How do you exercise your dood on these cold days?

3579 Views 34 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Calimom, Feb 1, 2008

lindamarie

Discussion Starter · Jan 30, 2008

So..........a tired doodle is a good doodle.
I try to get Bogie exercise every day if possible. If I can't.... we do Day care....SOMETHING!
But, until we figure what that little episode was yesterday, I don't want him at the Center. It's not fair to other dogs.
PLUS..............Day Care can get to be expensive!!!
We sure can't do our 3 mile walk today in this cold!! Wind chills to 15 below! :shock: ....or play outside for that matter.
What do you do? Our house is small and not much to do inside.
Any suggestions? I know that by 4PM, he'll be going bonkers!

1 - 20 of 35 Posts

DebBrown

· #2 · Jan 30, 2008

I'm going to bundle up and take Charlie for a walk around noon. He can go one day without a walk but that's it. We usually walk at least an hour but today will probably only be half an hour.

Otherwise, I just play with him inside. It's not the same but it is fun. We play tug-of-war and fetch in the living/dining rooms.

Deb

emilee

· #3 · Jan 30, 2008

we taught kumo a game called "go find it". we put him in a stay, and then take one of his favorite toys and go hide it someplace in the house. to release him we say "go find it!" and he zooms around looking for whatever we hid. when he finds it he brings it back to us and we start over again. after about 20 minutes of running around, he's usually pretty relaxed

when we started training this, kumo was already retrieving things, so we didn't have to teach him that. we started out really simply, putting him in a stay and then "hiding" the toy in plain sight, sticking out from behind something. we didn't want it to be so hard that he'd get frustrated and give up. we gradually worked up to harder hiding places. kumo really loves it!

-em

lindamarie

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 30, 2008

I can't bring myself to walk today...lol.......with this wind and frigid temps....I can't! I agree Deb...they can't go more than a day without something. Since he had a good day at Day care yesterday....maybe that will help today???!!
Looks like we'll do some fetch and stuff inside. My husband is in the process of cleaning the basement. It's really nice down there when all the stuff we've accumulated is organized. He's about 3/4 done! Once it's cleaned up, we'll have a place to really run and play. In fact, I may even try it today!!

DebBrown

· #5 · Jan 30, 2008

emilee said:
we taught kumo a game called "go find it". we put him in a stay, and then take one of his favorite toys and go hide it someplace in the house. to release him we say "go find it!" and he zooms around looking for whatever we hid. when he finds it he brings it back to us and we start over again.
-em

Em, I've tried this with Charlie and he's not overly enthusiastic. He gets the idea. I show him the toy I am hiding and then tell him to go find it. He brings it back unless he is distracted which happens easily. <sigh> We'll try it again today since its so darn cold out.

Deb

G

· #6 · Jan 30, 2008

Try hiding treats. Maybe that will work. I don't really have an issue with this. It doesn't get to cold in NC and when it's too cold for me (below 50F) I just let Maya out back in the yard to run. We have enough room she can do some pretty big doodle 500s. When I go to visit family in Ohio for the holidays we have this problem though. Maya is always more of a handful up there.

Also if she is being a big pain in the rear and it is raining I sacrifice the house and let one of her friends come over and they will play and wrestle inside and tire each other out. (Cheating I know!!) I just make sure the breakables are put up high.

gene

· #7 · Jan 30, 2008

hmz819 said:
I just make sure the breakables are put up high.

Like the ceiling?? :wink: :lol:

G

· #8 · Jan 30, 2008

gene said:
hmz819 said:

I just make sure the breakables are put up high.

Click to expand...

Like the ceiling?? :wink: :lol:

Nope the window above the sink is a greenhouse window and you are supposed to put plants in there. I use it for storage of breakables when dogs are over and toys that need to be fixed. So far she can't get up there! Top of the fridge works too! hahaha

lmtoth2

· #9 · Jan 30, 2008

we play indoor fetch w/them all the time. They love it. It really tires Kirby out because he is so focused on retrieving the ball. I make him sit and wait before I throw it again so it works on training too.

MaxandMe

· #10 · Jan 30, 2008

I do the same as Leslie......I play indoor fetch with all 3 doodles
and sometimes i put some good music and dance which gets the doodles all riled up hahhahahahhaa

lastly i work on short training sessions and then try something new
for max: the word TOUCH like touch a can or touch my finger

Lastly i sit on the floor with them and they get wild settling down with a toy by my lap

annabelles mom

· #11 · Jan 30, 2008

we have a fenced yard so that makes it easy - Annabelle will go out and run around and we also play fetch inside and unless it is raining, dh always "runs" AB in the backyard when he gets home from work, if it's freezing the playtime isnt as long but she really runs hard when daddy gets home

annabelles mom

· #12 · Jan 30, 2008

hmz819 said:
Nope the window above the sink is a greenhouse window and you are supposed to put plants in there. I use it for storage of breakables when dogs are over and toys that need to be fixed. So far she can't get up there! Top of the fridge works too! hahaha

LOL Heather - we had a Lab who took a bag of tomatos off the windowsill behind kitchen sink, still not sure how she managed that one :shock:

G

· #13 · Jan 30, 2008

annabelles mom said:
hmz819 said:

Nope the window above the sink is a greenhouse window and you are supposed to put plants in there. I use it for storage of breakables when dogs are over and toys that need to be fixed. So far she can't get up there! Top of the fridge works too! hahaha

Click to expand...

LOL Heather - we had a Lab who took a bag of tomatos off the windowsill behind kitchen sink, still not sure how she managed that one :shock:

Don't tell me that!!! I thought that was a good spot!! hahaha I don't think Maya could stretch and reach up there....but I could see her pushing the kitchen table chair over there to give her a boost!!!

annabelles mom

· #14 · Jan 30, 2008

hmz819 said:
annabelles mom said:

hmz819 said:

Nope the window above the sink is a greenhouse window and you are supposed to put plants in there. I use it for storage of breakables when dogs are over and toys that need to be fixed. So far she can't get up there! Top of the fridge works too! hahaha

Click to expand...

LOL Heather - we had a Lab who took a bag of tomatos off the windowsill behind kitchen sink, still not sure how she managed that one :shock:

Click to expand...

Don't tell me that!!! I thought that was a good spot!! hahaha I don't think Maya could stretch and reach up there....but I could see her pushing the kitchen table chair over there to give her a boost!!!

They are creative little critters aren't they :wink:

DebBrown

· #15 · Jan 30, 2008

Charlie and I ended up walking for our full hour today. He didn't show any signs of distress but then again it got all the way up to 7 degrees! LOL!

The best part of our walk was playing at the park. While he was meandering, I tried my whistle recall and he responded immediately. He was sitting at my feet and licking his lips in no time at all.

Deb

gene

· #16 · Jan 30, 2008

I'm so happy that I spent the money and fenced in my yard. Even when it's bone chillin' for me....like today...the kids just did a 1/2 hour free-for-all, no holds barred rumble in the back yard!! :lol:

Heather....btw, I had to replace all my pot holders because Jonah stole them all and Miko shredded them. They use to hang towards the back of my fridge by the stove! They are a clever resourceful breed.... :wink:

ellabee

· #17 · Jan 30, 2008

Same here - indoor fetch.

Tennis balls are Dex''s absolute favorite thing, he loves to either fetch it or do wild mid-air catches. He gets a ton of exercise doing either, and he loves it!

lindamarie

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jan 31, 2008

Great suggestions!!
Hubby is playing fetch with him now..............we've been wanting to start thr "go find it", so that's a good idea!

Yes!! Dancing!!!.........annmarie.......we need a video of that!! hahahaha
Great exercise for us too!!

I do have a fenced yard...............but the wind and cold was so bad today, that he didn't want out for long. Deb....good girl!! You made a doodle happy with an hour walk in this COLD, COLD...bitter stuff. I couldn't do it........I'm a wimp....lol But tomorrow....it'll be around 25...so we'll do our 3 miles!!

Actually, I was shocked to see how Bogie was a good doodle in spite of his lack of exercise today. I wasn't feeling all that hot, so we spent some time sleeping and watching TV....what a good little doodle!!
I did do the run around the house today.........I can do a complete circle from the Living room.......Dining room............l]kitchen to hall to bedroom etc. The last cold day wwe had he LOVED IT! Today he looked at me like I was bonkers....I thought that to be okay feeling the way I did and crawled back on the couch!...LOL

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MaxandMe

· #19 · Jan 31, 2008

DAVE and I finally figured out where to put in a fenced area this summer complete with huge gates that open so a car or truck can pass thru to the back!!!
now where did i put that winning lottery ticket ????? :wink:

annieG

· #20 · Jan 31, 2008

I tried the hide the toy game with Tanner tonight and he loves. it. He just amazes me...catches on so quickly. As soon as he would find the toy he would run back to his starting point and sit and wait for me to hide it again...too cute

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