@Saving thank you very much for the suggestions!
Indoor exercise
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Does anyone have some suggestions for indoor exercise when it's -5 degrees outside? Cody and I just spent the last 30 minutes playing "chase the Swiffer duster" but I am thinking there must be some other creative games we can play when it's too cold to go outside.
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The "swifter" works… of course until you really want to clean with it!!!! And "mental" games work... sit, stay, down, stand, etc......
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Depending on how big your house is you can play hide and seek too. I would throw a toy down the hall or in another part of the house then run into a closet or hide behind chairs, etc.
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if you have a hallway that comes in handy, we throw the toy up the hallway and play fetch (if your B plays fetch). We also play chasey around the house (we've got a large house lol)
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We play fetch a LOT. I also have a door on the kitchen and on the dining area so it make a big circle and we play chase. Cara is absolutely bored to death when it is wet or freezing out and if I don't, she gets so wired she is insane.
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John and I have used the stairs – one of us up, one of us down, both with treats. Just call, treat, then the other one. The stairs tire Simon out nicely!
We don't even have to necessarily get off computers to play the stairs game.
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Obedience games of course help with training as well as exercise.
I also use a flashlight and let Gossy run off steam down the hallway and up and over the sofa. -
Obedience games of course help with training as well as exercise.
I also use a flashlight and let Gossy run off steam down the hallway and up and over the sofa.Laser pointers work a treat too. The humans usually end up in fits of laughter watching though
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Be careful with the laser pointers though - be sure never to point at their (or people's) eyes. Even low dose lasers can cause problemns down the line.
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John and I have used the stairs – one of us up, one of us down, both with treats. Just call, treat, then the other one. The stairs tire Simon out nicely!
We don't even have to necessarily get off computers to play the stairs game.
Stairs are great.
I took my B up 10 stories of stairs (120ft vertically, sprinting, not walking). He wasn't even tired by the time we got to the top. :eek:
I was exhausted. :o
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Hide and Seek!!! It's also a great way to reinforce Come with increasing distance and distractions.
I personally distinguish between Stay (I return to you to release you) and Wait (I may release you from a distance, or you may get up on your own).
I put Cooper in a sit or down wait, then move to the other end of the room and call him. Repeat with increasing the distance and your dog's ability to see you. Work up slowly to such feats as finding you behind furniture, up/down stairs, under a blanket, etc. Start these harder ones by letting them see where you go, then calling. When the dog does not see where you have gone (later on), call a second time if needed to locate you by sound.
If your dog is easily distracted, start slowly, or have another human help him with a long line (I used to teach Come this way in a pet store… lots of fun to see them searching the food aisles for their owners!).
You can also use another human staying with the dog to teach such commands as "Go see Mom/Dad" or "Go upstairs/downstairs." Have the human with the dog give this command just before the hiding human calls the dog.
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Thanks, everyone for the great suggestions! I took Cody outside today with the "flirt pole" (a swiffer pole with a long string attached to a rag) and he So wanted to play but kept rearing up on his hind legs to lift his VERY cold feet off the ground. I guess we're back inside for the time being! ARG! I wish I could explain to this sweet Basenji boy that it's too cold to be outside and so he really doesn't need to be so CRAZED indoors. Cody is looking at me like I am nuts when I try to tell him this! So, I will try the stairs idea as we don't really have enough room in the house for anything else! Oh, how I wish Spring were here!
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Depending on how big your house is you can play hide and seek too. I would throw a toy down the hall or in another part of the house then run into a closet or hide behind chairs, etc.
Dan, I want to play at your house. I'm bringing Kipawa.
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Dan, I want to play at your house. I'm bringing Kipawa.
I started this game with my first Basenji in the 70s. They get all excited looking everywhere for you. I used to hide on the car hood and the B would be looking and smelling everywhere and then I would make a little sound and she'd go crazy "where did that come from"?? It's a good off leash training tool as well. When they find you give praise and treat. So then when they're out off leash they'll look for you.
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Our boys do bed zoomies when they are not busy chasing a tennis ball round the house.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3FfX1KLb5E
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What great ideas! My house is almost too little for hide and seek but it's a good idea to try!
