Uh Oh, Dogs Are Bored

I told you the other day that lately I've been a lump when it comes to the dogs. It's true, but I still try to do something to keep them entertained else they drive me nuts.

It's H-O-T in Florida. It's late October and we're still dealing with highs in the mid-80s. However, the dogs don't care that I'm exhausted and hate getting sweaty. They're tired of sitting around doing nothing. A bored dog is not a good thing. I try to find fun and creative things to do. Some of our favorite things are:

• Puzzle Toys. We have several and I rotate them to keep it interesting. One of our favorites is the Kong Wobbler. To keep the dogs from getting fat, I cut meals in half to compensate for all the goodies stuffed in toys. (Don't tell the dogs, but 90% of the "treat" in the puzzle toys is their regular food,)
• Basic Obedience. Trooper is still just a pup and we are constantly working on things like "Wait" and "Down." Honestly, the reinforcement is good for Jedi as well.
• Silly Tricks. These make me giggle. And if I'm laughing, the dog's are enjoying themselves too. Currently I'm trying to teach Trooper to speak on command. Maybe one day he'll be ready for a trick title.
• Catch and Fetch. These are always fun. Trooper has figured out fetch and loves it. However, the mouth/eye coordination needed to catch is coming slowly.
• Rally Moves. I have a small house, but Jedi and I can still work on heel position, coming front and left/right finishes. I'm hoping to find another trainer to get us ready to compete in Rally.
• Hall Ball. Just what you think -- I throw a plush ball down the hall. The boys go nuts. Hubby and I try to predict which one will bring it back.
• Laser Pointer. This was Roxy's favorite thing ever. She led many guests into the kitchen to show them the hook where the laser pointer is kept. My son's friends still laugh about it.
• Go Find. We hide tins with various scent work odors (mostly birch and anise) throughout the house and ask Jedi to find them. It's good practice, despite the fact that we don't have any upcoming trials.
• Where's the Rat? Hubby hides one of the rats in a tube and Jedi finds her. Our favorite BH trail location has reopened under a different name/management. We'll be there Sunday! And a new Barn Hunt club has formed in Savannah that I'm looking forward to checking out. Let's hope for lots of good news soon.
• Monster. I crawl on the floor and make monster noises. It's silly, but Jedi and Trooper love it. They jump, bark and body check in excitement.
• Road Trips. Pets stores get old, so we like to switch it up a bit. Lowes, Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware and Academy Sports allow dogs inside. Many local restaurants have covered outdoor seating and welcome dogs too.

The boys entertain themselves with regular roughhousing. It's heartwarming to see them get along so well. It can also be painful. For whatever reason, the dogs feel it necessary to wrestle where I can see them: the living room, my office, on my bed, wherever. They crash into furniture and stomp on anything/anyone in their path. If I move to another room, the commotion moves with me.

How about you? What fun things do you guys do to keep the pups entertained? Please share! We're always looking for something new. -- K