Elizabeth77 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 HI has anybody an idea of a toy that Meg might play with outside on her own? Play always involves me. Lately she has been going into the garden on her own for a little while. Seems boredom sets in pretty soon though she has a lot of space. What about those rope thingies or do you need to play pull with them. As I look out now she is standing there looking around and seems to be thinking 'what can I DO' . We have been out for quite a while playing ball. Should I stop worrying about keeping the lady entertained all the time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 My dog didn't play alone for a long time, but he will now play by himself if he's desperate. He'll toss his rawhide bone or squeaker around in the house, and kick the soccer ball around outside. What about a Kong stuffed with treats tossed out in your yard? She could roll it around and play as she tried to get the treats out. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam'smom Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I have a Jolly Ball for Sam.. he plays very well by himself with it outside... grabs it by the handle and runs around the yard.... tossess it up in the air... he seems to do very well with it on his own... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurena Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Heidi has a teaser ball made by jolly ball that'll she'll play with on her own . Her favorite though is a empty 2L pop bottle with a hand full of kibble in it . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninso Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Lok doesn't play on his own at all. If he's outside by himself he will lay down and stare at the door for as long as it takes until I come outside to play or call him in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildFlower Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I guess Daisy is pretty good at entertaining herself - both inside and outside. The Jolly Ball is something that she will play with by herself - I think that it is her favorite toy. She will also chew on sticks outside. She has also created her own game of tug by tugging on her leash. It is attached to a stake and I have a leash that is really tightly coiled (picture a spring)hooked on the stake at one end and then her actual leash on the other. She will grab her leash and pull and run around pulling on the leash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bc4ever Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Generally, I don't think Border Collies are self starters when it comes to playing outside alone, unlike some breeds. And if they do find something to do, you probably won't find it all that entertaining! Scooter does the same "wait and watch" thing when I just let him out by himself. They want that interaction with their person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Should I stop worrying about keeping the lady entertained all the time? Yes, definitely! If you are giving her enough exercise and mental stimualtion, there is no need for her to be constantly entertained. Just because a Border Collie can run all day or for hours on end, doesn't mean they need to do so. If she is bored outside by herself, bring her in and tell her to chill out. How old is she? Youngsters may need to be taught how to just hang out. Quinn sure didn't come with an off-switch as a puppy. I had to install it. Quinn doesn't play much by himself. He is never outside on his own for a few different reasons. In the house, he often chews on Nylabones. He sometimes bats his jolly ball on his own around for a minute, maybe two. And he likes to do mad laps around the house every so often. Otherwise, play involves a willing human. This seems to be true of most of my friends' Border Collies once they mature as well. Plus, often their self-amusement involves an activity that I wouldn't want them to engage in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grenzehund Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Some of our pups have a lot of fun with the Jolly Ball on a rope (Romp-n-Roll): and the clutch ball: The latter is vinyl, which we understand is not a good material, but two of our dogs have such fun tossing it about. (They do usually insist on someone being outside with them; but at least we needn't throw the balls.) Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms.DaisyDuke Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I would stop trying to keep her busy. Our dog doesn't ever go out on her own, so I'm sure she wouldn't know what to do and she doesn't really play by her self too much. She will toss around a stuffie or something for a bit, but it's never long lived. I do second the recommendation of a 2L pop bottle with kibble tossed in. Daisy does love to play with those. I think it's because she can smash it and make a lot of noise. She will sit down with it, take off the top, dump out the kibble, eat, then run around chomping the bottle in her mouth and tossing it around. It's really annoying, but she does have a lot of fun with it!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ziggzmom Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 HI has anybody an idea of a toy that Meg might play with outside on her own? Play always involves me. Lately she has been going into the garden on her own for a little while. Seems boredom sets in pretty soon though she has a lot of space. What about those rope thingies or do you need to play pull with them. As I look out now she is standing there looking around and seems to be thinking 'what can I DO' . We have been out for quite a while playing ball. Should I stop worrying about keeping the lady entertained all the time? Hi, One of my dogs favorites is the Boomer Ball. It's a hard plastic ball that comes in different sizes. It's so funny watching them navigate the ball around the yard=) Here is a link...... http://www.boomerball.com/ Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Some of our pups have a lot of fun with the Jolly Ball on a rope (Romp-n-Roll): and the clutch ball: Yeah, neither of those would get the Quinn Proof Stamp of approval. They aren't even Quinn Resistant. Another reason so much of his play involves having a person actively involved. Oh, I just thought of the mid sized Jolly Ball. That seems to hold up very well. It is too big for him to get a grip to chew but he can carry it around and squeeze it in his jaws, which seems to amuse him. But since he's ball obsessed enough as it is, that toy is only for the outside when I want him to mellow out but not go off grazing in the yard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninso Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 and the clutch ball: The latter is vinyl, which we understand is not a good material, but two of our dogs have such fun tossing it about. (They do usually insist on someone being outside with them; but at least we needn't throw the balls.) This ball is Lok's absolute favorite toy!! He has a purple one, which he loves to carry around a squeak if I'm not in a position to throw it for him. He hasn't been able to chew it up yet either, probably because he's so busy squeaking it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoloRiver Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I think Jolly Balls are the most likely to be played with. There seems to be something about the combination of having a handle, and just being a little too big to get their jaws around, that makes these things ridiculously amusing. Even Solo likes to play with the Jolly Ball on his own sometimes, and he does not not not play with toys on his own. Fly will play with anything by herself, if "play" means "destroy." Jett's favorite alone toy is a little squeaky ball from Old Navy that's molded to look like a tennis ball. For some reason she thinks it is great fun to run around like a maniac squeaking this thing out of the side of her mouth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewie'sMom Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 I recently bought a Jolly Squirrel for Lewie to play with outside. He loved it until it got buried in the snow and he lost it. It will show up this spring. In the mean time, he makes his own toys using frozen poo. No, I don't want a kiss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizabeth77 Posted January 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Thank you . Glad to see there are other dogs who sit and wait! I like the idea of the bottle with kibble in it and will try that. She plays with a plastic bottle on the beach so it may work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diane allen Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 Mine's fav is the holey roller - with a little handball/racquetball inside. He has a jolly ball too - but the other is more fun (apparently!). Just a caution about the water bottles with kibble inside - these bottles WILL eventually crack, and in a dog's enthusiasm to get to the kibble, they may ingest some plastic. I wouldn't do this myself... diane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phej Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I wouldn't worry about keeping your dog busy when its hanging out in the yard, but if YOU want to get some amusement out of it, try Nina Ottosson Pyramid -- you can put kibble in it, it moves on its own (weight on the bottom) and it takes a long time for the dogs to get the food out. It's awesome. You can search for it on youtube if you want to see how it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 My Border Collies rarely entertain themselves outside. They are rarely out without me, but when they are, the two mutts sniff the perimeter of the yard and sometimes chase each other around. The Border Collies lay by the gate and wait for me. They are relaxed about it, but they are at the ready! Sometimes they will run around with the mutts, but rarely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anda Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Oh, I just thought of the mid sized Jolly Ball. That seems to hold up very well. It is too big for him to get a grip to chew but he can carry it around and squeeze it in his jaws, which seems to amuse him. But since he's ball obsessed enough as it is, that toy is only for the outside when I want him to mellow out but not go off grazing in the yard. Ha. Too big to get a grip? Last weekend Ouzo killed the horse size Jolly Ball I bought him for his 3rd birthday. He chewed the handle off. Not in one sitting, or even intentionally, but simply bitting it in excitment when running and playing with it outside. He was devastated and spent quite a long time insisting on carrying it by the minuscule remains of the handle, until resolving to pushing it with his face and bitting down on it and carying it that way. And the other one, the medium size with the rope in the middle, it's been ropeless for a while and I don't think he could grab it any other way, so it's been sitting on the balcony for months. Too bad, he did have a blast with both Jolly Balls while they lasted. And this is a dog who still has most of his 60+ stuffed toys and plays with them daily, so he's not hard on toys indoors. Take him outside and he turns into a monster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 I can't give my dogs their Jolly Ball or anything with a rope. Megan is a destructo-chewer on the Jolly Ball handles (just a few seconds of me not watching, and the handle is partly off) and on any rope toy. She will self-play by chewing on a dog toy, but Bute is the one who will play "games" by himself with a toy. However, rather than strictly for play, I think a large part of it for him is "showing off". If there is no audience of some sort (doggie sort is best), he doesn't toss his toy. My dogs are either active with me, chewing on bones/chewies, or chilling out (resting up for the next activity). Did you see on the Boomer Ball webpage that they also offer a "Herding Ball" for "herding" breed dogs? The dog that I had as a child behaved that way with the worn-out basketballs that the neighbor kids would give her. I wouldn't call it "herding" because the behavior is just a dog-playing-with-a-big-ball behavior. I think it would be great for interactive play with a dog but would be concerned about it becoming an obsessive thing for a dog with too much time on its own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phej Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Did you see on the Boomer Ball webpage that they also offer a "Herding Ball" for "herding" breed dogs? I thought it looked VERY cool, but when I shared the link with some fellow rescue volunteers, people mentioned they knew dogs who had worn their teeth down to the gumline from pushing these hard balls around. So I guess one would have to make sure the dogs only use their snouts/bodies to move them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phej Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 And the other one, the medium size with the rope in the middle, it's been ropeless for a while and I don't think he could grab it any other way, so it's been sitting on the balcony for months. Poor Ouzo! Anda, could you just replace the rope? It should be an easy and inexpensive fix? And with the big one, I would just make a hole in the ball where the handles were, so he can grab it -- I've seen tons of dogs play with handle-less jolly balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grenzehund Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Poor Ouzo! Anda, could you just replace the rope? It should be an easy and inexpensive fix? And with the big one, I would just make a hole in the ball where the handles were, so he can grab it -- I've seen tons of dogs play with handle-less jolly balls. Oh, it's easy to replace the rope - we've done that countless times. Just buy some rope sold by the yard at a hardware store. I think 30" is long enough; get it thick enough so that a knot tied at both ends won't go through the hole. If it's poly rope, burn the ends so it doesn't fray. Well worth doing! Susan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shetlander Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 Oh, it's easy to replace the rope Easy to replace. Fruitless to do so, when a dog is determined to chew through (Quinn!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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