Dog games and excercize for my dog.

Roy Sparacino wrote:
> Just adopted a 1year old Yellow Lab from a rescue group. He has been with us
> less than three weeks. His personality goes between acting like a rocket
> propelled mad dog to the sweetest, most affectionate dog I ever met. Now I
> walk with him as much as possible and sometimes he just tears around my
> fenced yard. (1/2 acre). I understand his need for excercise, but he is
> burning me out. (I'm 56 Y/O). Id like to play a game with him to give him
> something to do. He retrieves balls of all shapes and sizes, even up to a
> basket ball in his mouth. Problem is he wont release it for me. He just
> wants me to chase him for it. He wants to play tug of war with just about
> anything. I wont do this with him because it causes him to become too
> excited and then he gets mouthy. Does anyone know of any dog games or
> interactive entertainment that we can share?
>
>
AS others said, teach him to release by treating. WE use "give" which
Rollo now understands means to release. He prefers a small soccer ball
which I can kick.

He sounds like a great dog! Hang in there; Rollo stopped a lot of the
puppy stuff when two years old.

--
-------------------------------------------------------
"Every day is Saturday when you're retired."

Bob Burns
Mill Hall PA
(email is a spamtrap)
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog. 

Roy Sparacino wrote:
> Just adopted a 1year old Yellow Lab from a rescue group. He has been with us
> less than three weeks. His personality goes between acting like a rocket
> propelled mad dog to the sweetest, most affectionate dog I ever met. Now I
> walk with him as much as possible and sometimes he just tears around my
> fenced yard. (1/2 acre). I understand his need for excercise, but he is
> burning me out. (I'm 56 Y/O). Id like to play a game with him to give him
> something to do. He retrieves balls of all shapes and sizes, even up to a
> basket ball in his mouth. Problem is he wont release it for me. He just
> wants me to chase him for it. He wants to play tug of war with just about
> anything. I wont do this with him because it causes him to become too
> excited and then he gets mouthy. Does anyone know of any dog games or
> interactive entertainment that we can share?
>
>
Oh yeah, take him to obedience training. It's not really for the dog,
it's for you to learn how to train and control your dog.

--
-------------------------------------------------------
"Every day is Saturday when you're retired."

Bob Burns
Mill Hall PA
(email is a spamtrap)
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog. 

Use Google to search out Do It Yourself plans for agility training
equipment. Most, if not all of the stuff can be made simply with hardware
store parts, like PVC pipe, wood planks and even fabric tunnels from IKEA
designed for kids. Our lab has a great time going over jumps and thru the
tunnel in our backard.
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog. 

We plan to start obedience training tomorrow. thanks......................
"Bob Burns" <treborburns RemoveThis @earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:ES7pg.525$cd3.292@newsread3.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> Roy Sparacino wrote:
> > Just adopted a 1year old Yellow Lab from a rescue group. He has been
with us
> > less than three weeks. His personality goes between acting like a rocket
> > propelled mad dog to the sweetest, most affectionate dog I ever met. Now
I
> > walk with him as much as possible and sometimes he just tears around my
> > fenced yard. (1/2 acre). I understand his need for excercise, but he is
> > burning me out. (I'm 56 Y/O). Id like to play a game with him to give
him
> > something to do. He retrieves balls of all shapes and sizes, even up to
a
> > basket ball in his mouth. Problem is he wont release it for me. He just
> > wants me to chase him for it. He wants to play tug of war with just
about
> > anything. I wont do this with him because it causes him to become too
> > excited and then he gets mouthy. Does anyone know of any dog games or
> > interactive entertainment that we can share?
> >
> >
> Oh yeah, take him to obedience training. It's not really for the dog,
> it's for you to learn how to train and control your dog.
>
> --
> -------------------------------------------------------
> "Every day is Saturday when you're retired."
>
> Bob Burns
> Mill Hall PA
> (email is a spamtrap)
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog. 

On Fri, 30 Jun 2006 20:34:49 -0400, "Roy Sparacino"
<rsparaci.RemoveThis@suffolk.lib.ny.us> wrote:

>We plan to start obedience training tomorrow. thanks......................

Good for you Roy! You'll be amazed at what you can teach your dog
when you learn how to do it right.

Last November I started taking my rescue dog Cody to my local dog
training club once a week, a month after I'd adopted him(at age 2).

He has made so much progress, he's passed his beginners class, class
one, class two, class three, and now he's in class four. From a dog
with real "baggage" he's become a proper star! I might start taking
him to agility classes as well soon.

Neil

(Reply via NG please)
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog. 

sounds familiar
IF i really want to wear labby out, without overexerting myself (i am 60), i
put treats in my pocket and trade them for the ball
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog. 

Ah yes but Luke will not drop or release the ball without making a big fuss.
"ligbray" <braydon DeleteThis @internode.on.net> wrote in message
news:12g1j755digc8b@corp.supernews.com...
> sounds familiar
> IF i really want to wear labby out, without overexerting myself (i am 60),
i
> put treats in my pocket and trade them for the ball
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog. 

"Roy Sparacino" <rsparaci RemoveThis @suffolk.lib.ny.us> didn't ask about the
significance of the number 42 in the Hitchhikers' Guide to the
Galaxy series, but DID present the following for evaluation in
alt.pets.dogs.labrador:


> Ah yes but Luke will not drop or release the ball without making a
> big fuss.

Here are some from a quick google:

http://www.dogplay.com/Activities/games.html


For our part:

Pepper (shepherd mix, and Teegan the lab's older sister) is a tugger.
She loves loves loves to tug. It is quite wearing. Through patient
exhortations to 'drop' versus 'tug', and ignoring her entirely when
she refuses to do what _we_ want, then rewarding her when she does,
we've gotten her trained to those words.

We require her to drop (and then fetch) before we allow her to tug.
Tugging is her reward.

If Pepper doesn't drop the ball or toy, then we don't play. Period.
We ignore her for about 10 minutes. When she eventually grows bored,
and drops the toy out of boredom, we instantly praise her (good
drop!) and pick it up and toss it, calling out "Fetch!" then repeat
the "Drop!".

To teach her "tug" we simply would say the word "tug!" just prior to
tugging with her. That one was a no-brainer.

And we _do_ allow her to have the fun she wants from time to time.

But those are not the only activities. We do go to dog parks -- the
walk there (one within walking distance) also serves as lead-training
refresher course, with a few "sit" and "heel" exercises thrown in,
some changes in direction, some "wait!" and "stay" work, and a bit of
on-lead "come!". When we get there, we work a bit more on the lead,
then reward by taking them off the lead and "release!"

They go bird bowling, puddle-splashing, and tree sniffing. I do a
fast-walk circuit of the park, calling them to me from time to time,
and they stay within range, romping back and forth playing the above-
named activities.

For the lab, swimming is a must. She's very much into water -- if
there's a puddle to be found, she'll bee-line for it to splash in it,
but she's still shy about the pool. Too deep, too much of an edge
for her. I am working her into that gradually, while the weather's
still warm, by taking her in, cradling her as I go, and "swimming"
her as I carry her out to the middle. Then I point her toward the
steps and let her go. Retrieve her after she gets out and repeat.

The swimming is good because it really exercises them, but also is
weightless, more or less. As labs age, and they start getting
arthritic or dysplasic, this becomes their primary form of exercise
because it soothes their tired joints and doesn't stress them.

If you have no pool, or lake, obviously, that wouldn't work for you.

If your dog doesn't like water, too, that would not be an option.
Pepper doesn't.

--
nancy

A boss is a personal dictator appointed to those of us fortunate
enough to live in free societies. (from the Cynic's Dictionary)
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog. 

I've got a good trick for you...

it took my dog two weeks to learn it... she was about 5 months at the time.
and best trick I ever got her to do...

I sat down with its leash on... and got him to 'pick up' and put into my
hand... just a few toys at first... then I started with a lazer pointer on
the toys and said pick up, so now if I point to something, 'including paper
that she's ripped up' she picks up and puts into my hand... *no treats and
its not an 'official pick up' until its IN my hand* doing this nightly
while watching t.v. will help... have extra tasty treats for the training.

Sometimes she gets treats when she does that still... and it really came in
handy when I pulled my back and couldn't bend over for about 4 weeks... she
picked up everything for me except for the broom... kinda awkward for her...

it sounds like he has a lot of energy, and you can use that to your own
advantage...

hope this helps... if you lived in my area I'd gladly help out!

care

"Roy Sparacino" <rsparaci DeleteThis @suffolk.lib.ny.us> wrote in message
news:G4Wog.2644$5J6.1734@newsread1.mlpsca01.us.to.verio.net...
> Just adopted a 1year old Yellow Lab from a rescue group. He has been with
us
> less than three weeks. His personality goes between acting like a rocket
> propelled mad dog to the sweetest, most affectionate dog I ever met. Now I
> walk with him as much as possible and sometimes he just tears around my
> fenced yard. (1/2 acre). I understand his need for excercise, but he is
> burning me out. (I'm 56 Y/O). Id like to play a game with him to give him
> something to do. He retrieves balls of all shapes and sizes, even up to a
> basket ball in his mouth. Problem is he wont release it for me. He just
> wants me to chase him for it. He wants to play tug of war with just about
> anything. I wont do this with him because it causes him to become too
> excited and then he gets mouthy. Does anyone know of any dog games or
> interactive entertainment that we can share?
>
>
 >> Stay informed about: Dog games and excercize for my dog.