Ideas to keep dog entertained while we're out..?

ponyparty

ponyparty

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Hi all

So our Frank (11 months) is an only dog. I'm desperate to get another one for company for him - not going to happen at the moment though, boyfriend doesn't want another, and landlady possibly wouldn't allow it (haven't broached it with her as no point if boyfriend is going to resist).

We leave for work around 8am, and I go home at 12pm to give him a walk - up to 30 mins, can include a game of fetch, mostly just him free running. I leave him again at 12.45pm.
He then gets another walk/run and short training sessions in the park - around 4.30pm and he gets about another hour's walk, plus play and bits and bobs of training in the house after.

He has various treat dispensing toys which we rotate between when we're out (Magic Mushroom is his fave, followed by Kong Wobbler, Kong Satellite, then origininal Kong which he just doesn't seem to "get" bless him).

He likes digging our lawn - he is a terrier after all! And any other patches of dirt he can get his paws on, destroying shoes, and flinging his bed around. Destroying cardboard and/or any bits of paperwork (especially important ones like car insurance documents ;)) is also a favourite pastime.

He has free run of our kitchen, with crate left open, and a dog flap to our secure garden, with a small patch of lawn and a kennel with bedding in, so he has plenty of options as to where to spend his time.

I really don't mind about the lawn etc but hate the idea that he's resorting to doing this because he's bored or unhappy. So - ideas anyone? What else can we give him to keep him occupied? The more creative, the better!
 
My terrier pup sounds a lot like yours!

He will dig anything and everything given the opportunity. He has 2 other dogs to play with and masses of toys etc and he would still rather have his head buried in my plants!! His latest trick is to dismantle the log pile and move it to the other side of the garden! He gets plenty of exercise and mental stimulation and still digs the place up.

I gave up buying anymore toys/games etc as he isn't that interested. Destroying his bed for the 3rd time this month is far more enjoyable!!!

He will be used for a bit of rabbit control over the summer to see if a 'job' will help his terrier urges!
 
Haha lindsay1993 this sounds about right, I have asked on the breed page about whether anyone has tried getting a sandpit to stop their Manchesters digging the garden up... Apparently sandpits solve nothing - it's like they know what we don't want them to do, and take any opportunity to do it all the more in our absence..!

I'd love to (attempt to) work him, I reckon he'd be a little machine, don't really have much opportunity for it where we live though.
 
a dog walker...especially to get him through his adolescence .This is the time when he needs direction,company and an outlet for his energy.
I have a mini schnauzer,now 16 m old...if I compared her to the wild child at 11 m she is a different dog...we've worked hard with her and these last few months have definitely been a turning point.
 
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Bellasophia - Well I did think that but... He already gets 2 walks per day?

I was thinking, maybe I should take him out before work as well (so 3 walks/day) buuuuut he is really lazy in the morning, he seems to prefer to eat his breakfast and get back into his terrier nest for a lie in.....

...... and THEN get up again later to see what havoc he can cause...! Hehe...

PS - love mini Schnauzers, we had a salt and pepper bitch as our first family dog - my absolute best friend as a child, Daisy. Excellent dogs!
 
I have hung a tug toy to the roof of my foster pup' s crate and she is using it a lot before falling asleep when I put her in whenever I go out. Terriers like ragging things so yours might enjoy something like that hanging from a branch in the garden?
 
ponyparty said:
Haha lindsay1993 this sounds about right, I have asked on the breed page about whether anyone has tried getting a sandpit to stop their Manchesters digging the garden up... Apparently sandpits solve nothing - it's like they know what we don't want them to do, and take any opportunity to do it all the more in our absence..!

I'd love to (attempt to) work him, I reckon he'd be a little machine, don't really have much opportunity for it where we live though.
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We have just discovered a family of rabbits at the yard which are intent on ruining the arena, so that's a good start for him.

He's a border terrier x springer spaniel so is a bit of a character!! We do a lot of off lead work, listening to commands at a distance etc so he really has to think. However, one sniff of a little bird within his vision and he's off like a Greyhound after it! He has proved much harder to crack than our other two Springers ever were!
 
How about a cat?.....

no, I don't really mean that, I'm just being flippant! ;)

Little Tallulah Pumpkinface, my JRT X Shih Tzu (but more probably a Border Terrier) is now 13 weeks old. She is my only dog. I'm retired so have the luxury of spending all my time with her, both when at home and when out and about. However, I realise she will have to get used to being left for an hour or two on occasions, as I wouldn't want to leave her in the car during any warm weather, when I'm out. I'm going to start off with just 15 mins and see how we get on. I'll pretend I'm going out, drive out the yard and sneak back on foot to see what she's up to.

I'm fortunate that if I need to be out for half a day or even all day, I can drop her off at my ex OH's house, where she has a grand time with his 3 JRTs. (OH and I get on really well since we got divorced!) If I couldn't do this, I think I'd maybe employ a dog walker/sitter or possibly take her to doggy daycare.

I also think taking him out for a good walk in the morning before going to work may help. If you find something that does works, I'd be very interested to hear about it PP, as Lulah is already digging up the artificial grass in the small secure garden immediately outside the back door :eek:
 
I would try exercising before work to see if that helps - I actually don't walk mine as I find that training/brain games/playing tire her out quicker! 15 mins is all she needs!
 
Terriers are very active and intelligent dogs and he could probably do with a bit more company.A dog day carer where he can interact with other dogs or a dog walker session would stimulate his mind to new sights and smells.You are doing your best at the moment though.
 
Mister Ted - I knew it - we NEED another dog! I will start chipping away at the bf again tonight ;) Seriously though, I actually looked extensively into getting a dog walker and all the ones in my area are fully booked! the Council changed the regulations so they can now only walk 4 dogs at a time (rather than 6 - which as an owner I think is actually a good thing!), but from the walkers' POV this is having a knock-on effect on their income, and now walking the same amount of dogs takes longer. Everywhere I asked said the same thing to me - no spaces, already oversubscribed. And I tried over the course of a few months. Nightmare! Maybe I should try again though.

3Beasties - I do also think exercise before work as well might be another answer, coupled with some brain training. If I can engage my own brain that early in the day haha!

Chillipup - a cat would be excellent entertainment for him, not sure the poor moggy would agree though! He is very good at deterring any feline would-be trespassers into our garden. That's a very agreeable arrangement you have there, how nice that you are on such good terms with your ex :) any pics of Tallulah Pumpkinface - what a fancy name haha! I'm sort of resigned to the fact that being a terrier, he is going to want to dig. I have asked about this on MT breed forums, and they all seem to do it - even the ones living in a pack of 10, so it's not boredom from lack of company! We have actually put fine netting over all the grass bar one corner where it didn't quite fit to. So of course he's just dug the hell out of that corner. And my plant pots. Lucky I'm not much of a gardener eh..!

Planete - love the idea of hanging a tug toy from somewhere, I'll have to see where we could do that from in our garden.

lindsay1993 - Frank is a Manchester Terrier - interestingly (to me anyway haha) I recently found out that after rat baiting was outlawed, whippet was introduced into the breed to make them more suited to coursing small game such as rabbits. You can really see it in him! He so needs to get out and do the job his ancestors were bred for, squirrels in the park live in fear when they see us out walking..!
 
does he take notice of the TV? There is DogTV which is only available online-I scoffed at it a bit and haven't used it other than to let my two watch it to see how they reacted. The rescue couldnt have been less interested but the setter loved it.


Have always loved the look of the Manchester terriers-too high a prey drive for where I am I fear but wonderful looking dogs :)
 
MotherOfChickens said:
does he take notice of the TV? There is DogTV which is only available online-I scoffed at it a bit and haven't used it other than to let my two watch it to see how they reacted. The rescue couldnt have been less interested but the setter loved it.


Have always loved the look of the Manchester terriers-too high a prey drive for where I am I fear but wonderful looking dogs :)
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He does watch TV with us! I put on a doggy film (Homeward Bound, if you know it...) for him one day as I had to get on with something in the kithcen, but he just went mental barking at the TV. That does have a cat and other animals in it though... I've just had a look at Dog TV and it looks like it's designed to be relaxing. Might have to give it a try! I will report back as to whether it works!

Forgot to mention, he does have the radio on all day (usually radio 4) already. Perhaps the Rob/Helen storyline in the Archers has just been driving him so mad that he's resorted to digging up the garden...?

ETA - they (MTs) are lovely looking dogs, and very intelligent. More trainable than I imagined a terrier could be. His recall is improving, he's great with other dogs, he can do a few tricks, he's just an awesome little dog. At 11 months old he seems to be settling into himself - the testosterone bursts are becoming fewer and further between. Might consider neutering him at 18 months as I don't think he'll make the grade as a show dog.
 
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PP, I'm amazed you missed Lulah's big introduction to the forum.

Check out AAD thread, Introducing Tallulah Pumpkinface started on 07.04.16. If you scroll down to my post number 8, I finally managed to post the link to the photos! Enjoy. (I'm sure there is a way to link it to this post but it's far too complicated for me)

PS Lulah enjoys 'gardening' in my plant pots too! :(
 
pony party;No I didnt say get another dog lol !You may end up with twice the mischief.Giving your dog a really good run before going out to work ,then his feed,settling him down so he is nice and calm in his bed should keep him sleeping and content until you are back at 12 or so.Once he gets into the routine it will lessen the need for him to take his energy out on tearing things up.
 
Mister Ted said:
pony party;No I didnt say get another dog lol !You may end up with twice the mischief.
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Yes, especially if it was another MT. They really are little terrors. I kind of like this about them though?! I am obviously insane. :D

I will start tomorrow taking him out at 6am for a good run, a bit of playing fetch, and in-park training. Might be the kick up the arris I need to make me start going running in the morning before work actually... *shudder*

Chillipup - not sure how I missed that, probably work getting in the way as usual! She is just adorable, spit of a Border Terrier though as you say. That little face looks like butter wouldn't melt - that's how they get away with being such little terrors though! She's very dinky, I suppose she won't be as tall as a Border, being JR/Shih Tzu? She is lovely anyway, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with her. Maybe a sandpit wouldn't be such a bad idea, if you can train her to dig in it under your supervision from a young age? We might still get one for Frank, and hide treats in it to try and discourage him from digging elsewhere. Great in the summer of course, but when it's raining all the time it'd have to be covered, so I'm in two minds as to whether it's worth it.

I'll have to put some photos up, I'm a bit technologically challenged as well though :)
 
We've made on of these which they get their breakfast in - keeps them occupied for a couple of hours

[video=youtube;avcYKFOmcZA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avcYKFOmcZA[/video]
 
Wow Equidae that is amazing! Frank used to love bottles with a little hole for treats when he was younger, I got a bit scared he would chew them though and choke on plastic. That's why we got all the expensive treat dispensing toys!

But suspended like this, I'd never thought of - it would drive him nuts, not being able to get to the treats! Brilliant. Will have to have a go at making one! Thank you!

And btw, what a gorgeous dog! Belgian Shepherd / Malinois, right?
 
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