Hi Everyone, Happy New Year from Ireland. I have an 18-month old Lab, Stanley, and I really couldn't be happier with him. He's bright, friendly, cool, and will one day surely run for UN Ambassador General. Or laze around for eighteen hours a day. It's a close call at this stage. For now, though, he's challenged, as I work from home and there's just me and him most of the time. I walk him three times a day and I play fetch with him in between. I put him to bed when he needs sleep. Twice a week he spends the day with a minder/rancher nearby who minds dogs just so he can interact more with other dogs. And he loves that. He comes home and tells me all about it. By falling aslep for twelve hours. But he's bored sometimes. And too often. And I can't play fetch all the time. Even if I'm the one throwing. Let alone when he's throwing for me to fetch. So, right, has anyone used interactive toys? And if so would you recommend them? And if so which ones have ye liked (the dog now, and not yourself)? Many thanks and Kind Regards, Brian.
Some ideas that I do for my two dogs that get me through working from home: For my puppy, I have a variety of puzzles and treat dispensing toys (Nina ottensen and kong) that I vary daily with a portion of breakfast in them. I prepare frozen kongs and lick mats to have on hand for meetings/quiet time on bed. I use a kong genius toy stuffed with treats usually in the afternoon when they are getting antsy for me to finish work and go outside. They bounce it around for awhile getting every crumb out. I scatter kibble in the yard on nice days and have a shuffle mat for inside. I stuff their toys and some kibble in cardboard boxes and let them shred it. Roll kibble in an old towel and tie it in a knot and let them figure it out. Hide treats in the living room (up high, on couch, on shelves) and they have to hunt them out. I buy coffee wood chews, yak cheese, bully sticks and periodically raw marrow bones for a special chew (monitor depending on your dog’s chew style).
Rather than buying expensive interactive toys I would look into doing some scent training. Then instead of playing fetch,which can end up over stimulating the dog, the energy used up sniffing out a hidden object will have a much more calming effect.
Small training sessions to work his brain and then teach him to settle. It's not really necessary to entertain a dog all then time, they should be just as happy to settle and relax.
