[Pepper & Honey's Mom]

How do you get your dogs exercise when its raining?? Our dogs are VERY high energy, and start to literally "bounce off the walls" (and the kitchen tables, and leaping back and forth accross all the furniture, racing up and down the hallway....slamming into walls....). Ok, sometimes its just hilarious . But other times (like when one of my kids is taking a nap), is just isn't so cute . Ordinarily, we can just let the dogs out in the yard, and they'll do about 50 laps (chasing each other) at about 50 mph. That seems to chill them out. But what in the world do you do when its raining?!?! They start to go crazy--and I do too!! Thanks for any info !

 

[Rita]

How about a game of fetch in the hallway? We live in a ranch and were able to throw the ball down the hallway. Our dog loved it. Is there any place in your house that you can do this?

 

[juliav]

I feel your pain!!! Living in San Francisco, we get plenty of rain in the winter. I try to cath brakes in the weather and take all three of them to the park, if the rain is nonstop I try to take them out when the rain lets up. My poodles need to run rain or shine and Bugsy doesn't mind the rain, he just wears his rain gear.

 

[Pepper & Honey's Mom]

I've tried to get them to chase a ball before, but they aren't really interested. Sometimes they'll run over and sniff the ball when it hits the ground--and then quickly run off to do something else. Mostly, they just look at me like I'm stupid. I've tried several different types of toys, but they only seem to like inappropriate things--They LOVE shredding paper, paper towels, toilet paper, and reducing dropped "Lincoln Logs" to a small pile of matchsticks. Thankfully, they don't chew on furniture or anything like that. They just like to shred anything we drop. What toys typically entertain these dogs??

Their absolute favorite thing to play with is each other!! I'm so glad we got two b/c I can't imagine how bored/destructive one might be alone. When they are chasing each other, the one in the back always grabs the tail of the one in front--and hangs on! Then the one in front swings around, and they wrestle for a minute before taking off at full speed again. I wish I could get a picture of that.

So where do you get good raingear for them. I've gotten a couple of sweaters, but they didn't seem to fit very well....

 

[Laurief]

My guys do the same thing, running through the house, jumping from furniture, over people etc etc. I have seen the "giggle balls" where you put atreat in a toy that rolls & giggles and they can spend ours rolling it around trying to get the treat out. I think I saw it in Petedge.com May that will keep them occupied as least while the littles ones sleep.

 

[ama0722]

I found an adorable polka dot rain coat at target for $12. Although, the havanese doesnt mind getting wet. She would rather be going for a walk with me (she hates being in the back yard in the rain) than anything else.

If your dog doesn't like toys... my maltese doesnt play with much, you might want to try the pipsqueak toys. Take out the sound maker (although my havanese loves this) and put in some smelly dog treats. This is how I taught my maltese a retrieve. Throw the toy with the treat in it, when the dog brings it back break a piece of treat off.
http://cleanrun.com/moreinfo.cfm?Product_ID=1461

My girls also love treat balls, I only let them have it and fill it with treats for special times like this. I have all hard wood floors so you can hear them push the ball everywhere.
http://www.talktometreatball.com/

Then like this weekend when it was rain non stop, I have a few agility pieces in my basement... the tunnel, etc. Rainy days are always great training days for obedience and agility.

Amanda

 

[Pepper & Honey's Mom]

Well, one of the toys I bought last week was a soft, small, rubber ball that has lots of holes in it--so you can put treats in it. But they also don't seem to like the treats I bought . So what kind of treats do your dogs really love??

Oh, and we don't have basements in our area--That would be a great place for them to play!!

 

[ama0722]

I think I have the princess of pickiness! It is funny my 4lb maltese will eat anything and everything! My 10lb havanese will spit out a lot of food- hot dogs, and those cheap bagged treats. She loves chicken, steak, roast beef. I really try to make sure I use very small pieces. I also prefer to save these treats to get her excited for training rather than to entertain her. She also likes carrots, apple, brocolli. She doesn't usually like commercial dog treats but will sometimes eat the zukes treats. In her treat ball, I have used the freeze dried meats usually the salmon- it is smelly and it makes her want it. I have also used the natural balance rolls as those are smelly and she likes them.

A lot of havanese are picky, mine included!
Amanda

 

[Laurief]

Both my girls are on the special vet SO diet so they cannot have normal treats. Once a month (as my kids threaten to move out if I do it more often) I open a wet can of SO - cut it up on a cookie sheet & bake it for a long while under low heat. The house smells!! But I then put them in the frig in a tupperware. My guys love them. Maybe you could cook your pups normal wet food & see if that works.

 

[Pepper & Honey's Mom]

What is "SO"??

 

[Laurief]

It is a food made for dogs who have a tendency to get crystals in their bladders. Lily had crystals in the bladder - really bad!! - last year and she would get infections & all. So since they girls are related they are on the same diet. It is because they cannot break down the minerals in regular food or water. My pups also drink distilled water. Logan will also go on that food once he is off of puppy food, since he is related as well & we dont know if this is inherited. The problem with it is , is that it is VERY expensive and you can only get it from the vet - I tried online, I tried to get a hold of the [email protected][email protected]? but no luck. It works though, Lily has been well for almost a year now on this food.

 

[Lynn]

My dog likes a soft small rubber ball that squeaks, it is one of his favorite toys. If I throw it he brings it back, we will play this for a while. He likes all toys that make noise and that I throw, sometimes he will bring them back and sometimes he will play keep away and I will chase him.

 

[Melissa Miller]

Target has the best dog toys! I got a pink elephant there they love, and a yellow ducky. Stogie not only hates the rain, he wont go out in wet grass. I have to take him out and set him down. He then freezes and acts like his legs are stuck and he cant move.

Goldie would go out in a blizzard. She wants to be out ALL the time even in the rain. When they are cooped up, the house becomes a course. Its crazy how fast they can get from one end to the other, in and out of rooms, up and down on the beds... I can see how that causes a problem with your sleeping kids. I sit and laugh.

My guys love Solid Gold treats. They are tiny tots. They also love these new training treats. I got them in a goody bag. They go nuts. Ill have to find the name.

 

[Havlady]

Exercise when raining

They are doing it - that is what mine do - couches, tables, counters and laps around the house flying in and off of everything. Don't worry about exercise - they will find a way. Just shut the door on the napper.

 

[Pepper & Honey's Mom]

They are doing it - that is what mine do - couches, tables, counters and laps around the house flying in and off of everything. Don't worry about exercise - they will find a way. Just shut the door on the napper.

The door IS shut, and a loud humidifier running in the room too for "white noise". The problem is that they race around on the wood floors so fast that they sometimes bang into the walls, kid's door, or the return-air vent that is right by the kid's room.

I know they will find ways to entertain/exercise themselves, I'd just like it to be a tad more under control. Thanks for all the other ideas....I may need to go check out Target's dog toy selection!

 

[Havlady]

Exercise when raining

We have Pergo and the dogs slide all over - We do have stairs to the couch and some carpet in front of the couch - but they slide into the fridge, the washer and the kitchen cabinets!!

Outside they make the picnic table part of the route and they slide off it also. I have watched them come running in through the dog door and in three leaps they are on the coffee table and can't land it so everything on the table and the dogs go sliding off the end!

 

[Laurief]

I have a large dec outside & I gated off the two sets of stairs & put a bed, toys, and water outside (even yesterday when it was only 40 degrees - but the sun was on the dec) They had a ball, ran like crazy - I kept my house in order. Can you go onto the deck with them?

 

[Pepper & Honey's Mom]

We have Pergo and the dogs slide all over - We do have stairs to the couch and some carpet in front of the couch - but they slide into the fridge, the washer and the kitchen cabinets!!

Outside they make the picnic table part of the route and they slide off it also. I have watched them come running in through the dog door and in three leaps they are on the coffee table and can't land it so everything on the table and the dogs go sliding off the end!

At least these dogs are small, eh?? If my German Shepherd had had half their energy, the whole house would've fallen down !! At least now I know our's aren't weird/unusual in any way .

 

[Pepper & Honey's Mom]

I have a large dec outside & I gated off the two sets of stairs & put a bed, toys, and water outside (even yesterday when it was only 40 degrees - but the sun was on the dec) They had a ball, ran like crazy - I kept my house in order. Can you go onto the deck with them?

Well, we do have a backyard--and I definitely take them out there when its not raining. That's usually the first thing I do after I put our child in the bed. That way, he can fall asleep in peace (without wondering what sort of excitement he's missing with our looney dogs), and it helps them to be calm for the rest of his naptime. When its raining though, we only have a very small covered porch, so it doesn't help too much. And they LOVE to play in the mud too....and that sure is fun to clean up ! Luckily, its been drying out here the last several days, so they've been able to play out a LOT--without getting too gross. They sure are happy when the weather's good !

 

[juliav]

At least these dogs are small, eh?? If my German Shepherd had had half their energy, the whole house would've fallen down !! At least now I know our's aren't weird/unusual in any way .

Luky you! My Standard Poodles do have the energy of the Havanese and when these three decide they need a bit more play time (after an hour of running in the park), I feel like my house is going to come off the foundation. lol