[Immonnaornach]

With our Canadian winter setting in, getting the dogs out is pretty much impossible.
It's just too cold for them to stay outside for more than 5 minutes, so walks are pretty much out of the question.
I am waiting for boots in the mail, though I don't know how much they will help.

We do a lot of indoor wrestling and such, but I feel like they are starting to get bored.

Do any of you have suggestions on indoor activities that are mentally/physically stimulating enough to tire the dogs out?

Any input or advice on keeping them occupied would be appreciated.

[Ervins Dervish]

Of course training anything new or reinforcing the old is good. I like to play fetch on stairs to give them more of a workout.

[Saad Khan]

Lazer light.

We set up this kind of an obstacle course in our little hallway a few years ago and had them chase the lazer light through the obstacle course. It worked great. About 20 minutes of that and they were totally worn out.

[zatronanec]

I've been doing fetch up and down the stairs too. I just need to work on her actually bringing it back, rather than me having to go get it all the time.

She likes the laser light also, but we run into issues with her and 3 cats chasing it. Sounds like a herd of elephants thundering through the house.

[Immonnaornach]

Thanks for the ideas everyone!

Looks like I may be shitouttaluck though. We have no stairs in our place and none of mine will chase a laser pointer.
They just don't seem interested. The cats do... The obstacle course sounds cool but I will have to wait until Thomas is home so we can relocate the deep-freeze which takes up most of the hallway. In a one bedroom basement suite, there's not a lot of room to play. We would like to move but it's hard to find a place when you're renting with 3 dogs, especially when everybody insists that 2 of them are Pit Bulls and there's BSL where you live.

[Saad Khan]

Hey I know the feeling. When we set up the obstacle course we were in a small 1 bedroom apartment. We just lucked out and ended up with a hallway. lol.

I've got the video somewhere on a memory card. If I find it I'll send it to you. It was pretty cool. Very simple however. We didn't have much room to work with.

[Erossycuc]

i also play fetch in the stairs and also my bed is really high and she likes jumping up and down from it and it gets her exosted. and the dogs wrestle alot. sometimes i take a string and make her chase it in the living room.

[hiedeemom]

Like emilie said... fetching up and down from the bed works, too! I use stairs when available (which was only two places I lived in Oregon lol). A treadmill is incredibly handy, but takes up a bit of room. Will they play tug? You can set up an indoor springpole.

[Immonnaornach]

I'd love to see a video of it, Amber.

I was thinking of making a small indoor flirt-pole but we have a lot of aquariums so that may not be the best idea.

An indoor springpole is something I've had in mind for some time, Teal.
Any ideas on how to make one? I just don't want Bransen to rip the wall right out or something.... Haha

I thought about a treadmill but there's BSL here and I've already had people verbally insinuate/accuse me of certain illegal activities. As rediculous as that is, I don't think a treadmill is the best idea for that reason. Hell, my sister mentioned building a treadmill for her dogs (a Border Collie mix and a Min Pin) to her coworker, who said that she was going to call the Humane Society on her.

If I take a toy and get them all going after it, they'll chase it jumping from sofa to sofa and all over, wrestling each other.
That's always fun but it usually wears me out faster than them and I'd like some more variety.

[Alexeryy]

I enjoy terrorizing and chasing Joe dog with a Halloween mask and an air compressor. It's great exercise and fun for me as well.

[hiedeemom]

There's a thread somewhere on here about indoor springpoles... it was someone else's idea! I just thought it was awesome lol.

[pE71J5Sw]

I used to have the dogs jump and crawl under broomsticks, then rub them down

[Immonnaornach]

I have neither of those things, Chloe.


I will try that but I think they might just try to yank the broomstick outta my hand. Haha

[bonyclayd]

There are these: Dog

They're a little costly, but it definitely occupies the mind.

[pE71J5Sw]

I have neither of those things, Chloe.


I will try that but I think they might just try to yank the broomstick outta my hand. Haha

A little tug of war never hurt. It's good for em!

[Immonnaornach]

Those are really cool, LL. I've been looking for things like that.

Hahaha yes but it's not so good for my broom!

[antipenq]

Lots of mind stuff, having to think wears them out pretty good too.
If YOU get a treadmill, and just happen to have the dogs use it, what's the harm in that? I have one for my dogs that I use more than they do.
Just don't tell anyone it's for the dogs. It's great exercise.

[Immonnaornach]

I never really thought about just getting a regular treadmill.... I wasn't sure if they were safe for dogs or not.

[pE71J5Sw]

Those are really cool, LL. I've been looking for things like that.

Hahaha yes but it's not so good for my broom!

Details, details

Playing "find the toy" is great exercise if they know toys by name. You start off hiding them in plain sight but then work up to hiding it all over the house. Also works with biscuits but defeats the purpose XD

[hiedeemom]

I never really thought about just getting a regular treadmill.... I wasn't sure if they were safe for dogs or not.

I've only ever run my dogs on a human, electric (not manual) treadmill Just make sure you don't overwork them or run their pads off!