MyMace Posted January 24, 2008 Report Share Posted January 24, 2008 it is cold here in michigan....and poor maceo just can't be outside as much as he'd like to be because his paws get so cold and he begins limping around...in order to burn some energy and keep him entertained, we play hours of 'catch and fetch' and practice obedience, but it is getting old...any one have an ideas for inside 'games' we can play that are house friendly, but mental and physical challenging for the pup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seelie Fey Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 If your dog is clicker trained, Seelie loves clicker box games - get a box, big enough for the dog to sit in or lay in, and a clicker. Set the box in the middle of the floor and let the dog in the room. Start out clicking and treating for looking at the box, then touching it, then touching it with the right foot, then . . . . just don't cue the dog or have a specific behaviour in mind. You're just exploring whatever bazaar random elaborateness the dog eventually comes up with as you get more and more discriminating in what you reward. Then there are hide the treat or toy games. Make the dog stay out of sight. Hide a treat. Let the dog in to find it. Get more and more odd in the places you hide the treat or toy. I also do this with paper cups - put one paper cup out with a treat under it, let the dog get it a few times, then do two paper cups, then three, etc. Zeph loves to wrestle - but some people will object to that game. I often trick my two dogs into playing tug with each other (Seelie drops the tug when she realizes that it's just the other dog on the other end) I'm sure many here have good ideas for dealing with bored collies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tassie Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 You could also spend some time teaching doggy dancing/freestyle moves (then developing little routines, if the winter lasts long enough ) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WyoBC Posted January 25, 2008 Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 I really like "hide and seek". Black Jack loves it and it's pretty fun to see him find it too. I start off pretty easy at first, then make it harder and harder as we go. I play with him too. I don't let him get to pushy when we play. I start by sliding my hand on the floor towards him until he smells it. Then I put my hand on his paw and say "gotcha!" He jumps back and starts to play with me. He'll chase my hand around and growl at it. But as soon as I say "that's enough" he quits and comes over for some luvin. I think it's importiant to have them know when you are playing and when you aren't. That way you don't get into problems later on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyMace Posted January 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2008 thanks so much guys! these are all great ideas...the hind the treat game is going to be on tonight's agenda... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 There are all sorts of things to 'teach' - which is really just all play, of course! There's a book titled (I think) Agility Tricks. They're things you can teach your dog, which look superficially like "parlor tricks" - but they do translate into some form of agility, usually warm up. I've taught my old dog to just go 'round my legs ("behind" is her command) - she slinks near my legs, then gets her toy. This is great warm up for running agility - stretches out her back much more friendly than the "hold the treat near her nose, hold her rear end from moving, and stretch her out" move - at least to her!). The book has lots of things like teaching the dog to "wave" - which stretches out a front leg (or both at the same time, if you're both that talented!), getting the dog to weave between your legs (much like the "behind" command, but can be repeated as long as the dog will keep it up!), getting the dog to walk under your legs as you walks forward (I guess kinda a freestyle move), getting the dog to back up, and on and on. diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 When we play, "Hide and Seek," I have to keep upping the ante for Buddy! When I first put his squeaker under a blanket, he would just look at it and then at me... completely befuddled! Now, I can wrap the toy in a big folded blanket, and Buddy methodically finds it and lifts the blanket over and over until the toy falls onto the floor. It's been really fun to watch him develop strategies for this game. So, when it's too cold or I'm too tired to go out again, I hide the toy in some really challenging place, and let him work for it. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb Scott Posted January 26, 2008 Report Share Posted January 26, 2008 The Kalamazoo MI Kennel Club has an agility fun match scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 2 (registration at 9 AM, I think). If you don't do agility, it's still a place you can take your BC just to watch. They also have indoor obedience and agility classes this winter. Barb S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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