[oliwa]

With most of us dealing with cold weather, snow, and ice, I find it hard to find ways to exercise Snickers and get her the physical and mental stimulation she needs. I was wondering what others do during the cold winter months when walks are not possible. All of the sidewalks are covered with snow and the windchill is near 10 degrees. I do some training, but a 10 minute session is not going to tire her out after a full day of sleeping. I try kongs and chewies too, but I don't want to introduce too much food stuff into her diet and bully sticks make her sick. She's a house dog so she has no desire to be outside alone.

Ideas? What sorts of things keep your dogs busy?

PS. She is getting the Dog Brick tomorrow.

 

[shihtzusandwich]

Great topic idea..as I'm suffering through the same thing. Even though I have shih-tzu's, they (Especially Payslee) need some sore of exercise and stimulation each day! We've had drifts of snow on the ground way taller than she is, and ice all over melting into a slushy mess..Which makes it just a nightmare for me to walk her being that she is in a full coat!

I'm trying to get them excited about the treadmill. Rally will walk on the treadmill like a champ, but the babies are scared to death of it, and just freeze on it, and would roll off the back if I let them..lol. I've watched others condition their dogs to walk on the treadmill, but mine just seem to be rebelling. I know that would be an awesome way to exercise them, but so far, they just say "NO" to the treadmill. Finally when the snow melted a bit I took them to this giant field and let them run like fools for 30 minutes, but I'd also like to hear others tips on this topic..Dang Ol Winter is being a ruiner!

 

[Brittany]

I miss our walks too. We get all bundled up, drive to the fenced in ball park and let the dogs run around for about 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on our time. I will either run around playing with them or just walk for some exercise so that I can stay warm too. I can't stand the cold either but I would rather go out in the cold than be stuck inside with 2 dogs that haven't gotten any exercise.

 

[tankstar]

What I do?

Bundle up, if there is ice I put on my ice picks. And away we go, off to the woods for a hike.

I knew getting a dog in a cold climate like canada meant winter time, got a herding breed knowig their excersise requirments. So I do what I sould, Take the dog out. some days we go on a short 30-45min hike, some days we do a 2 hour hike(This is our normal amount of time to be gone about 4-5 times a week). atleast 6 (I want to say 7, but Sundays have become my lazy day lol)days a week he gets a good hard hike in the woods. He is almost 7, but there is no slowing him down, he pretty much beats every dog at the dog park i races lol

 

[fawkese1]

i go out as often as possible with clover...now that it is starting to be light when i get off work, this will be much easier. if i don't go out, we play some physical games like fetch and tug...we do this between training exercises too. i am working on building a flirt pole for him as well. we also have a game of "chase" in the house... he is really good about the furniture and we have a "path" designated for this... also i always start the game... some combination of these things works a bit, but we have to go out for a day trip every weekend too... i am lucky tho, i have a small, well fenced backyard and when it snows, he will ask to go out and will play in it, by himself for up to an hour sometimes!



Dog | Forum | Rocks!

 

[Mikey]

We get temperatures as low as 50- C (in fact a few weeks ago we were the coldest location in the world save Siberia...)
Right now-it's balmy and warm and lovely. But even when it's cold-Mikey needs his exercise.

I bundle up-I have no issue-my gear is rated to more then 50- and I am often sweating while we are out. Mikey gets cold. He has a sweater and a jacket, and we just got his booties-so we are in the process of training him to wear them. When it's 20 or more below-he needs them.

Indoor exercise is a viable option too. We taught Mikey to use the treadmill in just two sessions. It was actually surprisingly easy to do.

Also using the stairs in your house is an option-throw a toy or treats up and down the stairs-it tires them out.

You can also get dressed and go outside in the yard to play with your dog several times a day for shorter sessions-or take several shorter walks.

Whatever it is-it's important they still get plenty of exercise

 

[bullseye]

Watch this one, I think the dogs had the time of their lives running around the snow YouTube - Exercising the Dogs

Or indoor exercise may do too YouTube - Exercising With my Dog on a Treadmill

 

[shihtzusandwich]

Ironically..yesterday we decided to brave the elements and rollerblade. It wasn't that awful, about 44, but still some snow/ice on the roadways & Grass..So I harness in the dog babes..get all my gear on..and realize that I don't want to blaze down my highly slanted driveway with ice being at the end of it..So I decide to 'walk' in the grass to the edge of the road...Great idea until my skate got stuck in mud..and I went flailing into the grass..which included mud! I looked like I had been through a war before I ever got to the road!! lol.. Oh well..We did rollerblade over a mile, I just wasn't very 'pretty' during that mile!! Mission Accomplished!

 

[wvasko]

Sometimes dogs will not accept boots, Vaseline on feet will be messy but do help with ice snow build up. Old school problem solver.

 

[oliwa]

It's supposed to warm up here (high of 34! yay!) so hopefully I can take her for a short walk, but when there is ice and snow outside I do not go out. If the schools are closed I work from home. I avoid the bad weather because I can fall easily so I don't risk it. I have a basement, but she is scared of stairs. I just got her jumping off the sofa last week. I don't own a treadmill and she will fetch, but only for about 10 minutes.

 

[Criosphynx]

we do lots of shaping games...and tug inside the house...


that and i bundle up and go....no snow here tho.

Its days like that, that Iam happy I picked low low key dogs...(well except Chili lol) but four of the five are happy to do nothing for up to 2-3 days.



Dog | Forum | Rocks!

 

[kmes]

I play a lot of games with the dogs here.
These are the games my dogs like!

Hide and seek- I have them lie down and wait in a dog bed until I hide. Then I call them and they come running and try to find me. They have really good waits and stays so I can do this with out my husband.

shell game- I have 3 or 4 identical plastic cups lined up on the floor and I put a treat under one of the cups. Then I mix the up and allow the dog playing to sniff and tip over 1 cup. 95% of the time they find the treat on the first try. Its a good game to get them thinking and sniffing!

searching for hidden treats or dog kibble- I show the dogs that I have treats and then hide them. The dogs run around trying to find the treats.

"houdini hound"- This is Roxy's favorite! I have her sit and show her that I have a treat. Then I put it behind my back so she cannont she which hand its in. Next I hold out both fists and let her sniff. She has to gently put her paw on the hand she wants opened. She can find the treat almost everytime on her first try!

Chase- I do this at least once a day. When the dogs aren't paying attention I will just suddenly run away from them. They of course come running after trying to catch me. This game makes for really great recalls. If someone (ie. A certain Pug who has found Rabbit or deer poop outside) is not responding to her name, all I normally have to do is just turn like I'm going to run and she'll come racing over as fast as she can.

 

[Mikey]

Hide and seek- I have them lie down and wait in a dog bed until I hide. Then I call them and they come running and try to find me. They have really good waits and stays so I can do this with out my husband.

I used to play hide and seek all the time with Mandy!!! She could do both-hide or seek Mikey-well we're working on it We had so much fun though

 

[Criosphynx]

Chase- I do this at least once a day. When the dogs aren't paying attention I will just suddenly run away from them. They of course come running after trying to catch me. This game makes for really great recalls. If someone (ie. A certain Pug who has found Rabbit or deer poop outside) is not responding to her name, all I normally have to do is just turn like I'm going to run and she'll come racing over as fast as she can.

OMg I totally do this...my husband thinks Iam a loon. The dogs love it.



Dog | Forum | Rocks!

 

[oliwa]

She has to gently put her paw on the hand she wants opened.

How do you get her to back away and point with her paw?

 

[kmes]

How do you get her to back away and point with her paw?

When I first trained her for this game I used her "paw" command (means she is to touch what I point at with her paw) and taught her in several steps.

I started out with only showing her 1 fist with a treat in it. I let her sniff my fist and then I would use my other hand to point and say "paw". She learned very quickly that when her paw touched my fist it "magically" made my fist open so that she could get the treat. I also stopped saying "paw" after she understood how to "pick a hand".

After she got this easier version of the game, I made it a little harder by holding out both fists, but each had a treat. This way no matter which one she chose she would get a reward.

Then finally I held out both fists but only one fist had a treat in it. The other fist was empty. She figured out that if she just randomly picked a fist, she might get an empty hand. So now she really uses her nose to try to figure out which hand she wants to open by touching it with her paw!


I hope I explained this well!
I sometimes find it hard to explain how I train something! Its much easier for me to show someone by demonstrating!

 

[fawkese1]

that is a great trick! lol... we like videos so don't hold back if that helps you to explain stuff...



Dog | Forum | Rocks!

 

[shihtzusandwich]

That is a cute game! I'm for sure teaching Payslee that..I also love the chase game. Mine find this wildly entertaining too!