Guest jlbfitz Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Hi, all, We rely pretty heavily on leash walks and one kong per evening to tire out our girl with separation anxiety. With the winter weather we've been getting on the East Coast she's not getting enough exercise, and I anticipate this week will be a trial. She absolutely hates the snow, and the sidewalks have been pretty slippery, so I'm afraid to have her out too long for fear she'll hurt herself. What do you all do to get your greys exercise inside in the winter? I've started giving her more than one kong per day, but really hoping for some new suggestions. She doesn't like to play but is super food motivated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jetcitywoman Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 (edited) Chase games are always fun, and related activities like hide and seek. (You hide and call, they seek. This one takes a little scheming but is fun because it forces them to puzzle out where you are.) For food motivated dogs, interactive puzzle games are great fun. I have some very clever ones in my shop you might want to take a look at. Edited January 8, 2017 by jetcitywoman Quote Sharon, Loki, Freyja, Capri (bridge angel and most beloved heart dog), Ajax (bridge angel) and Sweetie Pie (cat) Visit Hound-Safe.com by Something Special Pet Supplies for muzzles and other dog safety products Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachbum1 Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Does she like going out for a ride? Is she OK being out in public? If so.........go "shopping" at Lowe's or Home Depot or Tractor Supply. Up and down the aisles. All around the store. I've been doing that for 5 years in Florida. Either when it is too hot to walk outside, or if it is raining. Plenty of the places let dogs in (even my two 90 pound big boys). We even buy something once in a while, LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeylasMom Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 (edited) K9 Nosework. My girls have been sleeping all day from our session this morning. Training sessions. Food dispensing toys - feed meals with them - favorites are the Kong Wobbler, Bob-a-lot, & IQ ball, but there are literally tons. My new favorite for stuffing with things like cheese or food roll are the Kong Quest toys. And interactive food puzzles are great. Nina Ottosson or Trixie brand. We always do kongs when we leave as well (layered soft and hard foods, then frozen, not just a smear of PB) and we occasionally do bully sticks or other chews. Split marrow bones are out all of the time. Violet has been on exercise restriction from an injury for a few months now so in addition to her shortened walks we try to do 2 of those things a day. Plus we go to nosework class once a week. Edited January 8, 2017 by NeylasMom Quote Jen, CPDT-KA with Zuri, lab in a greyhound suit, Violet, formerly known as Faith, Skye, the permanent puppy, Cisco, resident cat, and my baby girl Neyla, forever in my heart "The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jlbfitz Posted January 8, 2017 Share Posted January 8, 2017 Oh! The shopping idea is a great one! She loves rides and adventures! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachbum1 Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Oh! The shopping idea is a great one! She loves rides and adventures! We have been in every kind of store, pretty much as long as there isn't food in there. Some places even with food. Suggestions: Staples, Office Depot, Big Lots, Kohl's, Macy's, JC Penney, Marshalls, TJ Maxx, auto parts stores, pet stores, all kinds of small stores with enough room to move around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubcitypam Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 A few years ago there was a video showing throwing balls up the stairs IIRC Sort of fuzzy as this is the bastion of ranch style houses..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Why are you giving her a Kong? That is something that should be reserved for when you leave her--the specialness of the treat is lost if they get it all the time. In addition, she doesn't need to decrease exercise while maintaining the same extra calorie intake! I try very hard to maintain the same schedule year round. I admit that this AM, it was 5 degrees, and we went in a couple minutes early. I've spoken about it before and even written my newspaper column about it, but if you have proper winter gear, and living in Philly you certainly should, and your dog has a decent coat, there is really no reason you can't walk. Yeah, slippery sidewalks suck, but that's why they make shoe spikes. Your dog isn't going to hurt herself. If you're totally honest, isn't it really more about you not wanting to walk in the cold? Cause that's usually the real story. Try and find a game inside that doesn't involve extra calories, or at least remember to cut back on her meals if you're going to continue to give her the same amount of food with less exercise. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesiRayMom Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Plenty of the places let dogs in (even my two 90 pound big boys). We even buy something once in a while, LOL. I took foster "T" to the pet store yesterday for some human interaction & mental stimulation. Worked well, he had a great time. Problem = human couldn't resist & wound up spending $50 on treats/toys. sigh Quote Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerilyn Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 Shopping is one of Lila’s favorites. We’d get kicked out of the stores Beachbum posted, so we just go to pet stores. You could also try to find places to walk outdoors that have good snow removal. My favorite spot is a local college, but we do group walks around Lambeau Field’s parking lot. Does your girl know any commands? Lila doesn’t know much, but she does know down, sit, and stand so we run through repetitions of those, mixing up the order. She gets one of her kibbles for each one. I will also hide kibbles in a scrunched up blanket for her to find. Quote Jerilyn, missing Lila (Good Looking), new Mistress to Wiki (PJ Wicked). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jlbfitz Posted January 9, 2017 Share Posted January 9, 2017 When we first got her, we attempted to speartion train using the Kong method, but she picked up on it as a leaving cue, and instead of comforting her it increased her anxiety ten-fold. We tried again 6 months later, same effect. This is a dog who doesn't know how to play, so she spends her evenings sleeping and then has a ton of energy the next day to throw a fit when we're gone. So we started giving a Kong after dinner for extra stimulation. The Kong is stuffed with her kibble (deducted from her ration) and frozen. It gives her some mental stimulation and encourages her to chew, something she won't do on her own. She has a coat and boots, but this week it was below zero and walks were clearly not enjoyable for her. She's also fighting a shoulder injury, which means less exercise and definitely no slippery sidewalks. Trust me, I'd give anything to be able to do our 1.5 mile walks right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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