Exercise the Mind...

Discussion dedicated to promoting the well-being of your dog through diet, exercise and general health tips.

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Wicket
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Wicket »

I've used Nina Ottoson's Interactive Game "Dog Spinny." She has a line of interactive games from hard to easy, but some aren't cheap. My chi-poo looooooves it!
Catahoulagal
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Catahoulagal »

Hi I'm new here. I also use the Nina Ottosson interactive dog toys. I have Dog Fighter and Dog Turbo. All four of my dogs love these puzzles. Most of my students are also using them with their dogs. I have also taught all of my dogs a variety of tricks.
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Hondo, Chula, Quihi and Pitiful Pearle
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GllntKnight
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by GllntKnight »

I don't do toys anymore there isn't a toy made that they can't destroy including the super tough kong. They have enough to do chasing each other around or killing varmits.can't play ball as one hoards them and won't give them up once she has all the balls the game end the best exercise in addition them running on 4+ acres is lure coursing
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. ~Author Unknown

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive. ~Gilda Radner
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Mattie
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Mattie »

GllntKnight wrote:I don't do toys anymore there isn't a toy made that they can't destroy including the super tough kong. They have enough to do chasing each other around or killing varmits.can't play ball as one hoards them and won't give them up once she has all the balls the game end the best exercise in addition them running on 4+ acres is lure coursing
Just because they destroy toys doesn't mean they don't enjoy them, just the oposite, mine also destroy toys so I make them, it is much cheaper and uses up old jumpers. My dogs also like to chase each other but they can only do it for so long then they get bored, I also have a dog that will hoard balls, I taught her to give me the balls when I asked, problem solved and my dogs can still have balls. Running loose on 4 + acres is not giving dogs the mental stimulation that they need, doesn't always get rid of their surplus energy either because they get bored with it. Lure coursing dogs do enjoy, watching terriers lure coursing is so much fun, they are so funny. :D

This is the fencing I have put up, as you can see there is concrete at the bottom as well as concrete posts, my garden has now been changed, I have a conservatory attached to the house, there is a pressed concrete patio by the house, dogs can't dig under that, and the borders are raised with old railway sleepers with soil put in to just under the level of the concrete, dogs can't did under that. I put so much money into my fencing because I had sold a big house and moved to a small one so had the money to do this, If I had waited until the house had been done, I wouldn't have had the money, my dogs come before my house. Will try and remember to take a photo of my back garden as it is now. :D

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Fundog
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Fundog »

I make home made toys and puzzles too. Yes, they do wear out eventually, but that's why we have to inspect them regularly, and replace them when they become unsafe. But when they are home made, they don't cost nearly so much to replace when they get worn out or shredded to bits. :)
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
Wicket
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Wicket »

What kind of home made toys/puzzles do you make?
Fundog
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Fundog »

Well, they're pretty simple, really:

For one, I can crochet, so I make crocheted tug ropes. I find they are much more durable than the store-bought ones, and way less expensive. And my dogs seem to like them better, because they have my scent on them, after the yarn has gone through my hands repeatedly.

I use plastic containers, like for whipped topping, coffee, etc., including the lids. I put some goodies inside and let Annie have it. It doesn't take her long to figure out how to work the lid off and get the treat out!

For a smaller, meeker dog such as my Dottie (super soft-mouth, and mildly retarded), I use a cardboard egg carton instead of the plastic containers. The egg cartons have little eye-holes in the top, so when I put bits into the egg cups, all she had to do is turn the egg carton with her nose and the stuff falls out the holes. A more tenacious dog will open the egg carton, or even shred it altogether, to get the goodies out.

I will hide something, like a bone, or stuffed Kong into a small box, then put that box into a slightly larger box, then another... then put the big box of boxes upside down on the floor, and even weighted down by a toy. She has to get all the boxes out of each other to get the prize!

Or put a plastic container or cup upside down over a treat on the floor. She has to figure out how to get the treat out of the cup. On linoleum and other hard floors, they just push it around with their noses until they get it. On carpet, it is easier to tip the cup over to get the treat.

Stuff like that. Use your imagination. My Annie is extremely intelligent, and figures these things out very quickly (she loves them, though!), so it is a real challenge to keep her challenged, lol! Dottie has a harder time with these, so I have to gear down the ideas to make them simpler for her. I have different puzzles for each dog.

A couple more ideas: layer towels with treats between them. The dog has to root around to find the goodies. I also made a treat bag for Annie: I put some tidbits into a couple of handkerchiefs, then stuff them into the bag. Annie tosses the bag around, and pulls the handkerchiefs out to get to the tidbits.
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
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Mattie
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Mattie »

I make braided tuggers for my dogs, you can use any old jumpers etc. cut strips on the diagnal and plait if you can't braid. They don't hurt when you get hit with one which is a bonus.

You can stuff the cardboard inside toilet rolls or kitchen rolls with a mixture of treats and things to hold them in, paper is good for this and watch your dog have fun. Even if you don't stuff them my dogs have a lot of fun throwing them around.
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meggit
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by meggit »

i cant use cardboard or plastic anything with buddy he chews and eats everything i have to be really carefull especially with plastic pots, so i am stuck on how to make homemade toys
maximoo
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by maximoo »

cardboard won't hurt him. Mostly dogs just like to shred, but even if they swallowed as long as its plain no ink/staples, etc nothing will happen.
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Noobs
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Noobs »

maximoo wrote:cardboard won't hurt him. Mostly dogs just like to shred, but even if they swallowed as long as its plain no ink/staples, etc nothing will happen.
So they'll just pass them then? Murphy loves those paper towel rolls but he will eat it after he shreds it. :?
Fundog
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Fundog »

Even with my own two, I still supervise while they have their puzzles. I would never just let them have at it while I leave the room. They don't normally eat cardboard, but I'm there to pick up immediately after. Meggit, you could probably do the blanket layer treat find, or the cloth treat bag. Just be sure to supervise so you can pick up immediately if Buddy has a penchant for devouring cloth.
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
Wicket
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Wicket »

I gave my destructive chi-poo a toilet paper roll. Since her paws are small, it was a lot harder to grip than her nylabone toys. She did enjoy, shredding and eating some of it. The stuff she likes to destroy, she eats. Toliet paper rolls = instant fiber!
LmJanes
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by LmJanes »

If I had no time to keep my dog's mind occupied then I would use his toys to keep him busy. I would put treats in a buster cube dog treat, everlasting ball, and bob-a-lot dog treat. My dog likes the everlasting treats the best, but I think bob-a-lot dog treat keep him busy! :D


http://www.dogtoys.com/trickytreat.html

Just in case if you guys haven't heard of bob-a-lot before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKrYsBOGiRM
Fundog
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Re: Exercise the Mind...

Post by Fundog »

I've mentioned recently we have a squirrel living in our Poplar tree, in the front yard. Dottie spends a lot of time looking out the window and drooling. :lol: The other night we were sitting out on the front porch swing. Dottie spied the squirrel running from the neighbor's yard to ours, and run up the tree. Dottie immediately went to the tree (she was on a long-line) to wait for the squirrel to come back down. For some reason, the squirrel actually lost its grip and fell out of the tree, and landed on its back! (I actually heard it shriek as it fell, lol). Well, Dottie was on it, but the squirrel was faster and scrambled back up the tree just in the nick of time. However, Dottie planted herself at the base of the tree, and continued to sit there, looking up into the branches. She sat there looking up into that tree for over an hour! So my question is this: do you think that counts as mental exercise? She was totally focused, and drooling like a waterfall. :lol: A couple of times, the squirrel came down the tree trunk and looked Dottie right in the eyes, wanting to figure a way to come back down, but it was trapped in that tree, and had to climb back up. :lol:
If an opportunity comes to you in life, say yes first, even if you don't know how to do it.
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