Dog Entertainment!

[kawasakirider]

PLEASE DO NOT SELECT "WALKS" OR "CUDDLES" - I AM AFTER IDEAS TO KEEP MY DOG HAPPY WHILE I'M NOT AT HOME!! THANK YOU. MODS COULD YOU ALTER THE POLL TO REMOVE WALKS, CUDDLES AND FOOD AND ADD IN THINGS LIKE BALLS, ROPE TOYS, KONG TOYS, ETC.

Hey everyone, just a bit of a fun topic. I've got a few dogs and they're all individuals, so what makes your dog tick? What keeps him/her occupied the longest? My eldest loves nothing more than attention, she won't play with toys at all. The other ones like fetch.

I do go out during the day often and no one is here, so sometimes we get complaints from the neighbours. Are there any particular toys that you guys leave for your dogs to keep them happy while you're gone?

 

[CrystalMoon]

last 2 were totally different, one liked to be sooked and fretted when left alone. The other loved nothing more than playing he loved soccer and would play all day if he could(he nosed and grabbed the ball, didnt kick it lol)

 

[kawasakirider]

Post pics of your dogs playing, if you've got them

Is there a way to edit the poll? I want to remove walks and cuddles. That is obviously going to be the most stimulating thing for a dog, I'm after ideas that will keep a dog happy while I'm not at home, lol.

 

[Chanzey]

 

[CrystalMoon]

Post pics of your dogs playing, if you've got them

Is there a way to edit the poll? I want to remove walks and cuddles. That is obviously going to be the most stimulating thing for a dog, I'm after ideas that will keep a dog happy while I'm not at home, lol.

Ohhhh you added more to the post lol... those kong toys were pretty good, I used to hide treats around the yard too and make meaty ice chunks(depends on size of dog to the size u make)

 

[Venomous1111]

My pitt loves his spring pole can't get enough of it, also loves chewing on his 4wd tyre.

 

[kawasakirider]

My pitt loves his spring pole can't get enough of it, also loves chewing on his 4wd tyre.

Looking up spring pole now, haha.

 

[oOLaurenOo]

Bones always work well. You can usually pick up huge ones from the butchers for a few dollars each. Or as Crystal said kongs are also good. You could also try scattering/hiding biscuits all over the yard, that would entertain them for a while. Tug toys are also good because dogs like to tear things, so two dogs will usually play with a tug toy which = no need for the human lol.

 

[abnrmal91]

We have a German shepherd, he loves playing with a tennis ball. He will grab it in his mouth run around like a nut the drop it so it bounces around, then chase it then start the process again.

 

[l3atman]

best way to keep them occupied is to give them a big bowl of dog biscuts, small ones are best, then put it in front of them and take a few steps back, and once they are just about to start eating run over a kick the hell out of the bowl and send the biscuts all over the place, at first they might just think well bugger that, ill wait till tomorrow to eat, but once they get hungry they will find every last one...
works really well if your dog is a bit fat and you want him/her to loose weight

 

[Flaviruthless]

I've got a border collie. He loves his tennis balls more than anything (well, that and cats). To keep him entertained whilst I'm away I use a few things: frozen food (i.e. chicken frames or mince / sweet potato mash in a kong) as well as bones and hiding his toys from him. He is very good though - he'll throw the ball for himself and roll around with it, generally entertaining himself.

I have heard of people using tennis ball dispensers (can't think of the real name but the ones you use when you're practicing tennis) for their dogs and training them to put the ball back in to the machine to play again... Maybe one day...

Obligatory pic of my little baby...

 

[Red_LaCN]

There is balls on a spring thing which they can run and jump and chase. I love the meat in a huge ice block idea.

I unknowingly got my dogs a goat :shock: The goat was to eat the grass in the very rear fenced off section of the backyard,but she bonded with the dogs. Now she thinks she is a dog!! She plays with the dogs,sleeps with the dogs,plays chase with the dogs,even lines up at meal times so she can have some dry dog food like a dog (yes she does eat it!!). Atm thou she is um,very fat. I got her at the end of January as a 4.5mth old minature,and now find out that they can be fertile from 7wks old. So she is either fat,or pregnant. Time will tell.

 

[disintegratus]

My dogs like to kick the crap out of each other, they call it "playing", I call it "I hope the neighbours don't think we're running a dogfighting ring in our backyard"
Our oldest is a dobe x kelpie, and his favourite thing to do is stare at the rats, or ferrets, or cats. He will literally follow a cat around with his face an inch away from its tail, but won't touch it, and if it tries to touch him, he craps his dacks and runs away... ...then comes back.

Bones are great, treat balls are good too, there's a few different styles you can get. I've got one that I can't remember what it's called, but it's clear purple, and unscrews to be able to wash it etc. it's fantastic.

Another thing that kept ours entertained for a while was a futon mattress. I had an old futon mattress which I gave to the dogs, as it worked out better and cheaper than buying three massive beds.
That kept them occupied for hours, turning our front porch and yard into a winter wonderland. They get to sleep on hessian sack trampoline beds now.

You can freeze kibble into ice-blocks too. I put the kibble into a container and freeze it, then get an ice-cream container and put the kibble into water flavoured with a bit of chicken or beef stock. if you don't freeze the kibble first, it turns into mush as it thaws.

You could build them a sandpit, and bury fun things in there for them. It's supposed to only encourage them to dig where they're supposed to as well, because that's the only time there's tasty treats involved.

My dogs have got one of those clam shell pools as well, they LOVE IT!! And it's great for hot days.