Dog boredom

[muppetdave]

Any ideas on how to keep a dog entertained when we're not around? We have a 6 month old Sprocker Spaniel, and even though I work from home, she clearly gets bored when I'm in my office. Sadly at the moment she's just too boisterous to have her with me and be able to work.

We have a ball which release food as she knocks it around, but I wondered if anyone else has any other ideas to avoid her stripping more wallpaper!

[matthewg]

muppetdave said:

Any ideas on how to keep a dog entertained when we're not around? We have a 6 month old Sprocker Spaniel, and even though I work from home, she clearly gets bored when I'm in my office. Sadly at the moment she's just too boisterous to have her with me and be able to work.

We have a ball which release food as she knocks it around, but I wondered if anyone else has any other ideas to avoid her stripping more wallpaper!

Give him a few cats.

[muppetdave]

matthewg said:

muppetdave said:

Any ideas on how to keep a dog entertained when we're not around? We have a 6 month old Sprocker Spaniel, and even though I work from home, she clearly gets bored when I'm in my office. Sadly at the moment she's just too boisterous to have her with me and be able to work.

We have a ball which release food as she knocks it around, but I wondered if anyone else has any other ideas to avoid her stripping more wallpaper!

Give him a few cats.

We've got two, and sadly they're too wise and steer clear!

[Piglet]

Kongs with frozen fillings are useful.

It's difficult though, our Springer has always been happy to curl up next to us all day long, she loves the fact that there is usually someone around (she's curled up on the sofa snoring as I type!). Even when she was tiny she was just happy to be around people. I can imagine she'd be pretty naffed off though if someone was in the house and she was shut out on her own.

How's your training with pup generally? I guess this is around teething time so make sure you have lots of toys for pup to chew - frozen carrots are good to gnaw at to help with teething.

Do you use a crate? could you move a crate in to your office and encourage pup to snooze in that whilst you work? That way she's got her own space where she is used to sleeping.

[Piglet]

Second post, I forgot the obvious question, what are you feeding her?

[KrazyIvan]

Piglet said:

Second post, I forgot the obvious question, what are you feeding her?

This, speak to your vet, and see if a change in her morning feed slows her down a little, might also be worth giving her a bigger/longer walk.

When we knew we would be leaving are GSD for a few hours (5+) we would take him to the top of a hill and spend 30 minutes throwing the ball down the hill and making him return with it, this would normally take the edge of his boundless energy.

[muppetdave]

Piglet said:

Kongs with frozen fillings are useful.

It's difficult though, our Springer has always been happy to curl up next to us all day long, she loves the fact that there is usually someone around (she's curled up on the sofa snoring as I type!). Even when she was tiny she was just happy to be around people. I can imagine she'd be pretty naffed off though if someone was in the house and she was shut out on her own.

How's your training with pup generally? I guess this is around teething time so make sure you have lots of toys for pup to chew - frozen carrots are good to gnaw at to help with teething.

Do you use a crate? could you move a crate in to your office and encourage pup to snooze in that whilst you work? That way she's got her own space where she is used to sleeping.

Funnily enough I'd just seen the idea of Kongs with frozen fillings elsewhere, so will get hold of a Kong or two.

She is naffed off that I'm here but she can't be with me, she makes it quite clear! She is just constant energy, it's very very rare that she'll sit and snooze with us - usually the only time is whilst I'm on a late-night xbox session! She just has a bed in our 'dining room' (read tiled garden room type place) and no crate, so that's not really an option.

Training in general is ok really, we're fairly confident with her off the lead - we can generally get her to stop, lay down at a distance, and mostly come back and/or retrieve her dummy out and about. She's very sociable - too much so really as we need to get her not to race up to every single dog (in case one is less friendly!).

She's through teething - she was almost bang on to the day 4-months old when that happened, and to the day her behaviour/training went out of the window for a week or two.

ETA - she's on dried Pedigree puppy biscuits, with the odd pouch of wet meat as a treat. My Mum and Sister have two of her sisters and have moved them on to adult biscuits - perhaps the slightly lower protein might clip her wings a tiny bit.

Edited by muppetdave on Wednesday 15th December 11:35

[Piglet]

Have a look at http://springthing.3.forumer.com/

that's the forum link, there's also a main site with some info on it - I think there is a section with suggested kong fillings.

It's worth asking your question on the forum as there are some people around who have a lot of knowledge of training springers, cockers and others.

Foodwise, you want to be feeding a decent food - my guideline is usually not to feed anything you find in a supermarket (ie bakers). At six months you ought to be feeding a decent puppy food (Skinners, Autarky or similar). Some foods can cause some dogs to be hyperactive so it might be worth trying a gradual change.

Training wise, it's worth trying to train a "settle" command, we didn't and I really wish we had. I'd think about another bed in your office so that you can sit her in her bed and encourage her to "settle". If she kicks off then you put her out. It won't take her long to realise that if she sits quietly she can stay but if she doesn't she goes out

She luvs ya and she wants to be with ya!

Try out "it's a spring thing"

Good luck - picture?

[muppetdave]

Thanks for that, I'll have a look at the forum and pop my question up there as well.

I'll have a look in to the feed scenario and perhaps try a change.

I'm going to relocate to my office now (been lazy this morning), so will take her bed up there and see how we get on - as the room's small, with the door shut she can't exactly run riot, so fingers crossed. I did say originally I'd try and do that but always then thought she'd be a pain! As you say, she does only want to be with me.

Nutmeg

[y2blade]

did you read any training books or watch any DVDs before getting the dog?


have you done anything with her as far as getting her used to being alone?


I'd start with literally shutting the door...pause....then open it, then praise her for being quiet and waiting...then slightly longer periods of time, I did this from the word go with my springador, as a result he will sit and wait quiet happily

there is no "quick fix"


praise her with affection NOT foodstuffs



I'm sure as always the "PH experts" will be along to rubbish what I have just said. C'est la vie

[muppetdave]

y2blade said:

did you read any training books or watch any DVDs before getting the dog?


have you done anything with her as far as getting her used to being alone?


I'd start with literally shutting the door...pause....then open it, then praise her for being quiet and waiting...then slightly longer periods of time, I did this from the word go with my springador, as a result he will sit and wait quiet happily

there is no "quick fix"


praise her with affection NOT foodstuffs



I'm sure as always the "PH experts" will be along to rubbish what I have just said. C'est la vie

Don't get me wrong, she's not noisy, doesn't howl when left in her area or anything. The issue is that she's bored and hence stripping wallpaper etc.

I'm reading various books as we go along and have had dogs before, I'm just trying to alleviate her boredom.

[bexVN]

These are the sort of toys you want to look into

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_toys_dog_tr...

Get two or three and swap them around.

[Mrs Grumpy]

I'd dump the pedigree in favour of some good quality kibble - Burns, JWB, etc.

Nina Ottoson (sp?) toys are good.

Also try some free shaping using a clicker - makes a dog use its brain and consequently knackers them

[Piglet]

How did you get on with Nutmeg yesteday? She's a lovely looking girl, I love her colouring.

I'd also think carefully about dumping pedigree, it's not a great food. I wouldn't lower her protein level yet, she's still a growing girl.

[muppetdave]

She's currently sat at my feet in my office, although I have to be careful as she has a habit of poking her nose and/or legs under the chair which is on casters!

She won't get in her bed up here, but she does seem happier already, and last night generally around the house she was a bit calmer as well.

Going to get a couple of the toys Becky suggested as well (Mrs might have ordered them last night actually.) which should give her a bit more fun.

The feed is an ongoing thought, I'll have a look at those suggested - as you say she's still growing fast and it's more the vitamins/traces I'm concerned over losing as opposed to straight protein, but we'll give it a thought.

Any thanks, yeah she is cute!