Meetup is a great venue for finding like-minded pet owners who live nearby
Blame it on the cold weather. If cabin fever sets in, your pooch might try to liven things up (in all the wrong ways). 4 ideas to combat winter boredom:
reprinted courtesy AOL News 2/24/10
by Gabrielle Linzer
Cold weather often generates a strange phenomenon in
well-trained dogs. Shredded toilet paper appears throughout the house, garbage
cans are overturned and special "presents" are left for you to
discover. Though there may be other factors contributing to your dog's
destructive behavior, cabin fever is often at the root of the problem.
Snowstorms and freezing temperatures may keep you from taking your dog for long
walks or trips to the dog park, but there are a variety of ways you can keep
your canine physically and mentally active throughout the winter.
Provide Interactive
Dog Toys
Most dogs love to eat, so why not use food as a motivation to keep their minds busy?
Michelle Douglas, President of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers,
recommends stuffing your dog's meal in a Kong. "This way, your dog
will have to work at getting the food and will burn calories in the
process." The Buster Cube and the Dog Tornado are other toys
that offer your dog the opportunity to work for their meal.
But the toys don't have to feature food to be fun. The IQube challenges
your dog to remove squeaky balls from within a plush puzzle-like cube, and
comes in a variety of sizes to accommodate both small and large pooches. Babble
Balls are another fun -- and noisy -- option. The balls entice your dog by
producing realistic animal noises each time he passes by, tapping into his
desire to hunt. If, however, your temples are throbbing at even the thought of
wild animal calls, Fetch a Bubble may be a good alternative. This clever
machine blows chicken-scented bubbles into the air, sending your dog into a
frenzy to catch the delicious floating flavor.
Whether you're snowbound or just want to create your own toys from household
items, try engaging your pooch in a game of tug of war using knotted old socks
or dishtowels. For less aggressive play, ice cubes will keep many dogs hydrated
and entertained as they chase after them on the kitchen floor. If your dog is
especially hard to entertain, fill an empty plastic soda bottle with rice and
roll it around. The rattling noise will drive the dog wild.
Create Indoor Doggie
Games
Have fun with the space in your home, because no matter how small it may be,
there is potential for physical activity. "Play fetch up and down the
hallway," suggests Douglas, who in addition to being a Certified Pet Dog
Trainer (CPDT) is also a Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC). "Play
with two identical balls, and be ready to throw the second ball when your dog
returns with the first." This will help keep your dog in perpetual motion,
even if your space is limited.
Depending on the size of your home and your dog, a makeshift agility course can
be another way to help your dog blow off some steam. Using household items like
boxes, furniture, and even your dog's kennel, create obstacles for your dog to
leap over, run through, or duck under. Or borrow a trick from cat owners and
get out a laser pointer to wave around. Many dogs will chase a beam of light
with the same enthusiasm as a cat.
Develop Pooch Play
Groups
Improve your dog's social life by taking them to a play group where they can
blow off steam with other dogs who are feeling restless from being stuck
indoors. "Trainers and training facilities often run play groups,"
says Douglas. "Dog parks also often have a sheet posted with phone numbers
so that dog owners can set up play dates."
If you are in an apartment consider finally making contact with your dog-owning
neighbor for a little shared baby-sitting/entertaining. If you don't know any
dog owners in your area, Meetup is a great venue for finding like-minded pet owners
who live nearby. This site features breed-specific play dates,
size-specific match-ups, and meetings in particular parks or other public
animal-friendly areas.
Attend Doggie Classes
Even if your dog has conquered the basic commands, there is always something
new for them to learn. Douglas suggests taking trained dogs to advanced classes
like agility, weight pulling and dog sports. Owners can think of a behavior
they'd like to teach their dog and pursue it. "This will help instill
competition in the dogs [making them more eager to cooperate] and owners will
become better trainers," says Douglas..
If there are no classes handy, become your own teacher. Petfinder.com has a
library of training videos that can help begin your obedience training.
Popular television shows, like Animal Planet's "It's Me Or the
Dog" and National Geographic's "Dog Whisperer" with
Cesar Millan may also give you some ideas about how to tackle your dog's
problematic habits while you are trapped inside and have the time to deal with
them.
No matter what, have fun. Your dog wants to spend time with you -- and you know
you really want to hang with him -- so go ahead, carve out a few hours to play.
reprinted courtesy AOL News 2/24/10, original link
www pawnation.com/2010/02/24/combating-cold-weather-boredom/
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