog might be slow to learn SOME commands, but I'm confident he'll catch on to this one very quickly, ha. Once she understands the command means "sniff around, something good awaits you," then you can strategically hide treats in a room while your dog isn't around, and then set him lose to track them while you lounge on the couch. If you're extra lazy or in a hurry, you can just toss the treats here and there in various areas of the house or yard (instead of hiding them more deliberately). Your dog will enjoy either version, though the first will likely occupy her attention longer. I use cat treats so all of my animals can join in the game -- you might find that to be a good option for you as well even if you only own a dog, since cat treats are low-cal and tiny, and a bag stretches further than the typical dog treats do.
*safety note* While all four of my easy-going pets -- two dogs and two cats -- play this game at the same time with no issues (I make sure there are plenty of treats to go around), some animals will fight over a treat. IF your dog shows food-guarding behaviors in particular, this is NOT a game to play with any other animals around.
Fetch is the ultimate lazy method of exercising your dog... and I'm so jealous of people whose dogs will actually bring the stinkin' ball back without being bribed! The only success we've had with this is by putting a Really Good Treat inside the tennis ball and rewarding her with more of that treat only if she brings the ball back. Make sure you empty the tennis ball after you're done playing, especially if your Really Good Treat is hotdog or cheese or something that could go rancid... yuck!
It's also fun to do "puppy pushups" - alternating "sit" and "lie down" repeatedly and giving treats periodically throughout. If your dog has trouble transitioning back to "sit" when she's already lying down, inch your feet forward towards the dog's face. The dog will pop up once you get far enough into her space for it to feel awkward, and then you can quickly repeat the "sit" command and reward to reinforce the behavior.
Commands and tricks are doubly effective, because in addition to the physical component of movement they're also mentally taxing for the dog. Yay puppy brain work!
Pretty good ways to wear out your dog with minimal effort on your part, right? ;P Let me know if you have any other good ideas for tiring out a puppy... I've still another year and a half of nutty puppyhood to go with mine, haha!
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ok, so I need a puppy just so I can have an excuse to blow bubbles as an adult - plus that sounds like the most adorable thing ever!
ReplyDeleteThey do need their exercise everyday and this is a good way to do their exercise when the weather doesn't cooperate.
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous day. ☺
I loved the first one! Genius.
ReplyDeleteNow, I don't have a puppy but had dogs in the past and I can tell you I am no trainer. But I think I could do the bubbles and succeed, lol. :))
My friend just posted a picture of her kids blowing bubbles for their dogs (all older dogs) and she wasn't sure who enjoyed it more, the animals or the kids. :)
ReplyDeleteThese are great indoor activity ideas for the dog! Thanks for linking up to the Country Fair Blog Party!
ReplyDeleteMy dog is 14 years old and still has the energy of a 2 year old pup. We have not tried blowing bubbles, but that would be a great joint activity for him to try with my 3 yo daughter.
ReplyDeleteI love these ideas and you are a total GENIUS with the bubbles idea! Pinning and completely using them all, if another dog joins the family some day...
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah, our latest edition to our 'pack' is just under four months old (we think) and is barking mad and full on bonkers. As a general rule we don't tend to walk our dogs in July and August as it's just too hot and they flake out and refuse to move after ten steps (we have plenty of garden, for them to run in when they feel cool enough), but puppy needs more.
ReplyDeleteShe still has two lots on injections to have before we can take her up the hills, but I'm going to ask the vet if we can take her next week after her second lot. But until we can we need to find ideas to help her burn off her energy (she is still standing long after she has tired all of our other dogs out). I love the idea of the bubbles, that's something I've not tried and I have a feeling she'll enjoy chasing the bubbles.
She has learned some commands, but her attention span tires before she does at the moment. I tried teaching other dogs to hunt treats, with no success, but I will have another go with her as being a street puppy she is quite food driven, fingers crosses!
xx