What do to do when it's too cold to walk?
Today in Petawawa, Ontario (an hour and 40 minutes from Ottawa), the temperature is a balmy -31 degrees celcius (-25.6F). It is COLD!! The kind of cold where your nose sticks together and your skin gets chapped. So my question is: does anyone know of what I can do to exercise Tucker inside? We play fetch inside and tug of war (we do it right, no worries, I've done some research on the game), and he even LOVES to chase a laser light, but I'm worried it won't be enough. Any ideas?????? |
|
|
| Yuck, I guess I can't complain when it feels like 2 degrees here in NJ!
Sorry, wish I could offer suggestions but just play with him as much as you can indoors. Is there an indoor doggie daycare you can take him to? |
I take the cars out of the garage and run around with Maisey and play fetch. It is not as good as her regular walk...(read pulling me down the road  ) but I am always concerned about her feet and lungs freezing.
At least in the garage she can tear around without knocking over furniture or my kids. Yeah I am north of you and it was ridiculous this morning. I hate it when your nose sticks together.  But know exactly what you meant...lol |
| The garage idea is a great one! I'd never thought of it. We mostly play fetch tennis ball in the house with the dogs. We have a basement, so that's where we play. They seem to "wrestle" with each other more when they are cooped up, and we turn a blind eye and let them. We knew they need to blow off steam. |
| Our doggy day care facility has indoor dog park a couple of times a week in the winter. Maybe someplace by you does something similar? |
| If the cold snap goes on for a length of time, we clear out a couple stalls in the garage and let them romp. If it's just one day, it's a tennis ball in the family room. |
| I wish we had any kind of "doggy fun" things like daycare, but where I live in the Great White North,there is nothing. I have to say I am quite jealous of these facilities in the bigger cities. They are trying to make a fenced in dog park, but it may never happen.. In the meantime, I just have to run around the garage with my dog. Oh well, my neighbours already think I am strange. |
Maisey's Mama wrote: I wish we had any kind of "doggy fun" things like daycare, but where I live in the Great White North,there is nothing. I have to say I am quite jealous of these facilities in the bigger cities. They are trying to make a fenced in dog park, but it may never happen.. In the meantime, I just have to run around the garage with my dog. Oh well, my neighbours already think I am strange.
I agree! There isn't really anything like that here at all, which is hugely disappointing. And like you, there is no doggy park, either. We have a great yard for that, but being new to this town I have yet to find a good group of dog friends to come over and play (Tucker's "girlfriend", a black lab, just moved away which is too bad. All of Tucker's other "friends" are very small dogs so he doesn't get the same work-out!). As for the neighbour's thinking I'm strange? Well we just moved into this house in July and I'm pretty sure that was established right away. While they were all gardening and sipping drinks on their patios, I was running all over the place like a crazy lady, convincing Tucker to try agility ("tunnel! tunnel!" and "jump! nooo...don't knock the poste OVER, JUMP over it! Jump! JUMP! Oy....!!"). Cheers to crazy but insanely happy dog owners!! (And OES to boot, well that's just damn near perfection, isn't it) |
| I have a front stairwell and a back stairwell and an open floorplan in my house and we do laps. Up the front stairs, around the upper level, down the back stairs, around the lower level. |
| Tasker loves to play "fetch". I have a long hallway that I stand at one end of and throw a toy to the other end, he runs and rams and have a wonderful time. |
I live in a small town north west of Toronto and we have a doggy day care and thats where I take Dutch to burn of some energy, she comes home so tired she just flopps on the floor and sleeps  |
| im a bad mommy, i make panda lay down with me and snuggle...we play ''find and dont bite the feet thru the covers" |
| Darcy and her Nurse Rachett Panda......"I'll take care of those toes...."
Oh, we know if you could you'd be exercising her butt off and then Sue would come over and more sheepie play time. |
Indoor agility!!!
(fat cat optional...  )
Kristine |
LOL, gotta love your living room, Kristine. 
Seriously, I would kill for all that extra space. Until then, we settle for classes, therapy dog visits and mushing!
When our new training center opens .....I can't wait - it the size of a gym and I can stop in anytime!!! woohoo!!! |
| Melanie you sound like I did when trying to teach Obe agility.
"tunnel! tunnel!" and "jump! nooo...don't knock the poste OVER, JUMP over it! Jump! JUMP! Oy....!!"). Got a laugh out of that. Love the indoor agility course mad dog.[/quote] |
| WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kristen , what a room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
Tasker's Mom wrote: WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kristen , what a room!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Desperation, pure and simple
Kristine |
| Cooper is just a pup yet, so full of energy. We have not been able to do his daily walks now that winter set in. We used to walk him all over our small town but now there is a lot of salt/dirt on the roads from the winter weather and not all sidewalks are clear either. I don't want him getting that stuff all over his feet and then licking it off, sure to get sick.
We get him running in the yard as much as possible and with his Uncle Rufie. He also loves to run around the house, open floor plan in my upstairs. Thank goodness for having wall to wall carpeting, for he digs in with those big feet and really rips around. He is very agile and hasn't knocked over any furniture yet. He likes to weave in and out of things, especially while having a toy in his mouth. |
padolphan wrote: Thank goodness for having wall to wall carpeting, for he digs in with those big feet and really rips around. He is very agile and hasn't knocked over any furniture yet. He likes to weave in and out of things, especially while having a toy in his mouth.
Hello! I see a future agility OES here...
Kristine |
Max plays in the garage during the winter because we get so much rain around here that our backyard gets to be too wet. Another ritual that we have during this cold, dark, miserable time of year, is an evening car ride. Every night around 7 pm I take Max on a 20 minute or so car ride and it kind of makes him sleepy. He expects his car ride every night!! He still gets two walks a day also. I'm looking forward to sunnier weather so we can spend more time outside, but this works for now 
sharon |
| When the weather is better we'll have to see what we can come up with in the backyard to keep him busy and happy.
He can turn really sharp and fast, like they say "turn on a dime". |
| Hire some movie DVD's and get them watching TV.
My girls are square eyes they love anything with animals in it.
Then after ZZZZZZZZ
Amazing how entertaining it can be. |
| Hahahaha!! That is awesome!! |
Mel & Tucker wrote: We play fetch inside and tug of war (we do it right, no worries, I've done some research on the game) ...
If you can, please explain how to play tug of war right. Our Gus LOVES to play tug of war, but my husband thinks it's bad for his teeth and won't play with him. I play a very mild tug game with Gus, but I can tell he wants me to play harder. Thanks! P.S. It was -20 F here this morning. |
| I don't worry about teeth as much as I do about personality issues.
I've always been told that if you play tug you can never ever lose, as this would lower your authority with your dog. With my first big, dominant guy we played tug and I never lost and he still bossed me around. With my current smart but not dominant guy, we play tug and I win almost all the time, and he's still submissive. So perhaps playing tug is not a good idea with some dogs, and it might be okay with others. check back with me in about 15 or 20 years and I'll let you know about other personality types! |
| I agree. I have done some research the matter, and many sources say that you must win 90% of the time. This way your authority and dominance is still put forth, but if you win ALL the time then the dog may lose interest. 10% win for him gives him the motivation to keep trying. In addition, play the game when YOU want to play, not when he wants to play. You initaite the game and you end it. That means that when the game is over, take the tug toy and put it away. This means it is YOUR toy, YOUR game, and YOU are the one who wins! |
| I play tug of war with any of mine who want to play, which is everybody except Belle, who just never had an interest (she prefers chase games) - in fact, I cultivate the game specifically with agility in mind. If I had a dog with an iffy temperament, I wouldn't touch the game. Otherwise, the rules are: I start the game, I end the game (whether I let you win or not) and no teeth on the human, which will often happen inadvertently in the beginning as they get excited and adjust their hold on the toy - first instance dog grabs at any part of me, however lightly or unintentional, it's ooops! game over, too bad. Then I'll play with them again later. They learn quickly to keep their teeth to themselves or they don't get to play. Very simple.
I don't think any of mine have come down with delusions of grandeur based on winning too many time I.e. it doesn't create bad temperaments, but I expect it can make a bad one worse, so there are probably some dogs out there for whom this is not a great game, which is why there are so many warnings that go with it.
The bigger issues are (1) how you tug so as to not yank their neck around (hard with an avid tugger! try to keep them tugging straight backwards - no swinging side to side) 2) and be esp careful about tugging with puppies/young dogs - i.e. the younger the puppy, the gentler the tugging, both for their neck/spine as well as their bite (teeth). I don't do any of the tugging. I just stand there holding the toy and let them tug againts me. The beauty of the game is that it is very interactive which is what you want when you're using play in training. Kristine |
Mad Dog wrote: it doesn't create bad temperaments, but I expect it can make a bad one worse, so there are probably some dogs out there for whom this is not a great game, which is why there are so many warnings that go with it.
I completely agree with that sentiment. I actually found the game very useful for Tucker: when he was younger he had an infatuation with tugging at other things, espeically pant legs and housecoat belts. Once I taught him how to tug, I guess he could tunnel those inclinations in a useful, accepted way, and the nuisance tugging soon stopped. |
My two play tug together all the time - the tug gets very animated. They used to play with me when the were younger, but I guess they think I am too mild now they very seldom will play with me  when we do I have a release word to let them know when I have had enough. |
| I play hide and seek with Maggie. I make her stay, show her a toy, and then I go hide it. When I come back, I give her the command "Find It" and she hunts all over for it. She loves it. She looks so happy when she comes back with the toy. You have to have a good stay for it to work -- or you could tether until you release. |
Valerie wrote: I play hide and seek with Maggie. I make her stay, show her a toy, and then I go hide it. When I come back, I give her the command "Find It" and she hunts all over for it. She loves it. She looks so happy when she comes back with the toy. You have to have a good stay for it to work -- or you could tether until you release.
great idea - it would work for one of mine the other one would look at me with yeah right on his face |
kerry wrote: Valerie wrote: I play hide and seek with Maggie. I make her stay, show her a toy, and then I go hide it. When I come back, I give her the command "Find It" and she hunts all over for it. She loves it. She looks so happy when she comes back with the toy. You have to have a good stay for it to work -- or you could tether until you release. great idea - it would work for one of mine the other one would look at me with yeah right on his face I crate tucker for a second and hide his kong filled with peanut butter so it's an extra reward. He looooves it! |
| oh now that Morgan would look for |
 When he gets like this, I let him do his thing. Eventually, he gets tired out.
What do the rest of you do that have beautiful hardwood floors? I can't imagine having them run around on those floors. Not only scratches, but could get hurt if they wipe out?? We need new flooring in parts of our house and have to seriously think about what we will get, because of our dog????? |
padolphan wrote: :phew: What do the rest of you do that have beautiful hardwood floors? I can't imagine having them run around on those floors. Not only scratches, but could get hurt if they wipe out??
We need new flooring in parts of our house and have to seriously think about what we will get, because of our dog????? Well...he does wipe out. Some how he doesn't hurt himself, though! And they're good floors and havent' scratched at all (thankfully). |
| I can relate, it's gotten down to -38 this month. I got Granite Gear Mush Dog Boots for Avy. She looks kind of ridiculous and they fall off in deep snow, but for street walks they keep her paws from freezing. And it makes people smile when they drive by. |
How do you keep the booties on your doggie??  I have booties with Velcro straps but can't keep them on Cooper. He refuses to walk with them. I thought I would try to keep the salt/dirt off his feet during walking but no success. |
padolphan wrote: How do you keep the booties on your doggie??
I have booties with Velcro straps but can't keep them on Cooper. He refuses to walk with them. I thought I would try to keep the salt/dirt off his feet during walking but no success.Duck tape!!!
No, seriously. And he will walk in them given time. After he realizes he can't walk with all four feet elevated off the ground for any extended period of time.
Kristine |
 Thanks, my husband will love this idea.
He is the duck tape king around this house.
Worth a try, keep ya posted. |
| Pet peeeve.... it's "duct" tape. It supposedly goes on ducts not ducks, although an evilly ingenious company (Henckel makes adhesives) decided to steal the misconception and use "duck" as their brand name.
Even the Duck company's website says: "Duck Tape brand Duct Tape and More!" http://www.duckproducts.com/ I don't know about using it to keep booties on, but Joan just told me her sister just used it to jury-rig a heater hose or a heater hose connection (this has been translated by Joan from her sister who doesn't know the word for "hose") to make it home. I'm so proud of her! |
| The fix-all in our house, according to my husband, is duct/duck tape, however you want to say it.
Small world, he works for Henkel so we are familiar with the product.
Guess we all have our pet peeves? |
| couldn't live without my duct tape |
 |
| maybe we should jsut use a new word "ductape" since it's not really good for ductwork anyway! |
| The boots stay on Avy, even without duct tape. However, they do not stay on Molly, my Wheaten. She gets the first one off before we leave the house, the second off in the truck, and I'm usually digging around in the snow to find the other 2. I think the shape of the dog's paws makes a difference. |
When I first read the title of this I thought it's never too cold  and was going to quote Billy Connelly "theres no such things as bad weather just the wrong clothes"
BUT... That IS TOO COLD Hope it warms up for you soon |
| Today it is supposed to get up into the 20's - yay!!
We are going to our new and almost finished training center to play on the grass. Yes, grass!! Well, it is the astroturf, installed last fall. It as all fenced and will be the daycare and play ares for the boarded dogs. I will try and get some pictures. |
Quote: Billy Connelly "theres no such things as bad weather just the wrong clothes"
I second that. In the pouring rain & howling wind yesterday I would have been OK if it wasn't for...  CONTACT LENSES I need goggles to walk him in this weather!! |
Didn't find exactly what you're looking for? Search again here:
Custom Search
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|