Reddit mentions: The best dog toy balls

Please know that he's not trying to get into trouble. Dogs are observant, but -thankfully- incapable of premeditation. He's just bored and making his own fun. He doesn't know he's been bad. Dog's are much simpler than that. They experience moments. He just has a history of moments where you come home through the door and the garbage can is side ways, then you get angry or loud and he feels scared. So, in his pup brain, it's more like key in lock + garbage on floor = sinking feeling out of nowhere.

On to solutions!

I second an exercise pen or crate to keep his options limited. With the right preparation 8 hours of den-time can be pretty neutral for him. Even a locked room will focus in your puppy proofing efforts. Do treat it like a crate and work up to long absences though. However, the best thing you can do is come at it from the other side as well: lets wear this boy out. A comprehensive recipe for a perfect tired boy follows

• No more free food, not cause Good Boy doesn't deserve it, just because he'll actually be happier if it's hard to get. He'll feel accomplished and less bored. Options include: a puzzle matt or feeder ball for dry food, frozen Kongs for wet food (get black for a serious chewer, and get 2), hiding his food around the house (skip the kitchen and near trashcans), doing a command for each pinch of kibble, scattering the kibble in your grass if he'll go for it... whatever works for you and your wife to put some challenge into breakfast/dinner time.
  
• One mile of walking for each hour Good Boy is going to be alone. His breed needs a lot of stimulation and activity like you say, and this is the best way to get out that destructive wiggle juice pumping through his adolescent veins. "But that's 8 miles a day? Who has time for that?" you may say. Totally fair. Hopefully you do, but let's see if we can make things more time efficient anyway. We'll say 2 miles of running counts as 3 miles of walking, so a 5ish mile jog gets you there much faster. But that's still over an hour. So we'll add a doggy backpack with 5% of his body weight (don't go over 12% until he's full grown, add on slowly) to take off one more mile since it doubles as mental stimulation. Ok we're down to 4 miles, still a fair bit if you aren't much of jogger to start. 10 minutes of tug counts as 30 minutes of walking, so we'll call that 1 mile of jogging (Example rules for good tugging!). So, we're at a 10 minutes of tug followed by a 3 mile weighted jog, to be dived between you and your wife however makes the most sense. Call it 45 minutes. And as a bonus, you get to eat more human treats. Additional Options and Equipment: ball chucker, flirt pole, doggy playground items like ramps and tubes, a pulling rig ones he's old enough.
  
• Prevent separation anxiety. Home with no humans for 8 hours is tough for a social animal, but you can make it easier. Making sure he's wore out will go a long way, but the biggest thing is to make your departure a good thing. And only Good Boy gets to decide if that's true. If you throw him a steak each morning, but he doesn't touch it until you come home then you leaving isn't a good thing yet. So I would leave his breakfast for absolute last if he has already pooped and can hold it that long. Either way, grab some high value treats and/or toys (the stuff he goes completely ape for which may or may not be cheap) and toss them in the room/pen/kennel the second before each of you leave.
  
  So a sample perfect morning might go something like this: You wake up and take Good Boy out for a leak and some quality tug time. Maybe you're wife doesn't wan't to deal with most doggie-teen things, but it was her 2018 resolution to run more anyway. So you put on his back pack, tuck a .5 L water bottle into each side, and hand him off for his 5k. While she's gone you fill up yesterdays empty kong with canned food, and pop it in the freezer. Today's kong is frozen solid and ready to go. You grab giant ball to put in his play pen and a puzzle toy with those nasty fish puffs he loves. It's been a couple weeks so you put a puff of pheromone spray on his bed so that it smells like Good Mom. You make your coffee, scroll your reddit, eat your toast and generally get ready for the day. Good Boy is back, flopped on the floor and it's time to go. You do everything you need before you walk out the door, tie shoes, kiss wife, eveerything, and then your grab and jingle your keys. Good Boy comes running. "Caaarrot tiiime" you announce reaching in to the fridge. He paces until he sees you've got the goods then runs to his pen, where you make it rain baby carrot bits before booking it to your car before he can find them all. Wife will also throw a carrot party when she departs plus a stuffed toy and a rubber chewy. You come home to an upside down dog bed and the giant ball bit the dust and deflated, but the dog is happy and the house is fine.
  
  
  
  Now, this may seem totally unrealistic, because in a way it is. Shit gets busy, runs get cut short, tug toys get lost, and humans do human stuff. Don't think of this as the bare minimum for a good day. Just think of it as what would happen in a perfect world where you had the time and brain power to do everything possible for Good Boy before heading off for work. If you can integrate any of this stuff, even slowly it will help you guys get through this teen phase with your house in tact.
  
  
  
  
  
• 0. Miscellaneous!
     
  • • Pheromone spray should work well since he's a pup, thunder shirts, and supplements could be good too. I like the ThunderShirt brand since they make lots of anti-stress products and have a long term reputation to protect.
      
  • • Bitter Apple or No Chew spray for anything he's previously gotten his boredom out on (eg. baseboards).
      
  • • If you're handy you could always build you own doggie treadmill!
      
  • • Look for toys with a replacement garuntee like West Paw's Jive Balls or Hurley. My crazy chewer has been trying to shred his ball from them every for the last two months and it doesn't have a scratch.
      
  • • Consider learning a dog sport! Agility, Nose Work, and Flyball are fun competitions that emphasize teamwork. Your local AKC or affiliates will likely have intro classes.
      
  • • Don't under estimate fresh produce as a treat. Banana, carrots, and blueberries are a few fido-faves.
      
  • • Pride Bites squeaky toys aren't indestructible, but the foam inside them is digestible and non-toxic. So, they're on the safer side to chew unsupervised.
      
  • • Also hiring a walker a few times a week is a great idea and helps take the pressure off when you can't even get close to a perfect day.
      
  • • Take pictures of your darling Good Boy and post them to reddit, remind yourself how jealous the world is of your smart, beautiful, energetic dog.

I'm not entirely sure why the cooing at toys would work. I feel like this is just anthropomorphizing the toy and your dog's "understanding" of the situation. If it is actually working for you, it's probably the fact that you are taking away the toy from her, letting her settle, and then returning it when her energy level/fixation are more in check. The "gentle" cue is definitely nice to teach, but it is probably working due to your addition/subtraction of reinforcer. That being said, "gentle" is a tough thing to teach some high energy dogs so props to you.

Also, the exercise thing is a great point. If you exhaust your pup with a good run or hour at the park they will be far less destructive in the house. Physical stimulation and mental stimulation need to go hand in hand, and one should not replace the other.

Just a point to bring up: if your (OP's) dog is chewing things like wires, socks, etc. he probably has a lot of opportunity to do so. How are you managing his environment - supervision levels, puppy-proofing, movement throughout the house, restriction when unsupervised (crating), etc? You need to minimize or eliminate as many possibilities for your dog to "mess up" as possible and set them up for success. For example, make sure he is in "puppy proofed" rooms with all foreign objects picked up off the floor and is provided with appropriate outlets for his energy (Kongs, stuffed bones, etc). A six month old puppy probably should not have free run of the house just yet, especially since he is most likely still teething and is still learning appropriate outlets for chewing. Slowly increase his freedom once he has learned these things. Start by keeping him in one or two rooms, gated off, and slowly increase his freedom once he learns more appropriate behaviors and has matured a bit more. Am I suggesting condemning your dog to a room for life? Absolutely not. You just have to manage his environment as much as possible and eliminate possibilities for him to fail.

It would also be worth investing in some brain toys to drain more energy, such as Wobble Kongs, Busy Buddy feeders, Buster Food Cubes, etc. In fact, feeding his meals exclusively out of these toys rather than a bowl would be a great opportunity to mentally stimulate him and drain more energy. Just make sure you supervise him as some of these toys could definitely be torn up if left unattended.

Just some food for thought. Hope you found this helpful! :)

Edit: Some products I've found helpful.

Brain toys for feeding:

• Kong Wobbler for meal times. Pretty durable and my guy can't figure out how to open it. Loves eating out of this thing, even if it was simple for him to figure out. My lab took weeks to get it though. Regardless, great brain-toy.
  
  
• Buster food cube for dispensing. Pretty difficult to figure out.
  
  
• Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble egg: My guys LOVE this, although the plastic just cracked on the inside after a few months. Can definitely be torn apart if left alone but super stimulating and engaging. Worth it!
  
  
• Tug a Jug for keeping them busy when you need to do something else. Durable bottle that gets scratched up. Ours is a few months in and still kicking.
  
  Chew toys:
  
  
• Kong XL for stuffing with RB, wet food, boiled chicken, etc. Strong than the regular red Kongs. Can also be frozen which increases the difficulty and time needed to get the food inside. have several I rotate out and they are basically the same shape as the day I bought them, which is impressive as my pup is a monster chewer.
  
  
• Filled thigh bones are pretty nice. They last as a while and can be rinsed and restuffed if the bone is still in good shape. Watch out, though - some brands are more prone to cracking and splintering while others last for ever. Trial and error basis. I can't remember the brand I use that works well but it's carried at my local Farmer Supply store (I find the bones and toys at these places to generally be better quality and also cheaper than chain pet stores).
  
  
• Meaty thigh bones are marrow filled and still have some "meat" on the exterior. They tend to last longer than the washed filled variety (above) and are "stinkier" and (I would imagine?) tastier. My guys prefer these to the plain bones since there are more goodies to get at. Downside is that they are a little stinkier at first and can possibly leave a mess, so make sure the dog is eating it on a towel.
  
  
• Bully sticks! Make sure they are real beef tendons though. Many companies make pressed rawhide varieties to resemble the real tendons but rawhide is, IMO, less safe for dogs. Last a while and smell like bacon but made my stomach a little queasy. Dogs go nuts for them though.
  
  
• Jolly Ball - not necessarily a chew toy but lasts a long time. Their teeth can penetrate the ball but the design is such that the ball doesn't pop. I had the variety with the rope that went through the center. The rope came off pretty quickly but the ball itself is still kicking. It is challenging to pick it up when playing fetch so he is less interested in tearing it to pieces than retrieving. It's poked through with holes but is the only ball that has lasted this long. Still going. Maybe worth checking out.

Your dog sounds so much like mine when he was the same age. It drove me nuts because we have a huge yard for him to run around, but when I'd let him out there he'd run for like 3 seconds and then lie down and chew on sticks. Then, when he got back in the house, he was still crazy.

Rodney was never super into toys, especially right at first. He didn't really understand how to play tug properly, and he didn't fetch (and he's a golden retriever! That's supposed to come pre-installed!). All he wanted to do was wrestle and roughhouse. Eventually, though, with enough persistence, we got him interested in fetching balls down the hall, and he LOVES tug now. It just took time for him to figure out what he liked and what the toys were for.

I bought a lot of toys for him at the beginning of his life. Spent a lot of money on them. Now I don't buy them anymore because the ones we have are holding up fine, and he likes them. His favorites are hol-ee roller, the dna toy, the IQ treat ball, big Chuck-it, and the orka ball.

The hol-ee roller and dna toy are awesome for fetch-and-tug. The only way we could get him to start fetching was to play tug with him when he brought the item back. He loves those two toys. The treat ball has been a lifesaver. We feed him his meals out of it, and it gives us some peace while we're eating as well as entertaining him. We recently got another similar toy called a snoop. This one is super awesome because it holds more food, and it's super quiet because it's made of squishy rubber, not hard plastic like the IQ ball. The orka ball is fun because it's so squishy and bouncy. He loves lacrosse balls because they're really bouncy, too. The orka is also cool because it's hollow, so you can stick treats in there. And the big Chuck-it ball has been great because he can grab onto really easy with the ridges, and I can kick a ball WAY further than I can throw it. The ball never gets lost because it's so big!

A tip to renew interest in the deer antler: boil it in chicken broth and let it dry out completely. This just gives it a new taste, and it worked when I did it for our dog.

A really good treat if you can find them is raw bones. Not the cooked ones they sell at pet stores, but uncooked bones you buy from a butcher. Ask at your local grocery store or butcher if they have bones for dogs, and if they don't know what you're talking about, ask if they have bones for making soup stock. Freeze the bones when you bring them home, and then give one to your pup! They're totally safe for dogs because unlike cooked ones, they won't splinter or break up dangerously. My dog used to spend forever licking out ever bit of marrow from the bones. They'll also clean your pup's teeth. :)

1. Kong Wubba Friend. Summit has the fox and it's his absolute favorite toy. He likes other wubbas too, but the fox is his favorite by a long shot. It's also super durable and doesn't have a bunch of stuffing to pull out. He loves the squeaking, the floppy tentacles, and it makes a great fetch toy as well.
   
   
2. Nylabone Prime Rib. Summit loves all Nylabones. His favorite is actually the dinosaur one, but I worry about the size of it and it stresses me out when he chews it. He loves the one we got him on sale after Christmas and I like the size. Really though, any Nylabone chew could be substituted in here. Summit loves chewing and Nylabones give him a great outlet for that.
   
3. Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball. I love the idea of food dispensing toys and Summit does too. It keeps him entertained and out of trouble for quite a while and he loves pushing it around and trying to get the food out. He gets extremely excited whenever he sees us pull this particular toy out of the toy bin.
   
4. Chuck It Max Glow Ball. We're still working on Summit's ball drive and it is definitely improving with age (yesterday he was actually running into a lake to fetch tennis balls which was a big first for him), but I love the bond that fetch gives. I also love things that glow in the dark (we could play when it gets dark out!) and the durability of the Chuck It balls as opposed to regular tennis balls.
   
5. Kong. A treat dispensing toy I can leave with him that he doesn't need as much room to use as the tricky treat ball. I also love trying the different recipes to throw in his Kong and it is great for calming him down.

(1) we have used all of the above. Standard collar holds tags the best, our training class provided a choke collar and we find it easiest for walks, and when he was still very small (8 weeks came home, so for about our first month or so) had him in the harness before we started training.

(2) we have all 3 - the retractable is new and I haven't used it yet, but we got it for beach trips so he can roam, then we started with a nylon and got a leather one from the class. We now use the leather mostly... just because its nice on the human paws :)

(3) We started with a 36" crate, at basically full grown he's fitting in pretty tightly, but still fits. We also ended up adding an ex-pen. If I was buying the crate now, I'd go up a size or two so he'd have some more space. I also highly recommend the pen if you have room.

(4) We've gone through a lot of beds... he's chewed them to bits... so might as well start off simple and cheap. He put a hole in the nice one we got recently within an hour.

(5) When he first came home, his favorites were the rope toys and unstuffed animals with squeekeres. Don't get things with stuffing!! They will try to eat it, and that makes for a lot of supervision needed. Now that he's a little older, he also loves balls, particularly [with teeth]
(https://smile.amazon.com/Coevals-Club-Interactive-Non-Toxic-Cleaning/dp/B01LARUD6M/ref=sr_1_17?ie=UTF8&qid=1493386356&sr=8-17&keywords=treat+ball+for+dog)
& [brain activity] (https://smile.amazon.com/OurPets-Treat-Ball-Interactive-Dispensing/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1493386356&sr=8-3&keywords=treat+ball+for+dog)

(6) Foods:

• Blue Buffalo Puppy Chow
  
• Local pet store organic puppy mix
  
• Pupperoni training treats
  
• Beggin' Bacon Strips
  
• Blue Buffalo PB Hearts crunch treats
  
• Blue Buffalo dental sticks
  
• [Bully Sticks] (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HBVSG74/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) - mostly for teething, but he does "eat" them
  (7) We did a local class. For socializing, we've made sure to introduce him to people from day one - and dogs since he was fully vaxxed unless we know the dog.
  
  (8) Biggest challenge - he has chewed up window sills, door frames, etc when home alone. We originally thought it was OK to leave him in an empty room with just his toys etc bc we had an empty bedroom. He ruined the listed items of the room. Hence, adding the ex-pen. Happiest moments - it's like when people talk about their partners and babies... its the little moments, like when they snuggle up which you don't expect because its rare for the breed, or when they accomplish something - like being house broken, or a command (sit, etc).
  
  (9) we're lucky... he loves both dogs and people. Archer is an attention whore, and the more praise and play the better. This can vary by individual dog, like individual human.
  
  (10) The only thing I wish I could change is how long my commute it, and how late I get in. My husband is able to spend more time with the puppy than me which is just my own jealousy. Also... we use a dog walker 1-2 times a day (we're moving down to 1 now that he holds his bladder/bowels longer). The mid-day visit is SO important, if you can't take lunch at home... you need to have him with someone - a dog walker, a pet daycare. He cannot be alone for that long.
  
  Also... know he's a smart breed. He's not like a lab or a collie who will live to please you. You live to serve him (or her! I have a boy, so I keep using him) which means that you have to learn about his idiosyncracies. Because he is smart, but easily bored... you will need to figure out what kind of attention and stimulation keeps your shibe baby happy. Is it mental stimulation and logic puzzles? They make more than the tops I shared... so start looking. Also, just play hide and seek. Does his hunter instinct kick in? Sometimes, when he's feeling extra frisky instead of feeding him in a bowl, I'll toss his kibble and treats into the toy, or literally around the room so he can "hunt" for dinner. Is he feeling neglected? Bored? he's going to cause trouble...so how can you make sure he knows you love him. Think of him like April Ludgate in Parks & Rec, or a cat. He wants to know he can have your attention when he wants it - but he will not just snuggle because you want to... or pay attention to you if it doesn't meet his interests or needs. You'll fall in love (hopefully) and won't care, but the shiba will rule the fam not vice versa so get ready for it.

>Now when I feed her I feel like she is going to choke from eating too fast

For young puppies, I always encourage people to put the food bowl away and find different ways to feed. Bowls can be just fine for adult dogs - but while puppy is young and learning it is important to overcome any resource guarding and leverage every training opportunity you can. Bowls are a wasted opportunity for any of this training - so consider stashing it away for now.

So, how do you feed without a bowl?

• Stuff kongs with all or a portion of a meal and seal with peanut only peanut butter, wet food, 100% pumpkin only puree (no pie filling) or yogurt and freeze. This will give your puppy a cool tasty treat to work on - buying you enough time to eat your OWN meals or get something done.
  
  
• Use a puzzle toy like an IQ ball. Dogs are natural scavengers and getting to solve puzzles to earn food will help stimulate their mind and their foraging instincts. Puzzles will slow them down and get them thinking (which, for young puppies can be enough to usher in a nap!)
  
  
• Hand feed. Hand feeding small amounts of kibble can help reduce resource guarding (food comes from you, not the magical metal bowl on the floor) and also give you an opportunity to teach skills like "leave it".
  
  
• Use a portion of meals as training rewards. You are going to need a healthy supply of treats to start your training with your pup - using some kibble as part of your treat bag is a great way to reward behaviors without adding a lot of junk food or calories. Look into positive reinforcement, training basics, clicker training and nothing in life is free.
  
  What schedule should you feed on/how much?
  
  
• How much you feed depends on the quality and type of food as well as the age, activity level, breed and environment of the dog. The best way to get started with this is to pick out a high quality food and follow the feeding chart on the bag conservatively and adjust over time - monitoring your dogs weight visually, their stools (regular, firm, minimal waste - if your dog poops A LOT and FREQUENTLY and are consistently soft or runny, you may need to switch foods) , their coat (soft, glossy, shedding normally but not excessively), their eyes/nose/ears (clear and free of redness - consistent redness of puffiness could be the sign of an allergy) and mouth ( clean white teeth, healthy pink gums).
  
  
• For young puppies, opt to divide the total food requirement a day into 4 'meals' - we fed 3 at usual meal times (in a toy, kong or with training) and kept the fourth reserved JUST for training throughout the day (mixed with some high value treats). You can adjust however you need to to work for your routine, but many people (vets, trainers, breeders) advise feeding 3 times a day until the pup is older (at least 6 months of age)
  
  
• It is best for a pup to be a little on the leaner side than the fatter side - if you notice your pup is putting on weight, reduce the amount of food (by 1/8 to 1/4c a day) and observe over the next week or two and adjust again if needed. Same applies to a pup that is too thin - increase by 1/8-1/4c, observe, adjust if needed.
  
  
• Remember that if you are using high value treats to adjust the pups kibble level as necessary. One or two freeze dried liver treats a day are OK, but if you spend a whole session dealing out nothing but hot dogs, cheese or zukes - compensate for the extra calories by cutting out a little kibble in the next meal (and consider incorporating more kibble into their training rewards to ensure their meals are staying balanced).
  
  

I'm just going to start listing off puzzle toys that I like since I don't know which ones you'd used before.
Kong toys are excellent ways to stimulate using food. You can also try food puzzles, such as the IQ Ball or Trixie Pet products. Snuff mats can also be helpful, if your dog likes to "forage" for food.

Licking and chewing can also relieve stress. There's a lick mat that I recently found that my pups really love. You can put something like peanut butter or yogurt on it, freeze it, and my dogs go at it for 30 minutes. For chewing, you can look at variety of different things, such a bully sticks, chew toys, Himalayan dog chews, etc. My dogs like all of the above, but the longest lasting chews for them are Benebones.

Search high and low for these types of toys and puzzles. You can often find discounted pet toys at Marshalls or Ross, if you have these types of stores near you. I know they can be kind of expensive, but a good brand will last forever, and for my dogs, they've been great investments!

You can also make your own games, if you'd rather not purchase toys. Hide treats under plastic cups and tell Micah to "go find!" You can play hide-and-go-seek around the home. For a DIY toy, put treats in a muffin tin and cover each tin with a tennis ball for him to remove. If he is comfortable with these in the house, you can take these types of games outside, too.

Beyond just toys and physical things you can buy to help stimulate and relieve stress, working with your dog can only help. This means basic obedience training. I highly recommend using a clicker-- dogs learn very well when they know exactly what behaviors you want of them.

The benefits of working with your dog? Mental exercise can be as satisfying and grueling at physical exercise -- I'm not saying that it's a substitute for the physical stuff, but it can certainly play part of your dog's overall health. Working with your dog, teaching him basic obedience, and perhaps moving onto some fun tricks will not only turn the gears in Micah's head and give you more of a foundation to work with him in the presence of other dogs, but obedience builds confidence. You're teaching Micah that he has other behaviors he can present in XYZ situation aside from reactivity. It's always important that dogs understand they have a choice, and the choices they make have consequences. In Micah's case, he can get upset at other dogs and bark his head off or he can choose to sit with you and get tasty treats for "watch me" or "shake" or "lie down" or whatever it is you ask of him. One is far more pleasant for both you and him than the other.

You have to work up to these ideal behaviors, of course, but you have to start somewhere! You can google and search on Youtube for basic cues and tricks to teach him. There are some very comprehensive Youtube videos out there that will teach you step by step and make it fun for both you and Micah. Here are some common ones: sit, lie down, watch me, touch, shake, take a bow, rollover, play dead, spin around.

As for physical exercise, you're going to have to find something that works for you, I'm afraid. If you don't have a backyard and are limited on space in the home, you might have to get creative. This might mean taking a jog after dark when no one else walks their dog, assuming you live in a safe neighborhood -- although, with a dog as big as Micah, someone would have to be an idiot to do you harm. You might resort to a flirt pole, fetch, or frisbee in a trusted friend or neighbor's yard. Although kind of pricey, Micah might take to agility training or some other dog sport/activity. You could also engage him in an intense game of fetch/tug if you can find some room in your home.

I can almost guarantee that if Micah gets the energy outlet that his husky/shepherd heart and brain need, he'll be easier to manage and train with regards to reactivity.

I know this is a lot of information. I have more if you want it. There is always hope, and Micah really is lucky to have found you. He will get better in time!

You've gotten a lot of good opinions, I'll throw mine in for fun :-)

First. I think you're a good dog owner and I think you can make this work.

Many people have suggested a dog walker - I think that is a great idea. I have a coworker who has a dog walker who gathers up a few dogs from his neighborhood, drives them to a park and they have 3+ hour adventures! Plus they get to spend some time riding around to pick up and drop off the other dogs, I think it really fills their dogs day. My coworker does this M-F but even one day a week would be awesome.

Second. Work his brain. I'd start feeding all his meals in a food dispensing toy he enjoys. I used all of the ones I'll link below either for the dogs I work with or my pets.

[Bob-a-lot] (http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob-A-Lot-Interactive-Pet-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4) This one is pretty tough and can be left alone with some dogs

[Tug-a-Jug] (http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Buddy-Dispensing-Medium-Large/dp/B000KV7ZGQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1426890582&sr=1-1&keywords=food+dispensing+bottle+rope+toy) This one can be dangerous if they eat the 'rope' but I love how ease it is to fill.

[Tricky Treat Ball] (http://www.amazon.com/Omega-Paw-Tricky-Treat-Large/dp/B0002DK26M/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1426890517&sr=1-3&keywords=food+dispensing+dog+toy) This one takes my dog FOREVER but holds her interest well. The plastic is really soft so I supervise her using it (while I watch TV or brush my teeth) so she doesn't just lay down and chew at it to get her food. The other thing I like about the soft plastic/rubber is that it is pretty quiet for her to use unlike the other options I've listed.

[Buster Cube] (http://www.amazon.com/Buster-Food-Cube-Large-Colors/dp/B0006G54OU/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1426890999&sr=8-9&keywords=food+dispensing+dog+toy) Not sure if the buster cube was the first of the roll around style food dispensers but it was the only one I knew about for a long time. They're pretty sturdy and challenging.

There are a LOT more food dispensing toys out there but I think the ones they have to move can be a little more exciting than a tightly packed kong they lick at. Kongs are great too, I'd just include them in a rotation of feeding devices.

Another thing you can do to make life more exciting for your dog is to rotate toys. If he has a lot of toys only leave out 2 or 3 on a given day and swap them out for toys you've kept hidden and occasionally introduce a new toy. Some dogs really love novelty.

Finally I think trick training is great. A few 5 minute sessions a day of learning a new behavior, or building on an existing behavior is a great way to beat the boredom.

Some fun tricks you can teach that you can use to make really complex behaviors are take it (hold in mouth), paw target (touch with foot) and nose target (touch with nose). You can use those behaviors along with others tricks to teach him to close doors, open doors, turn lights on and off, put things away, cross his legs, ring a bell, limp, pretend to pee (targeting with a back foot) etc.

Lastly, I'd teach him to search for hidden items in your house. I like to hide something while my dog is out going potty, then watch her search for it while I brush my teeth.

Hope those ideas for easy entertainment help some! Keep the dog, do what you can, you're doing SO MUCH MORE than so many dog owners already. I think he'd be fine if you kept him and just did what you're doing now. :-)

Alright. Here's my 2 cents. Except it's probably gonna turn out to be 50 cents because I like to type, so bear with me.

1. Throw your preconceptions about crate training OUT the window. Especially with a velcro breed like a German shepherd, crate training will be your best friend and key tool. If you need the dog to not be up your ass for a little while (which it will, I guarantee you, that's shepherds for ya), you'll need a place to put it. Since it takes time to train a long down-stay, a crate is your best bet. Proper crate training teaches the dog that the crate is a safe, cozy place for the dog to relax and chew a bone or take a nap or just chill. So find some books or online articles and read up on how to do it because it's great. Seriously. I promise you, when done right, it is absolutely not cruel whatsoever. This article is a good place to start.
   
   
2. Again, read up on it. I haven't had many experiences introducing cats and dogs, so I can't give you my own anecdotal advice, but like with anything else take it slow and keep it positive. Reward the dog for calm behavior around the cats and if s/he tries to chase them, give a time-out or separate them for a while. The cats are the real wild cards here, because if they have not been socialized to dogs then they are of course liable to get angry at the dog. If the dog hasn't been socialized to cats then the dog will perceive the anger as excitement and may try to play or fight, depending on the dog. So try to keep the cats calm and give them plenty of spaces to escape to; if they like to climb, get them a tower or a shelf that's all theirs, for example.
   
   
3. Nah, not necessarily. Every dog has different toy preferences so if you get a bunch now you may find that your dog isn't even interested in half of them. I would say wait until you get the dog and then go to a pet store together and figure out what it likes then. However, one thing that is useful for almost every dog is a Kong or two (or three...). If you want to start stocking something now, I would strongly suggest putting a little money away per week/month/pay period in a savings account so you have some financial cushion if the dog suddenly needs expensive vet care. Or just for general expenses for the dog. Because they are expensive.
   
   
4. Bones are fine. Make sure they are raw, because cooked bones can splinter and cause damage. My person lrule is that if they are small enough to swallow or soft enough to break down into swallowable pieces, they don't get them while unsupervised. Also be careful with super hard things like antlers at first. I've never experienced this, but apparently some dogs have softer teeth than others and can break their teeth on antler chews. Antlers are great for puppies who are chewing maniacs but again, just supervise them at first. Rawhides are also hit or miss; many people give them to their dogs without issue but ingested rawhide can sometimes swell up from moisture and cause intestinal blockages. Apparently. Most people agree that it's unsafe to give rawhide to puppies.
   
   
5. Positive reinforcement trainer. Don't settle for anything else. Look for a trainer who is a certified behaviorist (will have a master's or PhD), has an animal behavior degree, has credentials through the Association of Pet Dog Trainers or the Karen Pryor Academy (there are a few others but those are the most common), and/or a combination of two or more of those things. You can search for one here or here. And here is a worst-case scenario story of what can happen when a dog that just has a few bad manners gets "trained" abusively and irresponsibly.
   
   
6. Hmm. I have no idea what a fourteener is, but I'll give this one a shot. Hiking, in my experience, is not too strenuous exercise for a dog. If you were running the dog really hard in a game of fetch or taking him/her on a jog without giving it breaks, that would be one thing. But leisurely hikes, where the dog can slow down or speed up or stop and sniff at its own pace, should be just fine. What I like to do with our dog is put her on a 20'+ leash and just let her drag that so we don't have to hold a leash and she can run ahead and then wait for us, which she likes to do. She sticks pretty close (she's a shepherd too), but a recent rescue may not do the same. I would recommend, if you do the long leash method, clipping it to your belt/loop with a carabiner. That way, dog gets to run ahead or lag behind, but can't run off. ...Aaand I got sidetracked. Watch for signs of tiredness: excessive panting, lagging behind, stopping and sitting/lying down, low head and slow movement, etc. Just make sure to at first give doggie lots of breaks (and offer water every break!) and work up to longer hikes.
   
   
7. Depends on what your dog is interested in. Some dogs just want to run and chase a ball, and only that will tire them. Other dogs will be entertained by a few training sessions or a game of Find the Treat/Toy. Others are more relaxed/lazy and will be content lying around the house with you. That's probably not the case for many German shepherds, but if the dog is older it may be. I like to feed our dog with a food ball or puzzle toy, because it takes her longer to eat and is more interactive and entertaining than her just guzzling her food out of a bowl. I will also give her a stuffed and frozen Kong (usually it has food and/or treats and some peanut butter) if she is especially bored and I don't have time to play with her or walk her. I suggest teaching your dog lots of fun tricks because s/he will pick them up quickly and then you can have them do the tricks if they're bored. :)
   
   Other tips, even though this is getting ridiculously long - Read! Educate yourself! Explore as many possible resources as you can to find what is right for you and your dog! Here are some good ones:
   
   

• Whole Dog Journal (website/periodical)
  
  
• The Other End of the Leash (book)
  
  
• The Culture Clash (book)
  
  
• Clickertraining.com
  
  
• Dogmantics.com, and her YouTube channel
  
  Damn. Sorry that is so long. If you somehow have any other questions after all that, I'd be glad to answer them. I have had many, many family dogs, currently share a beloved whiny baby German shepherd with my boyfriend, am pursuing a BS in animal behavior, and work at a positive reinforcement dog training facility. So I am a fountain of fun facts just waiting to be asked questions!

I've posted this before, and it's a great list! Originally posted by u/manatee1010 and I have tried several:

I keep this list of brain toy links handy to send to friends who get dogs. It's getting pretty long...

Toys that get stuffed with food and frozen:

• Kong Classic (15-20 minutes) (it sounds like Watson is lukewarm toward this… have you tried mixing a spoonful of canned food in with some kibble and freezing it?
  
  
• Zogoflex Toppl Interactive Treat Dispensing Dog Toy (this can be a stand-alone toy, or if you get a big one and little one they can fit together and dispense kibble) (15-20 minutes)
  
  
• Starmark Pickle Pocket (my big dog really likes this one… we put cheese in it) (20-25 minutes)
  
  Kibble dispensing toys, hard material (good for carpeted areas)
  
  
• Bob-A-Lot (~10 minutes… this one can be adjusted to make it harder)
  
  
• Tug-A-Jug (10-30 minutes, depending on the dog)
  
  
• Magic Mushroom (10-30 minutes, depending on the dog)
  
  
• Kong Wobbler (~5-10 minutes)
  
  
• IQ Treat Ball (~10-15 minutes)
  
  
• Pet Zone IQ Ball (this is the ONLY toy my dogs can’t get all the kibble out of. They’ll usually persist for half an hour or so before they give up)
  
  
• Buster Cube (I think this has several difficulty settings… my guys now don’t have one of these, but my dog when I was growing up had one. I’d guess this is probably a 20-30 minute toy depending on difficulty and what you load into it)
  
  
• Treatstik – I have NO idea how long this one takes to load, but it’s on my to-purchase list because it seems like it’s one of the longer lasting toys on the market. If anyone has/gets one, I’m super interested to hear about it!
  
  Kibble dispensing toys, soft material (good for hardwood/tile/laminate)
  
  
• Barnacle (this can be stuffed like a Kong as well… I lost this one when I moved but I think in terms of kibble dispensing it was shorter lasting, maybe 5-10 minutes)
  
  
• Tricky Treater (I REALLY like this one; super easy to load and clean, lasts 10-15 minutes)
  
  
• Tricky Treat Ball (another super easy one… <5 minutes)
  
  
• Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop Treat Dispensing Dog Toy – this one just arrived yesterday so I don’t have a solid rating of its durability yet, but so far it seems great… easy to load, takes the dogs awhile to empty, and super duper quiet.
  
  
• JW Pet Company Treat Puzzler Dog Toy (this one is super easy for them to empty… I’d say 3-5 minutes)
  
  
• PetSafe Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble Meal Dispensing Dog Toy (this one is okay, not my favorite… I didn’t like that I had to make a decision about cutting it immediately after opening. It takes ~5-10 minutes to unload)
  
  
• Starmark Treat Dispensing Puzzle Ball - this one is new! I almost bought it the other day but haven't yet; I think it's most similar to a Buster Cube in terms of adjustable difficulty, it's just a softer material.
  
  Time-release kibble dispensing toys (good for work days)
  
  
• the Foobler is great because it works on a timer that rotates to the next of six, ¼ cup food hoppers at set intervals of time (you pick, the options are 15-30-60-90 minutes), which makes it last way longer than most of these toys. This is hard plastic.
  
  
• CleverPet – this has a December release date. I’m way pumped about it and have been in touch with the company… hopefully I’ll be getting one of the first models off the line!
  
  Lastly, there are also these two that I haven’t tried yet, so I’m not positive how to classify…
  
  
• Starmark Crunching Barbell
  
  
• Starmark Treat Crunching Multiball
  
  
  ETA: If you have any others you like (or don't like) that I've left off this list, please chime in!

Just a light cotton sheet or tablecloth will do for covering. If you can find it in a dark color, that would be great, but just not being able to see around her will help.

Sitting before you open the door is totally fine. Creating a routine is a great way to get her to love the crate, the more treats involved the better!
This is the treat ball I use which works great as long as your dog isn't much of a destroyer. Holds a fair amount of food. If you're not sure about the food bowl just putting in a large object or smaller upside down bowl inside the food dish can help in the meanwhile.

Outside as a family is great, I was just thinking of those time when you're worried about her peeing but would like to give her some time outside her crate unsupervised. I'm not too familiar with heat+breathing issues so you might consult your vet just to see what they recommend based on your climate and your pup.

I'm glad I could help! I just totally know how it is to feel frustrated with your dog. I'm glad she's peeing indoors less! May also just be her getting used to her new home :)

Best of luck!

Edit! Oh I forgot about the ear cleaning. Cheese whiz! Or similar consistency stuff, peanut butter works too but isn't as convenient. Smear a long thin line of it on the floor (or other easily wipeable surface). Like, a foot of it. You can even space it out a bit. While she's busy licking, you can mess with her ears. Picked this trick up from my vet and it works awesomely.

Can't answer anything area specific but I'll link some toys/beds/products my dogs like.

Food Dispensing Toys

• IQ ball. My dogs eat all their meals out of this one. It is quite loud on hard floors.
  
  
• Bob-a-lot.
  
  
• Magic mushroom
  
  
• Tricky treat ball
  
  
• Kong Wobbler
  
  Puzzles
  
  
• Twister
  
  
• Tornado. This one is fairly easy.
  
  
• Chess 3
  
  
• Move to pull
  
  
• Brick. Very easy but good starter puzzle.
  
  This is a nice bed for dogs who like to burrow/get under covers. They also like beds similar to this one.
  
  Food is up to you. Do some research online and read through ingredients to find a good one. One of my dogs gets Orijen and the other gets Wellness.
  
  I definitely recommend you seek out some training classes. They are also good for socialization in a controlled environment. It's a great way to bond with your dog and really fun to advance through different classes and class types.
  
  The toys my dogs like are beanie babies and kleenex. If your dog is a chewer then don't waste money on stuffed toys.
  

ACDs are quite the toy destroyers aren't they? Although my guy isn't quite as esteemed in the destruction field as an ACD, he is pretty bad. Here's what has survived him:

• Kong Sqrunch
  
• Ethical Skinneeez Big Bite Coyote Stuffingless Dog Toy (I really like this one because you can replace the water bottle inside. The only issue I have with it is that it can get kind of grimey)
  
• KONG Wobbler Treat Dispensing Dog Toy (good if he likes puzzles)
  
• KONG Extreme Dog Toy, Black
  
• Invincibles Snake Stuffingless Durable Tough Plush Dog Squeaky Toy with Squeakers by Outward Hound
  
• Jolly Pets Push-n-Play 14-Inch (might be really fun for him as it taps in to some herding dog's natural herding instinct)
  
• Benebone Real Flavor Wishbone Chew Toy, Made in USA (I'd be careful with these and supervision only at first. If your dog's chewing style is too aggressive, he can end up bleeding. I wouldn't dismiss it until you try it though. My boy is pretty aggressive, but works for him.)
  
• West Paw Zogoflex Hurley Durable Dog Bone Chew Toy for Aggressive Chewers, 100% Guaranteed Tough, It Floats!, Made in USA, for Strong Chewers (this one is awesome. Aside from some dirt, it looks exactly like the day I bought it to this day.
  
• goDog Dragons Flats Plush Dog Toy with Chew Guard Technology (My guy really likes plush toys and squeakers. He doesn't normally get them because he likes ripping them out and it's not the safest. This is the best one that I've found so far that will put up the biggest fight.)
  
• Goughnuts - Original Dog Chew Ring (a lot of people really like this, but unfortunately, Atlas doesn't seem to like the shape too much.)
  
• MultiPet Goblets Pig latex Dog toy Assorted Colors (lmfao my dog fucking loves this pig. The squeaker doesn't last, but the pig's outer shell does. He loves it a lot.)
  
• JW Pet Company Mini Hol-ee Roller Dog Toy, Colors Vary (They've also got an extreme edition here)
  
• MuttNation Fueled by Miranda Lambert Faux Suede Dog Toy (his face has come off, and his tail is frayed, but it is still chewable and he enjoys playing with it)
  
• KONG Cozies Dog Squeaky Toy (Also a really great option if you want to treat him to a plush toy. It will last longer than most others. Mine ripped off the ear when he first got it, but the rest lasted quite a while.)
  
• Outward Hound Hide-A-Squirrel and Puzzle Plush Squeaking Toys for Dogs (He loved this toy so much. He loves puzzles, but he destroyed the log fairly quickly. Surprisingly, he has had one of the squirrels for over a year ... and it still squeaks. I lost the rest of them, but that one little squirrel is still going strong.)
  
• Mammoth TireBiter Chew Toy with Rope (don't get this unless you don't mind bits of tire coming off)
  
• OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy (great if your dog eats kibble and likes puzzles)
  
• Nylabone Dental Dino Power Chew DuraChew Dental Chew Toy (Like the benebone, watch him with this one at first. It's really hard and you don't want him to hurt himself. Eventually wears down, but takes a damn long time)
  
• We also do rope toys, antlers, bully sticks (special occasion- they last like 5 minutes), raw bones (we feed raw), Himalayan Yak Chews, and Flirt Pole.
  
  Reading my list, god damn my dog is spoiled. Keep in mind, these are just the toys that have made it. I'm not even counting the ones he's destroyed!
  
  Let me know if you have any questions!
  
  Lastly, I don't own a husky, but man do I respect the destruction a husky can wreck. I would recommend going to a husky group on facebook or a subreddit to see what toys they would recommend. If it's husky approved... it should last.
  
  
  

Wow aha. This sounds like my corgi puppy (female) a few weeks ago to a tee. She is now 15 weeks old.

​

I know you already know what I am going to say, but the little habits will fall away pretty quickly as he gets used to his new surroundings! At least it happened that way for me!

​

For the zero chill, I started forced nap times every 2 hours. She mellowed out pretty hard after that. They don't know how to self-regulate their sleep and a lot of the bratty behaviour is because they're overtired and overstimulated!

​

The eating of everything seems to be a common tread as well.. unfortunately that one hasn't gone away for me yet - I hold her leash REALLY tight (or even her collar) while I pick up her poo to make sure she doesn't eat it - gross. Apparently they grow out of this .. still waiting. Also, snails have become the new best thing to eat.. ugh.

​

As for the nipping, I found that yelling "OW!" really shrill and sharp, then storming away and closing the door behind me was super effective (and honestly kind of fun). My corgi is an attention fiend, so she learned pretty quick that nipping results in a loss of attention and play time.

​

Lastly, my corgi pup did the EXACT same thing with her kibble.. I tried soaking it in broth, even that got boring. So, I got her a treat dispensing toy and I load up her entire meal into it, she now LOVES her kibble. Corgis love a challenge, they're smart dogs. Maybe give that a try? It's a $10 investment on Amazon (https://www.amazon.ca/Omega-Paw-Tricky-Treat-Orange/dp/B0002DK26M/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=omega%2Bpaw%2Bball&qid=1552483475&s=gateway&sr=8-1&th=1)

​

Best of luck! And don't hesitate to message me with any corgi puppy problems!

> Can you suggest a puzzle feeder that works well?

I have had good luck with wobbler toys like the one the other user suggested. I got this ball which is super cheap and takes forever to get the food out of. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DK26M/ The downside of the ball is that it goes everywhere. The upside is that it holds a ton of food and is genuinely difficult to get kibble out of, even for me.

> Also, how do you freeze liquid in it? I tried to stuff the hole last night with PB and dry food and poor stock in there and it just drained right out

personally, I've never tried this. Off the top of my head, I might put some peanut butter in the bottom of a coffee mug, plug the small hole of the kong from the inside with about a tablespoon of peanut butter, put the small side of the kong into the peanut butter inside the coffee mug. In my mind this makes the kong stand up straight and makes a plug for the stock. Maybe freeze the peanut butter plug for an hour or so to help give it a good seal? Sounds difficult, but I can definitely see the appeal for a low-calorie long lasting treat.

> Also, how do I feed him for good behaviors? Anytime I get up he follows me so if he were playing by himself he would stop as soon as I moved, so would he still associate it with the good behavior?

this is where a clicker really comes in handy. first you "charge your clicker" by clicking and treating and clicking and treating until when he hears a click he expects a treat. Then you train with the clicker so you click as close to the moment that the dog takes a desired action as possible. So, for sit, right when the butt touches the ground. This helps to "mark" a behavior. Always give a treat for a click, but the click abstracts the marking of the behavior from the reward for the behavior. Once that is all well ingrained, being able to click for playing alone becomes way more possible.

> And if I had the food just sitting by me he wouldn't leave me alone because he knows it's there.

The clicker is great here too. Click for when he starts to ignore you, and then toss the food somewhere else (maybe his mat/towel that you are working on "go to mat" with?). Over time, he learns that ignoring you gets him good stuff too. This is hard for the human, to be both inattentive and giving attention, but it pays off like crazy.

Hope this helps. If you're interested in the clicker stuff, this is a good video to get started with. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPDOrEEsAJ8&t=1m55s As a final piece of information, my first trainer was certified with the Karen Pryor academy, and I learned a ton from her. Good luck!

Even at my dog's worst his blood work-ups (and parasite checks) came back normal, so I wouldn't necessarily trust those as an indicator that everything is fine. That being said, my dog was throwing up blood and getting spontaneous bloody diarrhea in the house though, so those are really obvious signs that something's wrong, you would notice something like that! Unfortunately it took a long time for the vet to figure out what was wrong, but since we've gotten it figured out we haven't had a single incident, thank goodness.

Since you don't have concerns about your dog's health, one thing you can try is feeding your dog his meals in a puzzle toy. My dog is much more motivated to eat if I put his kibble in a "kibble ball" (http://www.amazon.com/Omega-Paw-Tricky-Treat-Large/dp/B0002DK26M), but you could also look into the kong wobbler or other toys where the dog can play to get his meal out. Even sticking kibble in a toilet paper tube and pinching the ends shut is fun for my dog. He thinks empty toilet paper rolls are fun though, too.

My dog is eating Annamaet, the venison/salmon formula. He doesn't do well with chicken/turkey/duck/some fish so his options are pretty limited. Annamaet does make GF foods too if you're really into that, I used to feed the red meat formula ("manitok") but 30% protein is too much for my pup. Plus I'm not opposed to grains for dogs, I'm just careful about which ones/how much. I really love Annamaet, it's really popular here, but it's definitely not available everywhere!

If you're looking for a basic guide to dog foods, this website does a pretty great job rating dog foods. Ultimately, the best dog food for your dog is one your dog does well on, but this is a nice place to see what kinds of ingredients are present in dog foods and the potential benefits/issues with certain ingredients in dog foods: http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/brand/

WALL OF TEXT INCOMING.

My GSD pupper is just about 7 months old. A few pieces of advice/warnings:

1. BE PREPARED TO GET CHEWED ON! Don't lose your temper, don't hit, don't yell - just get up and walk away. That has been the most effective way of dealing with the insane amount of chewing she has gone through (literally everything else just made her more crazy and she'd just bite harder). She is now much, much better. We taught her soft mouthing, so even when she's riled up and puts her teeth on us it doesn't hurt anymore.
   
2. HOLY CRAP SHE GETS BORED SUPER EASY. Invest in puzzle feeders, and look up trick training! I've found that one of the best ways to get her engaged is to teach her lots of fun tricks and then string them all together in new ways. Also, peanut butter stuffed kongs and this thing have been super distracting for her - give it to your pup when you need a break.
   
3. Crate train! It makes potty training much easier and helps reduce separation anxiety (we would leave her in her crate for a few hours a day in a different room when she was small, now she doesn't freak out when we leave the house). There are plenty of great tutorials on how to make the crate a comfortable, safe place and not a scary doom cage.
   
4. ALWAYS insist that your vet checks for hip dysplasia at EVERY vet exam. Just this week my pupper was diagnosed, and because it was caught young enough she is a great candidate for a TPO surgery. She will most likely recover full hip function after the surgery because her growth plates haven't sealed yet. Keep an eye out for signs and symptoms at home too - do her ankles touch together in the back? Does she sometimes lie down and not want to get back up, even for play time or treats?
   
5. SOCIALIZE SOCIALIZE SOCIALIZE! Take your pup to the park right after your first round of shots! Carry her in your arms if you have to, but do it. Let her see kids/get pets and treats from strangers. Set up play dates with other dogs that are vaccinated BEFORE she hits 12 weeks old! Enroll her in puppy classes ASAP - most places only require you to have one or two rounds of vaccines before you sign up. Look into a doggy daycare, find one that has good behavioral screening, and take her there as well. My pup is the sweetest and most friendly little girl to everyone and everything (except cats... she hates cats...) because we made sure that she was socialized from the get go. Also know that people are inherently more afraid of GSDs, and that is a stigma you will have to face down.
   
   Never be harsh with your GSD. It is super true that you catch more flies with honey, and I believe that is especially true for this breed. We have always found with our pup that she responds much, much better to a soft correction than any sort of yelling or harsh voice.
   
   Have fun! Puppies are delightful but also incredibly taxing!
   
   And here are some pictures of the little devil, Malta.

How much physical and mental exercise is he getting daily right now (in hours)?

It sounds like he's food motivated! An easy way to introduce some mental stimulation is to get some treat dispensing puzzles and feed him his meals in those! If he's never done them before I would get a few and start him off on an easy one first. This one is a great one to get started with and this one has a piece in the middle you can take out or put in for more difficulty. Other than that, just two 5-10 minute sessions of trick or obedience training daily can make a big difference. There's lots of great guides on youtube for that. Taking a fun training or sports class together is also a great way to tire out his brain and body and a wonderful way to bond and become closer.

As far as off leash back yard play time, I always like to recommend a flirt pole. They are super easy to make yourself or you can order off Amazon. I've got a BC/Cattle Dog mix and we like to alternate flirt pole, fetch, tug/keep away/chase, and blowing bubbles!

But honestly if he's getting a lot of exercise and fairly chill, not destructive or having other behavior issues he might just be fine. Not all dogs like to snuggle or be right up in your face all the time.

Find a good vet and positive reinforcement trainer or take classes still positive reinforcement. Makes sure to crate train. Be consistent with all training everyday. Give lots of mental mad physical stimulus during day. In morning before you leave house talk potty walk and play to use some energy up. Make training fun, exercise some before you start will help them pay attention to you. Which every way you go class or trainer you must still work with your dog daily between the sessions. Being consistent is the only way they will learn what is expected. Only working onece a week isn't going to help.

Understand dogs do not know what we expect of them and must be taught. Again be consistent use redirecting for bad behavior giving a positive experience.

Potty training again make it fun and make a solid routine. If caught in house simply sternly say "no out" and walk outside. I'd suggest bell training to ring every time you go out with out command also give dog a way to say I need out. When goes outside be excited with lots of love and treats. I'd buy a small carpet clean, use enxyme ceeaner with it, for messes they can happen when change causes stress.

They are perpetual toddlers who will always need us including entertainment. You've got this wihh everyone here to help when we can.

Also a week not hearing from a rescue is not ghosting you. They stay busy with many run by volunteers. Sometimes it takes a little bit for them to go over everything before making a choice and other people are also interested.
I am glad it worked out and you have you new family member.

A few toys ideas:

UOLIWO Dog Treat Dispensing Toy, Duck Dog Toy Squeak Dog Treat Puzzle Toy Durable Plush Chew Toys for Small Medium Large Dogs Training Playing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2NLBQ2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Xl7LDbJTMP3F3

AWOOF Dog Puzzle Toys, Pet Snuffle Mat for Dogs, Interactive Feed Game for Boredom, Encourages Natural Foraging Skills for Cats Dogs Bowl Travel Use, Dog Treat Dispenser Indoor Outdoor Stress Relief https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N1JYYCW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ym7LDb7DCBKCJ

Our Pets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy (ASSORTED COLOR) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_in7LDb9AX6C5Q

Trixie Dog Activity Flip Board Strategy Game (9.05 inch) (Multicolored) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076MGW9RM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Fn7LDbBAQ1KAK

The Trixie has tons of different ones.

This is my advice from training lots of dogs and volunteering many years at the humane society (I am not a professional) - "don't work harder, work smarter." You are trying way too hard and you are burning yourself out. That does not bode well for you or your dog.

He is hyperactive and needs to get his energy out, but that said, no dog needs 4-5 hours of activity a day. That is just crazy. Instead of running or walking (save your knees, you need them!) with him, train him to do urban mushing. Since you says he pulls a lot, it would be dangerous for you to get a regular bike so I would recommend getting a cart.

Next, buy him a weighted pack. Throw this on him (and feel free to put your water bottles and snacks in there) while you are walking or for a couple of hours a day and it will slow him down and tire him out. It also makes him feel like he has a job to do. Since you think he may be a blue lacey, you really need to give him a job to do since he is a working dog. That also explains why he doesn't like doing tricks but likes finding stuff for you.

A couple of activities that are great for a working dog are agility and nose work. Sign up for your local agility and nose work class and the people there will give you great tips on how to tire your dog out without burning yourself out since they are actually experienced with training with working dogs. These kinds of jobs also train him to listen to your commands in a home setting.

Your dog is not a extremely dominant or submissive, he is what working dog trainers call a "soft" dog. This means they are very sensitive to loud, verbal yelling or negative energy. It is hard to see them react when you overcorrect but this also means that they are very trainable since they want to please you. Use a calm and low voice when you correct your dog.

For working from home, you have to learn to ignore him. I know it is heartbreaking to hear his whining but the truth of it is, if you give a dog an inch, they will take a mile. He knows how to push your buttons and he will so you have to harden yourself up not give in. Instead, get him a bunch of interactive toys
like this 1, [2] (https://www.amazon.com/Trixie-Mad-Scientist-Dogs-Level/dp/B003TOKTEG/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1469997634&sr=8-11&keywords=interactive+dog+toys), [3.] (https://www.amazon.com/Trixie-Gambling-Tower-Level-1/dp/B002XCTUIQ/ref=sr_1_38?ie=UTF8&qid=1469997634&sr=8-38&keywords=interactive+dog+toys) Fill them with his favorite treats and let him learn to amuse himself.

Lastly, this is probably the most important advice I have - get a gentle leader. It jerks their head to the side if they pull, so they stop pulling. It works amazingly for dogs who like to pull on their leash and do not respond to training. It seriously is a godsend for many of the dogs I walked in the shelter and could not control. It will save you many a more broken bones.

Feel free to message me if you need more help. I love helping people who love their dogs enough to not give up on them.

Hello everyone! We are [Bear] (http://i.imgur.com/yJcaP4C.jpg), [Pancake] (http://i.imgur.com/ulnyNmC.jpg), and [Chunk] (http://i.imgur.com/M7ZG6mC.jpg). Mom says we are spoiled brats, but come on, look at how cute we are! Mom also says we are the most handsomest boys on the planet and we completely agree with her there. We would like to hang out with both Viktor and Hanners, since we love both puppies and kitties. We really think you both would like [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Ourpets-DT-10504-Smarter-Toys-Inches/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369328903&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+toys) because your mom could put treats in it for both of you (and who doesn't like to chase a ball around?). Our mommy thinks we would like anything on this [list] (http://amzn.com/w/2QB5CR9KR71XX). But really we like just about everything and we aren't picky at all!

And some extra picture because mommy says we are adorable. [Bear with our mommy!] (http://i.imgur.com/qGMPuT4.jpg) and [The two kitties together!] (http://i.imgur.com/7DEMfR2.jpg).

Thanks for wanting to spoil us and all the other pets out there!

I want to be friends with Hanners and Viktor!

Puzzle bowls are good. Interactive feeders are good too. like this or like this. I would spend some time (as in a couple weeks) constantly reinforcing calm behavior in the house.

One step further than the previous poster. Out of 100 meals... maybe 10 I feed from the bowl. I STRONGLY prefer to feed by hand. And I recommend this as a first step for basically anyone looking to get into training their dog.

They learn that food comes from you, not a bowl. They need to work for the food instead of getting it for free. Builds trust, drive to work with you, increases the bond between handler and dog. Just so many things that are good by hand feeding.

What do I mean by this? Depends on what you want to get out the dog. It could be as simple as having the dog lay down and rewarding for that small handful at a time until food is done. Maybe you take this a step further and working on laying down in a pet bed. If your in a hurry you can do the "find it" game... and toss kibble around the house for him to hunt down.

Of course you can use their normal food for stuff like sit, stay, paw, spin, roll over, etc. all the fun behaviors. In the very beginning of teaching your (first couple years imo) I would have food on your body almost all the time. And just reward for doing stuff you want to see. You get in the car and he lays down? Perfect I want to encourage that behavior in the future so here is a bunch of treats. Being all zoomy in the car? well... no treats for you.

We originally wanted a brown/red one but we just fell in love with ours and couldn't not adopt him.

I'm not sure if you're doing it but crate training is an absolute must. It'll make your life so much easier once your little guy gets used to it. We feed Chewie all his meals in the crate and he now will go in there when he's tired and wants to sleep. He also won't pee in there so it's useful for sleeping in at night.

In terms of training - we managed to teach him sit on the day we brought him him and teaching them to drop things is really simple as well. Play a bit of tug-of-war with him and then say "drop it" or "let go" (either is fine, but only use one or the other - not both). Hold a treat by his nose and he'll drop it. Do it a few times and he'll be dropping things on command in no time at all.

What I love about ours is we just don't need to bathe him frequently. We've had ours for almost 6 weeks now and we've only showered him once. His coat just looks amazing and he still smells pretty clean!

The breed itself is just so playful and generally will love to meet every single person, dog and anything else. He'll be a useless guard dog but a fun little companion.

I'd recommend looking at getting some puzzle/IQ toys for your dog. It'll help their mental capacity and surprisingly tires them out as though they've had a run around the garden. We started him on this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trixie-Dog-Activity-Flip-Board/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1450062456&sr=8-2&keywords=dog+puzzle

Hide some high value treats in there (cheese!) and watch him entertain himself for half an hour. There are other toys but that has definitely worked for us.

why was your vet glad it wasn't a pure malinois?? they're amazingly smart, loyal, and generally great dogs. what an odd comment.

they're very smart dogs. you can take her to a reputable training school (probably not petsmart), and make sure they do POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT training. I'm new to the sub so i'm not sure what the general consensus is, but having a belgian breed dog as well, they do not respond well to the dominance stuff. they're eager to please, they just need to know how.

puzzle toys will be your best friend, too. my favorite has been this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Our-Pets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches/dp/B003ARUKU0

2 years later, it's still in 1 piece... unlike anything else we bought in 2013... lol.

if you need any other specific advice, feel free to PM me.

I agree on balls and frisbees. I'm a huge fan of the brand ChuckIt. Especially the balls like these. They seem to hold up very well. They have a lot of give like a tennis ball which my dog loves. But they're pretty much solid rubber so they're not going to crack and break like tennis balls. But still have a lot of bounce and are relatively soft. I like the same brand for frisbees too. They're soft (but still have actual structure to them so they fly) so I don't have to worry about wear and tear on my dog's teeth. And they float so they're good for the beach/lake/river/pool. The frisbees aren't as tough as the balls and a determined dog can wreck one pretty quickly. Like within a few hours. But they hold up very well to normal frisbee use. And you're better off getting them online than at Petsmart. They're usually around $18 there and under $10 online.

Jolly Balls are fun too. The ones with the handles seem to lose the handle pretty quick. And the ones with the rope will have the rope pulled out. But the ones with the rope don't have a gaping hole in one side once the rope comes out and the ball itself doesn't fall apart unless a dog is actively trying to wreck it. I have one that I bought 6 months ago that's still in good shape.

• I have this Crate and this seems like it would be a good size. Don't get it any bigger than you have to or the dog is more likely to pee/poop in one corner and sleep in the other.
  
  
• If she's smelly and seems scared of a bath, some pet wipes will hold you over until she seems more chill
  
  Toys:
  
  
• Get a Kong, fill with cooked sweet potato, peanut butter, plain yogurt with a little kibble mixed in, etc, then freeze till solid, and give to your dog for a treat that stimulates them mentally, keeps them busy, and helps with separation anxiety.
  
  
• Hide-a-Squirrel. An interactive toy- you stuff the log with squirrels and any other toys you have and let your dog have a blast tearing them out
  
  
• Treat dispensing toy you can use to actually feed your dog her meals if she eats too fast. I like this one because you can change the difficulty by making the hole openings smaller or larger
  
  
• Lastly if you have no idea what kind of toys she likes and are striking out (and have a little extra dough lying around and want to treat yo-self), you might want to try ordering BarkBox (you can almost always get a free month when signing up so google coupon codes before ordering). I did it for about a year and a half and was always blown away by the quality and the amazing way they curate each box to fit a theme. The toys were always adorable!
  
  I didn't know about the 2 Week Shutdown when I got my dog and while things turned out okay in the end, I definitely think it would have been VERY beneficial to do it. So best of luck and please update us with pics when she gets home!

We have... lots of toys we've collected over the years. The dog in question just chews until he finishes the toys, then falls asleep. Without, he barks non-stop for hours on end. The toys rarely wear out, although it does happen.

I used to use a lot of rolly toys, but it seems like he does better with stuff he can calmly lay and chew on.

My favorites are:

• Kong
  
• Starmark Pickle Pocket
  
• Starmark Crunching Barbell(I don't use the refills, though; they're stupid expensive. I stuff one end with the guys mix, drop some kibble in the middle, and seal the other end)
  
• Zogoflex Toppl(the large and small sizes fit together to make it last longer)
  
  Rolly toys, I like:
  
  
• Orbee Tuff (better on hardwood, the material gets gross fast on carpet)
  
  
• and on carpet my favorite is the
  Foobler. It's pricier, but it's cool because it makes more food available to your dog at specified times intervals (15/30/60/90 min). The downside is, it really bangs around on hard floors.
  
  We use frozen marrow bones, as well. They're cheap (~$1 each), don't require any prep, and last about an hour.
  
  He's baby gated in the kitchen and has a big memory foam bed. We cover it with a cheap blanket because it's easier to clean and sometimes he's messy.
  
  We taught him a "relax" cue, which means "lay down, pop your hip, and put your chin on the ground." He has to stay like that in his bed while I take the toys out and lay them around the room. I release him as I walk out the door and he runs to collect his toys. It really helps for him to spend a few minutes relaxing before I leave, and getting him focused on something other than me leaving is a good distraction.
  
  I hope this helps. It's a frustrating issue and I can only hope my experience can help others.

Reggie is BEAUTIFUL! Congratulations!

My dogs are smaller, but they love to destroy things. They never "savor" their toys. Kong balls are amazing, but I'm sure you're aware. My dogs have a TON of nylabones that last forever. They really like the dinosaur and it's inexpensive as well.

Here are my GSP rescues wearing tie-dye! They would really enjoy this puppy cake as a prize!

Good luck to you and your new pup!

I got the IQ Treat Ball in one of my monthly Bark Box packages (highly recommend for their great products and awesome customer service) and it is one of the best, longest lasting dog products I've owned.

My dog has abused it in many ways, including chewing. It only broke open once when I wasn't supervising but I'm guessing it was because the top was loose. However, I've tossed and rolled it across my house and hasn't broken open once. You can adjust the opening for the treats depending on how easy or hard you want your dog to get to the food.

It hold a good amount of food, definitely enough to feed my dog. You can always refill it too. The ball has a twist open top so you can clean it inside and out. Your dog must be very food motivated in order for him to play with it. At first you need to show your dog there food and treats inside to get him to play with it but she will catch on. After a while, my dog figured out how to roll the ball in a way that will get multiple treats out. One of my more prouder moments as a dog owner.

Amazon link: http://amzn.com/B003ARUKTG

Hmm... I'll see how cheap I can get this. You should be able to find all these products (or similar ones) at stores near you! And that will save on shipping-to-you costs.

Mini Hol-ee Treat Ball - great toy for small dogs! $2.99
Zuke's Mini Naturals - my dog LOVES these little treats and they fit nicely into the Holee Ball. $7.99
Dylan's Chocolate Squares - delicious! $14.00
Photo Mount Dispenser - scrapbooking, aw yiss $4.99
Total: $29.97+shipping

My mom also sent me some great care packages when I was in college. She went to Whole Foods and got those pre-measured plastic bins of roasted almonds, dried cranberries, malted milk balls, whatever what have you. They were bulky enough that they took up some real space in the box so the package looked bigger than it was. Also included were silly little travel games, copies of the NYT Magazine, stuff like that. Good luck!

This is our 8 month old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Winston!

He chews and chews and chews, but he's pretty good at keeping it to his toys (and the occasional stray sock)

His favourites (and those that haven't given up after about 5 minutes are the Kong ball, Kong classic, Kong squeezze, elk antlers and finally Nylabones (I tend to buy one size up to avoid him tearing through them...

He is a surprisingly strong chewer and has destroyed just about everything else we've presented to him within minutes, sometimes within seconds!

There are 3 pitbulls around my place and I find they have LOTS of energy...I would suggest that you invest in some "agility equipment" to work the mind and the body! We bought some cheap shower tension rods to use as jumping obstacles in the hallway, a play tunnel from IKEA - although it may be too small for a pit...and this summer, we will make some weave poles out of PVC pipes and stuff.

A travel bowl or this Nylabone dinosaur would be awesome for Winston! :D

Thanks so much for the contest and congrats on the new pup! Enjoy him and snuggle him and love him! Dogs are the best! :D

My advice? Crate train from the very start. It'll give your dog his own space and give you relief from those tiny teeth when you need it. :)

Puppies bite. A lot. Don't be disheartened by it.

Dogs like rewards. Check out positive rewards training like the kikopup channel listed in the sidebar. It'll save you a lot of frustration. I personally find this list of kikopup videos easier to navigate.

Dogs don't know how to walk on a leash until you give them direction. Don't expect him to walk next to you and not sniff everything in front of him. They don't know not to pull and sniff constantly. Teaching heel indoors before you ever need it outside is a lifesaver.

No pushing your dog's nose into an accidental pee. That teaches nothing and makes your dog think you're an unpredictable whacko.

Exercise, exercise, exercise! No forced leash running until he's fully grown, but until then, keep him from getting bored by getting him lots of play time. Training exercises require a lot of focus on his part, so that'll tucker him out too. Treat balls for feeding are super fun and herders seem to love them.

Be his best friend. The quality of his life depends entirely on you. No tying him to a tree out back and going on with life as if he doesn't exist.

Good luck with him. Add a pic to this thread once you get him so I can aww over him. :)

My add on list is for my PUP! You've "met" Lulu, right?! My husky? I think you've complimented her on how beautiful she is. Here are her lovely photos again, just in case:

Lulu!

Lulu again!

Lulu some more!

Lulu Wearing Eyebrows

Final Lulu!

Bonus video:

Dog doing tricks

---

$4.59 stuffed dog toy

$3.49 squeaky tennis ball set

$3.49 car air fresheners (also a dog item, stinky pup coming back from the beach!)

$3.74 dog toy - stuffingless duck (Lulu LOVES her babies, and she whines when she holds them in her mouth!)

$5.22 Cheddar dog treats

$3.99 Pumpkin dog treats

$3.99 Cranberry dog treats

---

28.51 in add on items! THIS IS THE MOST SUPER CONTEST I'VE EVER HEARD OF IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. If I win, I will prepare an academy-award-esque speech and take a video of my dog enjoying all of these items! You are so awesome! I'm so geeked to see who wins and all their superb items!

---

Those Himalaya's of the mind!

Not exactly a toy, but sometimes for meals I hide little piles of kibble around and let her sniff them out. Behind table legs, inside an old shoe she plays with, inside a box. She loves it.

She also likes her kong.

She loved the omega paw tricky treat ball when she had it ( http://www.amazon.com/Omega-Paw-Tricky-Treat-Large/dp/B0002DK26M ) but recently we left it outside and a lizard moved into it, so we need a new one. It's not hard, but it was definitely a favorite.

We made a toy (I'll try to post a picture later) that's a Gatorade bottle with a rod through it. We set it up so the rod is horizontal and she paws at the bottle, makes it spin on the rod, and gets fed.

Also, a toilet paper/paper towel roll with the ends taped up is super fun to shred.

She just got what's basically a generic pickle pocket and she hasn't quite figured it out yet, but if I put something nice and smelly in there it keeps her distracted for a while.

> was the treat something substantial that keeps her busy for the whole time you're gone, or just something regular like a dog treat ?

My pup has a slow feed bowl that looks something like this, so I used to put in some of the things that she would go crazy over, and would normally take her at least 5+ minutes to consume, like smearing a thin layer of peanut butter across all of the bowl surfaces. Be warned though, some dogs tend to have sensitive snouts and can rub their noses raw on the bowl, but my pup hasn't had that problem. You just need to find something that is truly a "high value" treat for your dog, and using it exclusively for that. My pup would go nuts over cheese, so I took a piece of old cheddar and smeared it like a crayon inside her bowl. She really liked that. Another option is a puzzle toy like this filled with something tasty (she could occupy herself for half an hour on that), or even a classic Kong with some liver flavoured spread.

> And when you say she wasn't allowed to eat the treat till you were gone - did she see you put it somewhere , how exactly does that work

That's correct! I would let her see me preparing a treat for her, and then I'd place it in her bowl so that she'd focus on waiting for the "go" command instead of building her anxiety at watching me get ready to leave (brushing my teeth, fixing my hair, tying my shoes, etc).

A quick bit of background - The first thing that I had trained her to do was to never snatch, pick up ,or take anything that I haven't specifically told her she can have - this meant toys, meals and treats. I would place treats in front of her, and she learned that she can't have it until I say so, even if I turn away or walk away. I was able to use this trait to keep her focused completely on waiting for the treats, so instead of pacing and whining that I was leaving, she would instead sit by her food bowl and wait for me while I got ready to leave. When I'd open the door and walk out, I'd give the release command "okay!" and she's make herself busy with her treat while I locked up and walked away.

I also reviewed the footage afterwards (from my home surveillance system) and after she finished her treats, she would sniff the door, whine once or twice, grumble a bit (because I'm gone), and then she'd go sleep on the couch all day.

It will get better soon! Trust me! I felt the same way you did 3 months ago. My pug puppy is 5 months old now and she is so much easier to handle than before!

I found that feeding my girl out of a treat ball was a great way for her to get physical exercise and also mental exercise. This is the one I got for her in the 3 inch option. There's a middle white portion that makes it harder to get kibble/treats out but I removed that until she got the hang of using it. It's so much fun to watch her bat the ball around the house and get her food out.

Keep up the training and be consistent. They say pugs are hard to potty train but if you keep up a routine it will really help! My girl lets me know when she needs to go now because she knows she will get a yummy high value treat when she potties outside.

I can't tell you how many times I almost gave up and regretted getting her. Now I feel so guilty for thinking that way because she truly makes me happy every single day. Good luck!

Sure!

The Buster Cube (I have this) is an awesome puzzle toy (this is the "large" version, be sure to check sizes). This is a little bit more difficult to use, as the hole that spits out the food is pretty small, and as the kibble gets to be lesser and lesser inside of the Cube, it's harder to get it out. It's cube-shaped (obviously), so pushing it around isn't all that easy, and your dog needs to be firm with it in order to get the food out. This isn't a good toy for linoleum, or hardwood - it's really only good on carpet.

The IQ Ball is awesome too! It is adjustable, which is cool, so you can make it easy at first, and more challenging as your pup gets better and better at it. This is probably a better choice for tile, linoleum, hardwood, etc.

The Bob-A-Lot is another good one. It's more challenging than the Kong Wobbler (again, check the size, I believe this one is a "large").

I also have this Busy Buddy toy for my dog. It's really really challenging for her. The rope has to go inside of it, and then the dog has to pull it out in order to get the food out. This one takes a bit of effort on your part, unless you think your pup can figure out how to push the rope in and then pull it out again.

There are also plenty of food dispensing toys like this one that force your dog to move "puzzle" pieces around to get the food underneath them!

Lots of options!

My dog (also big, about 110lbs) also sometimes eats REALLY fast... I know about bloat (I used to have greyhounds and according to my vet at the time the breed is particularly susceptible to it) so I'm pretty careful about feeding him. No exercise immediately before or after feeding. I very unthinkingly took my dog for a run once immediately after feeding him a big raw meal, and the poor guy threw up everything he'd eaten halfway through the run and was just miserable all the way home. (He'd also managed to drink some pretty foul ditchwater before I dragged him away, and something in the raw meal might've disagreed with him... I'm back to high-quality kibble because raw feeding was just way too involved for me.) That put the fear of the baby Jesus into me and I've been REALLY careful about his feeding ever since.

One thing I like to do when my dog is REALLY excited about dinner and I can tell he's about to wolf it down is put his food in a treat ball. I'm not really a fan of the traditional buster cube but I got one of these Omega balls and it's worked out great. Might not so much if your dog is a chewer; mine isn't, so he hasn't destroyed any of these, but just in case I do make sure he only has the ball when I'm there to supervise him. The last thing I need is surgery to remove pieces of a treat ball from his gut. :D But my dog LOVES that thing. It ensures that he only gets his kibble a few pieces at a time, and he has a grand old time pushing the thing around with his nose, then spends hours back-tracking and sniffing all over the room to make sure he didn't miss any bits of kibble. It's totally awesome.

My Boxer is a connoisseur of puzzle toys. In Minnesota, it gets way too cold for us to go on long walks to curb his energy, so I engage his brain when it becomes a frozen wasteland outside.

I feed Keenan out of a large Kong Wobbler -- he gets at least one meal a day out of this. It takes him about 30 minutes to work out all the kibbles.

IQ Treat Ball is great for pets that work out puzzles super quickly. This is a fairly difficult toy. Be warned, if you have hard floors, this is loudest thing ever. It's also the perfect size to get stuck under sofas with legs.

Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball is easier to roll around and get kibble sized treats out of. It's also a pain to fill and clean. We don't use this one much.

Everlasting Fun Ball is also hard to fill and difficult to clean, but it's tough. When Keenan is on my last nerve, he gets something super delicious in this and it keeps him occupied until he gets frustrated with it.

Monster Mouth is really tough to get things out of for pups. I'll stuff full sized milk bones in this and leave just a tip hanging out so he can try to pull it out. It keeps him pretty busy, but he gets frustrated by this one quickly.

Buster Food Cube is brilliant in design--you can make it easier and harder to get food out of by twisting the opening. This was Keenan's first puzzle toy and when he figured it out, he got a lot of enjoyment "hiking" it through his back legs at a hard surface to make it bounce off and spray kibbles around. It's loud on hard floors. So loud my ex SO threw it away.

I also pick up random puzzle toys at the store when I see them. I can't find accurate representations on Amazon. Most of them are soft/silicone that you can bend to open and put treats in. Keenan likes his big football one because he knows the yummy, big treats go in that one.

I understand the struggle and I've got a few things for you to try.

First, like an other poster suggested, try playing with him before the walk starts. I have a very jumpy dog and I work with "touch" a few times before we even start walking. Touch is simple and dogs catch on super quickly. You just hide a treat in your hand, put your hand out and wait for him to sniff at it. Then reward him. Once he starts to get it, add the command before you stretch out your hand. I get mine to jump up to touch.

Second, he wears a backpack during walks so he's carrying a little extra weight and is mentally occupied with something besides scanning for cats (his other favorite pastime).

Last, as far as walks are concerned, before the stop and start method is actually effective, you have to teach him to come close to you when you're standing on the leash. So basically what you should do for about 10 minutes in the beginning of the walk is stand. And whenever he slacks up the leash or glances back at you, give him a high value reward. And THEN start walking. That way he associates the stopping with coming close to you before you start walking again. Also, I don't do the stop and start method, I do the stop and turn around and go the other direction method. And I'm very quick to reward him when he's not pulling and just before he starts to pull. So when you feel that leash start to tighten a lot, start making all kinds of interesting noises to pull your dog's attention back to you. The reason I don't stop and wait is because, well, my dog needs the walk. So when I turn around, at least I can reward him a few times before he's suddenly pulling again and slowly that stretches out from a few steps to longer. It does take awhile though. It's taken my dog about a month of solid practice to be chill when there are no distractions. When there are distractions, I bust out the hotdogs.

I did want to add that with a really anxious, high energy dog, you don't want to leave it to the walk to get all of his energy out. You should invest in some interactive toys like kongs or this treat dispensing toy so he has something extra to work at while in the house. Those are just two I use right now. I have gone through so many interactive toys but my dog seems to love those.

Anyway, good luck.

You're welcome!

We adopted our dog 10 years ago and he is part GSD. He needed lots of exercise! After trying many toys, we used mostly this one for him: https://www.amazon.com/Treat-Dispensing-Chew-Ball-Large/dp/B0009YD8NS/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

He played with this toy about 6-8 hours per day. For YEARS. It was very entertaining to watch.

If you try something like this, make it easy the first few times. Remove the little nubs that keep kibble from falling out, so that it falls out easily.

Later you can start varying what is inside for maximum fun. I used to get the fattest carrots from Costco and put chunks inside the ball. It helped to slow the kibble from falling out, and also makes a noise that would make our dog want to play with it more. He eventually learned how to stomp on the ball and make carrots fly across the room. :)

Also we used more than one treat ball toy at the same time. When our dog became bored with one, he would switch to the other one for a while rather than asking us to "fix" the one he was bored with.

Now he is almost 14, so I've made it a lot easier while keeping his play routine intact. He now eats from a traditional kong toy. It can be loaded so that there is more licking and less physical movement required. But he still likes to treat it like a ball even though it is not necessary.

We adopted our cocker spaniel when she was about 2. She'd been severely neglected. She has no idea what toys are. She had no idea how to play.

After 3 years of effort we have made some progress.

• She likes this treat ball, and only this treat ball. She's very food oriented (hello, cocker!) and will roll it about hopefully even after the treats are gone.
  
  
• She recently began to play chase the ball with our standard poodle. She won't bring the ball back.
  
  
• She plays gentle games of patpaw and pushyface.
  
  She enjoys chewing on Nylabones and regular bones, but won't touch a kong.
  
  
  I don't think she'll ever be terribly playful, but I've never found female cockers to be very playful anyway. Perhaps your dog is simply more serious minded?
  
  Her favorite activity is checking the perimeter of our fenced yard. It is quite large, with chipmunks, squirrels, and rabbits. She absolutely loves it, and flushes small animals from the bushes for the st.poodle to chase down and...
  
  Well. I won't elaborate. Some people are squeamish. But they're quite a team.
  
  Maybe your dog would like to learn some tricks. Perhaps a job, like opening drawers or turning lights on/off.
  
  Good luck. I know it is disconcerting to have a dog that doesn't respond to any toys.

Everyone so far has already recommended exercise, which I also recommend. Some people said mental exercise as well, which can wear her out and keep her busy. So, I'm throwing in food toys that make her work for her food (which I'm assuming you probably just pour kibble in a bowl) which can add some more exercise, both physical and mental. Kongs (which are actually not a personal favorite of mine) for when you leave are great. Freeze them and they are harder to get food from. I personally love IQ balls which are perfect spheres and make dogs more or less run around the house after the toy (my guys normally are panting after working to get all the food out). Here are some others since it is a good thing to switch it up and keep her thinking, not just use the same toy over and over (because that would be boring):

PetSafe Tug-A-Jug

PetSafe Egg thing

PetSafe Mushroom thing

Kong Satellite

Kong Wobbler

And in the event you are like "I'M POOR, I CANNOT AFFORD ALL OF THOSE." You can also get a 2 liter bottle and cut holes in it big enough for her to get food out of but not too easily. Also, the mushroom toy has pretty small holes so it isn't easy for bigger kibble (or dog treats), so you might forgo that one. Those are just the ones I own.

ALSO ALSO. PSA FOR EVERYONE. If you shop Amazon Smile (which is where those links take you) you can donate %.05 of all purchases to a charity of your choice. So you should definitely sign up, choose a charity and donate while you shop instead of just shopping. Nothing changes except you shop from Amazon Smile instead of Amazon.

Oh, that sounds super frustrating!!

Here is a video showing how to make an unflippable bowl for less than $10

I think you can also buy some in pet stores or on Amazon but I'm sure you've tried looking at those already!

Have you tried feeding him out of a puzzle toy like a Kong Wobbler? That way, he's literally pushing the 'feeder' from side to side and bonking it around to get food. Here are some options:

Kong Wobbler

Maze Treat Dispenser

IQ Treat Ball

Buster Food Cube

Sorry, no ideas on water bowls, but I'm sure someone on here will have a suggestion.

My heeler doesn't flip the water bowl but he does love to stick his paw(s) in, which makes my other dog very happy, I'm sure. /s

My dachshund, Doobie, is a little terror when it comes to toys. I've found two that hold up pretty well overall.

First, this is Doobie's absolute favorite toy but it never lasts longer than a few hours if I just leave it with him. So I'll only give it to him for play and take it away later to make it last longer. I only mention this one because he loves it so much. It does have stuffing in it, so beware of that. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EB9IV2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This toy is better because it has several squeakers, and it lasts a lot longer. It also has no stuffing to clean up. Though they will still destroy them. But I use this one to play catch (since you can throw it like a frisbee) and tug of war (Since it's easier for you and the dog to hold) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BT8K7J6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the toy that I let him have all the time. It took him a year to destroy the first one. I don't know if it's because it's really that tough or because he's getting older. But I think it's worth a try. It's also really funny watching him carry this thing around the house since it's twice as long as he is. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003RQNE7U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And the last, honorable mention: My dachshund LOVES this, and it's perfect if you are too busy and they really want to play or the weather is bad so they can't go out or get walked. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ARUKTG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yeah, most of those would get destroyed in minutes in our house.

Firstly, as I'm sure you know, plan to take her on a decent walk first. It's not always possible, but it helps with the process. Then there's a little wind-down time when we get back to the house.

Anyway, as for toys, your real question, I suggest one of these two:

http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob---Lot-Interactive-Small/dp/B003YHB8EI/

http://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/

We get some tiny little treats to pop in there and it has good success. Noodle still tries to play with it at my feet, but at least it keeps him occupied. But, as Aussies are velcro pups, he only plays with it in the same room that we're in.

The other thing that could help (if what you want to get done is in the same general area) is to keep treats in your pocket and continuing to reward for staying on her bed. So as you're working, toss a treat back. Maybe every 30 seconds at first and then lengthen the time. Our "Go to your bed" command is pretty rock solid at this point...but the staying part is certainly something that can be continuously worked on.

Good luck! And seriously, that Weazeball will die a horrible death in minutes. Don't waste your money.

Feed him with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003ARUKTG/ref=ox_sc_saved_image_8?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

Anyone have a dog you can borrow to come over and play with him while you work? Other dog friends are great for exhausting pups. Plus it's very good for socializing.

Just like with children, the excess of energy could be due to something more than lack of exercise. His little puppy brain might not be getting enough stimulation. He also may be wanting to chew/gnaw something. Give him the food ball, and a healthy dog bone chew.

Also, quick tip: make sure he has a dedicated space that is his own. A place like a den that is for happy feelings (give him treats in said place) and sleep; like a crate with a comfy bed. And NEVER feed your dog a meal and then overwork/ run him, it may cause BLOAT.

tl; dr : food ball, dog friend, dog chew.

I like the Kong + PB + freezer method - though I put down a towel on the carpet because my dog drools a lot with this one. And make sure it's just plain peanut butter - no additives and especially no artificial sugars.

There are also some other treat dispensing toys that are good to use with kibble - some people even use them to feed their dog their entire meals (if they fit). The Kong Wobbler is a good one for that - I save half of his breakfast kibble most days and give it to my doggy in the wobbler when I leave. He loves it. Sometimes I put a few of his little training treats like these or these in there with the kibble, which I hope he notices and thinks "aw, ma loves me extra good today!"

The Kong Wobbler is also less likely to get stuck under the couch or tv stand than this treat-dispensing ball, which is also fun and was initially the only toy my dog didn't destroy.

So I was thinking about this last night. I was thinking about trying to create some sort of timed toy release but then found there's actually a product with great reviews called KongTime that time releases Kong toys filled with kibble/treats on 1, 2, or 4 hour increments.

Awesome right?! Sadly, it looks like they don't make it anymore. Maybe there's a post online somewhere that has instructions on how to MacGuyver your own toy dispenser.

This timed toy has mixed reviews. Perhaps it would be good with Beagles who are so food driven.

This one has good reviews too. Although a little expensive, could save a lot of money in bored dog related expenses though. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This one is neat too!

Found another remote toy. Fairly expensive too though.

It may just be a matter of finding toys that can keep him engaged. There are toys that are like catnip kickers or static little stuffies, but then there are also some that are battery-operated or plug in (lasers, concealed motion toys, magnetic toys).

My personal preference, especially if I'm not home to supervise are toys that can be active with just the cat's actions alone. This woven straw is one of my cat's favourites because it catches in her claws as she swats it, so as she moves, it follows her motion until it uncatches and flings off, so she'll go chase it.

I've got this cheap little wand that I use to play with her that moves fairly unpredictably and actually got my cat panting because she was so into it.

Another thing I do everyday is spend 15-20 minutes making her chase her meal. I feed wet food during the day and offer a limited amount of kibble at night, so what I do with the kibble is toss it up the stairs or around the house within her sight so she chases each piece to get fed. I do this until she gets so tired that she has to lie down 3 or 4 separate times, and then I let her rest.

After that, I fill some foraging toys with some more kibble so she has something to work for. If your cat is food motivated, this could work well for you too because it keeps them mentally and physically busy. I have a treat ball and a Wobbert (a little more challenging than a regular treat ball) but I find they're quick to solve and not very engaging. Most of the ones I get are dog toys:

• Mad Scientist
  
  
• Jigsaw Slider
  
  
• Flip board level 2
  
  
• Brain mover toy
  
  
• Lucky Slots
  
  
• Training level 3
  
  
• Training level 3
  
  Also, I hide kibble pieces all over her furniture and any cat-friendly furniture. In toys, in any nooks and crannies, in places I want her to explode. It's a good reason to get her feeling like she has a bit of a mission and poking around.

I have a border collie, and I second this. One of the best things we ever did was get a Tricky Treat ball, which we feed her in every day. We don't even have a food bowl for her anymore, because she eats all of her meals out of this. We fill it twice a day and she does an amazing job self-pacing her eating, and it immediately calmed her down. She feels like she's working for her food, and she likes being independent, and she likes to feel useful. Every now and then if other dogs are over, we feed her normally, and she does not like it. She loves going for bike rides, but I've found that teaching a new trick does just as well at tiring her out, which is great in bad weather. She's like a person: she needs to feel like her life has purpose in a way that I haven't experienced with other, non-border collie dogs. Another easy thing to do in bad weather: play fetch up and down the stairs. Start with regular fetch, then start adding tricks to it. Make her sit and wait A LOT. My dog is two, and she's calmer than she was a year ago, in part because we moved a year ago to a house with stairs and windows that she can watch things from, and in part because we switched her to a grain-free kibble which solved her digestive issues, so be aware of that as an issue for lots of border collies!

Lol I keep seeing your posts! I saw "Riley" and I thought, hey I know that name.

Just wanted to drop a comment and say Kiba is about 17 lbs now. He got weighed at his lime disease shot a week ago so he's probably another pound by now.

He also eats about 2 cups a day, but I find that he'll graze and come back to his bowl when he's hungry again. He'll often eat the whole thing in one sitting, but not always. A few days ago I haphazardly spilled the bag into the bowl and didn't know it wasn't enough until he started pawing at the food bag. I gave him the rest of his lunch (sorry Kiba!) and he ate it and left the food bag alone.

Shibas tend to be good about eating their fill and leaving what's left. If you want to give him a little extra and see if he eats it, I can't see a problem with that.

Overfeeding dogs as puppies is a little like overfeeding kids. A bit of extra weight isn't that big of a problem, as long as they are growing into their weight and not staying plump as they become an adolescent. A good rule of thumb is paying attention to their waistline from top-down. So standing over him, does he have a defined waist? His body should curve in and then out again when you reach his hips. Fatter puppies are sort of hot dog shaped, and underfed dogs either have visible ribs or, in flyffy dogs, ribs you can feel individually when you run your hand over them.

Since he's a puppy, giving him a little bit more food, I think, is okay. As long as he's getting his walks and playtime, He'll grow into his weight as he reaches a year.

Also, want to feed him, stimulate him, and get him some playtime all at the same time? Kiba gets one of his meals in this every day (mostly at night when im too busy to play with him): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKU0/ref=twister_B06XCNJCMG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

The 3-incher is about the size of a tennis ball. Kiba can pick it up in his mouth and throw it at me when it's empty and needs more :)

We got a golden retriever puppy recently. He was a playful typical puppy, but shortly after arrival we put him to work. He was now going to become my service dog. The training process has been slow and we have both struggled a lot. As we have been training him we also felt it was important to let him just be a dog sometimes too. We are still a long way from done but the thing he knows best is vest on means working, off means he just gets to be a puppy. Beyond that he can remind me to take my meds on time, step on my feet when I am shaking to ground me, and get me out of bed in the morning. We have many more tasks to go so I am not sure this counts as a happy ending, but because of the little he can do now I have better access to the real work so I will call it a happy middle. He is my savior, cuddle buddy, and motivator. This is my little guy.

I would love this light up ball to play with him at night.

Falco peregrinus

Here's my list:

Kong - you can stuff it with peanut butter or canned dog food (and even freeze it!) to give to your pup. Super helpful for crate training and just for keeping the pup busy for a couple minutes.

Kibble ball like this one - keeps the pup from scarfing down it's whole meal in 20 seconds. Also - you can enjoy your coffee in the morning without worrying what the pup is getting up to.

Training treats (eg Zuke's) are great for clicker training - they're small so your pup doesn't get too many calories from training sessions

Harness and long lead (30 feet or so) - really handy for tiring the pup out. You can walk through a park/field or whatever, and the pup can zoom around and get some of their puppy fuss out.

Nature's Miracle for accidents - it's an enzymatic cleaner and works really well for getting the smell out of the carpet (and keeping them from viewing that spot as a bathroom next time!)

For the toys - it's really helpful to split them into 2-3 groups, and rotate which group is out every week or so. Otherwise they can get bored of all their toys

*This article is my go-to for crate training. It has lots of ideas for games to build up a positive association with the crate, and helps you work up to leaving the pup alone.

Maybe a toy you put food in? Mine likes her food out all the time as well so she can pick at it, but if I put it in a toy she loves to knock it around and get little rewards. It's like a job, or a puzzle, it makes her feel accomplished and it's fun! I only mention it since she's making a lot of noise with one right now.

We have this and this and this and few ones with flippy little doors and whatnot that are good for holding a snack. It might be too stressful and frustrating for him at first, but if you stick with it and show him how it works he might take to it. Best wishes to your doggos!

I've been there. Everything you don't want chewed needs to be kept it out of his reach. Hide EVERYTHING. The teething and chewing does eventually get better, but in the meantime, crates and puppy-proof rooms are VERY important. Baby gates and wire playpens are good for blocking off hazards in common areas. Keep a close eye on him for now, check his stool for potential problems (blood, irregular, or lack of elimination = drop what you're doing and go to the vet). If you see a string, don't pull it.

I know you didn't ask for advice, but here are some things that really helped with my dog:

• Kong brand toys - practically invincible, and they give the dog something to do. Just make sure you get the appropriate size. That goes for all toys.
  
  
• Hard plastic toys are hard on the teeth, but you also want to avoid soft plastic that can be broken off and ingested. Find some with rubbery plastic like the kong toys.
  
  
• Rope toys are good for supervised chewing. Replace as necessary (ingested strings are bad).
  
  
• My dog really likes to chew on antlers. The sound he makes when chewing them makes me cringe, but he loves them and they are relatively safe (supervision is still important- edit: see the important notes about them below). Avoid rawhides (they can easily cause blockages). Bully sticks are safer if you can get past the smell and knowing what they're made of (I don't find they last long, though. Antlers work better for us and last for months)
  
  
• Tennis balls should only be used for fetch, never chew toys. They wear down the teeth.. When we were in a puppy class, I saw young dogs that already had permanent damage from them.
  
  
• Treat balls are wonderful. I put my dogs whole meal into one (if you cut off the top of a water bottle, it can be used like a funnel to get food into it). It not only slows down his eating for better digestion, but it gives him something to do so he doesn't get himself into trouble. The one I linked is the one I use.

My family's big into Bostons...my mom has had 8 total in her life. They are notorious toy destroyers. My first Boston is 1 1/2 now.

The owner at a pet store in town advised that we have "play" toys, and "chew" toys... so if we notice her chewing on a "play" toy, we take it away. For chew toys, I've given up on a lot of things and I advise either getting an edible antler or a bully ring It's completely digestible and doesn't mess with their stomach.

I've had some good luck with Chuck-It. As for balls, my BT loves this huge one, which is pretty durable because it's twice her size: kick fetch ball They also make small rubber balls and "indoor" balls that work well.

My BT loves fetch so we got her both a Kong and Chuck-It frisbee. They've lasted a while but we take them away from her once we're inside, otherwise she'll destroy them.

There's also this company called Helping Udders that is fairly durable toys, made from recycled stuff, and you can donate 15% of your purchase to a BT rescue. Mine loved those :)

Last bit of advice: if a toy doesn't last very long, take a picture and write the company a letter. I've done this a couple times and without fail, the company will send you a more durable product to try out. With one, it turns out it was a design flaw that they had fixed; the new product lasted much, much longer.

Good luck!

how old is she?

leashes/collars:

our puppy was cleared to go home at 7.5 weeks and 9 pounds. we went to target and got a boots and barkley size XS collar. it was $4. we only spent $4 because within a month she was in a M collar. she's going to need a large collar in the next few months.

we had a lighter leash from our other dog (cocker spaniel) that we used until we switched collars, then we got a heavier duty 6' nylon leash off of amazon. 6' is a good length for training because you can do come and stay with 6'.

it's really tempting to spend a lot on cute collars and leashes when you get them, but they grow so quickly that it really is kind of a waste of money...

toys:

a puppy kong would be good (believe this is the baby blue one). she'll be learning to mouth. we also got some softer plush toys for her, smaller, because she can't get her mouth around the bigger ones. samus REALLY liked small flat toys and there isn't stuffing for them to rip out of with their razor sharp puppy teeth. the stuffing can make them sick if they ingest it. also, some of the flat ones have a crinkly paper sound and not a squeaker, which can also be better.

https://www.jefferspet.com/products/flat-farm-toys

goldens are REALLY smart so you have to keep them busy. there are a lot of 'puzzle toys' out there but samus always figured them out within 10 minutes. even as a 2-3 month old puppy the ones that say 6 months + were way too easy (she is just turning 4.5 months).

my husband found this toy on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treat-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG

it is our LIFE SAVER. it is the ONLY toy that keeps samus interested for HOURS. it has to roll on carpet though, so if you dont have carpet it might not be a good choice. we tried other ball/puzzle toys and she would figure them out. we put a handful of her food or some treats and her food in the ball and she is so busy. the kicker with this toy is that the inner platform has an adjustable hole to make it more difficult for the food to fall out of, and then it falls into the ball and has to fall out of the second (outer) hole. so, out of everything we have ever purchased, this was the best $8 we have spent.

bowls:

we used a small 2 cup pyrex like dish for the first couple of months and now she is in a Kong slow feed bowl from PetSmart.

https://www.petsmart.com/dog/supplies-and-training/bowls-and-feeders/food-and-water-bowls/kong-slow-feed-puzzle-dog-bowl-5231739.html?gclid=CJTgksmI9dECFY62wAodQoEK5A&lsft=utm_source%3Agoogle%2Cutm_term%3A5231739%2Cutm_medium%3APLA%2Cutm_content%3AGSC%20-%20PLA%20-%20Hardgoods%20%7C%20Dog%20-%20Supplies%20

food:

we do natural balance limited ingredient lamb and brown rice puppy food. puppy food is important because they're growing. our vet told us large breed isn't necessary because large breed is more for your dane sized puppies. whatever you feed her, make sure you are starting with an 80% breeder provided food/20% your food, next day do 70/30, 60/40, etc...slow moving or it will upset their bellies and you'll be sad because they can't hold their liquid poops in since they are puppies. ask the breeder for a weeks worth of food for the transition.

misc:

• clickers to do clicker training.
  
• soft treats for when you start name recognition
  
  if you have a petco near you, ask them for the puppy coupon book. it'll come with a lot of 50% off coupons for treats that you can use with price matching and manufacturer coupons.
  
  I took these 50% one bag of 12oz tricky trainer treats, looked on their website, got a price match (it's usually a ton cheaper on their website) and then got the 50% off of that price match.
  
  I ended up with 3 bags of treats for about $4
  

I'm not sure what budget you're working with, but with the fitness/snowboarding interest, maybe a camelbak would be a good gift! I think it'd be fun to throw in a gift or two for their dog, too. You could get a hide-a-squirrel or a tricky treat ball.

For her kibble, I regularly rotate:

• Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball
  
• Starmark Bob-a-Lot
  
• Busy Buddy Twist n Treat
  
  If you have hardwood, swap out the Bob-a-Lot for a Kong Wobbler instead. Same principle, much quieter.
  
  She also has a Busy Buddy Tug-a-Jug but she's not aggressive enough with her toys to understand how to properly use it and gives up too easily (because she knows there are other toys). Your dog might love it though if he loves playing fetch and tug and other rough games with his toys.
  
  Outside of her regular meals, I'll put green beans and plain yogurt in a Kong classic and freeze it, she works on it for about 30 minutes before she gets it all out.
  
  I also have a Trixie Pet puzzle and I sit with her as she plays with this one, mostly because she paws at the squares so hard that I have to hold down the set for her. You'll want to introduce these types of puzzles slowly (treats for interacting with the set, then treats in very obvious solutions, and then increase difficulty as they get used to it).

I think the good medium is to reserve soft toys for interactive one-on-one play with you, and put them away when you're done playing. Ropes and fleeces are good for that purpose. If it feels soft then it's also chewable.

If he likes the squeaky noise the plush toys make, you could look for rubber toys that squeak.

• This sort of thing might work: https://www.indestructibledog.com/collections/squeaky-toys/products/good-cuz?variant=209859133
  
• Since you mentioned tennis balls lasting, there are squeaky tennis balls. Kong makes them in both fuzzy and rubbery varieties.
  
  If he likes dismantling toys, he may appreciate toys that have things inside for him to tease out and remove, like these. I use these ones with squeaky tennis balls to get my dogs' interest in them.
  
  
• ball within larger ball
  
• ball within rubber tube
  
• ball inside cage
  
  If he likes chasing things, he may enjoy a jolly egg
  
  Food is always a hit. You've already got a kong (stuff that with food for him!) so maybe a puzzle ball?
  
  
• buster cube is a classic for feeding kibble.
  
• kong wobbler and magic mushroom are both good tumblers for kibble.
  
  Dunno what your position is on feeding raw, but, raw meaty bones are great for dogs like this. The plush toy shredding/eating behaviors are almost exactly the same as the behaviors exercised pulling shreds of meat off of raw bones.

I have a 2 year old red nosed pit.

none are affiliate links

My pit is obsessed with large circular balls, and she'll easily deflate a soccer ball in minutes, so I bought this rubber soccer-sized ball that doesn't deflate. I kick and throw this ball around, and all her attention is on it. She's a gnaw-er, so she try to bite through basketballs and soccer balls as quickly as she can. This ball has stayed un-deflated for weeks now: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EMSVVAI/

For fetching with smaller balls, I bought two lacrosse balls, as they are very durable. And the reason they're durable is because they're not mostly empty inside, like regular bouncy balls you'll find at Petco. My pit isn't good at dropping the ball at me, so I throw the second when she gets close enough to me with the first, and she'll drop the ball: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006JANLLU/

Nylabone, super durable and a great chew toy: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002ASNAM/

This food dispensing toy for mental stimulation: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ARUKTG/

I also have the luxury of having a co-worker who had a dog supply ecommerce website (closed shop last month) and he gave me these large deer antler(?) bones as well as several other items for free. But the antler bone is easily the best chew toy the dog has ever tried to chew on, and it was free.

We have three not including Kongs! She gets bored easily lol.

This is my favorite one because it's really easy to change the difficulty and it's too big to get caught under the furniture.

You can change the difficulty on this one too by closing it more tightly but is pretty easy

And this is the easiest one out of the three we have but she still really likes it.

There are like hundreds more to choose from! Someone posted this and I'm probably going to pick a couple from there, too.

Kongs are the simplest and its really easy to "level up". Start by just putting in dry kibble, then wet kibble, then freeze the wet kibble and seal up the big hole with yogurt or peanut butter. Then you can layer it so its frozen wet kibble, cheese, kibble, yogurt, kibble, peanut butter etc. It'll start taking longer and longer to get everything out. My pup loves the Kong Wobbler too! Not only does it tire him out, but it spreads out his meal so he doesn't eat it as fast. Same with the IQ ball. The puzzle board was great for awhile but then got too easy for him. Snuffle mats are pretty easy to DIY too if you don't want to fork over the money to buy a real one.

Oh I love the idea of making him work for every bit of kibble! I am going to try to use this!

To piggyback off of this comment, my pup LOVES this toy: http://www.amazon.com/Our-PetsSmarter-Treat-Inches-Colors/dp/B003ARUKU0

The nice thing about it is that you can increase the difficulty of the treat release. My puppy blasted through the levels, but the hardest level is still pretty challenging and he loves running around the house with it :)

Oh this is hard.

1. Magic Mushroom. Her favorite food-dispensing toy.
   
   
2. Puller Rings. Syd's very favorite toy to play tug with.
   
   
3. Squeaky Alligator. With so many squeakers what's not to love?
   
   
4. Kong Squekair Tennis Ball. Best fetching toy. In fact, the only ball Syd likes to fetch. We go through these really quickly.
   
   
5. Flirt Pole. Great for getting her to run, jump, and chase. Also good for impulse training.

My husband and I took his family dogs (mini schnauzers) who had been trained out of playing with toys because they couldn't distinguish between their own toys and the grandkids' toys. One of them was never really into toys, but one of them had loved them previously so we bought her toys that she played with "in secret" (she would pop up in the front window with a toy in her mouth when we were coming home or leaving the house). You can try leaving the toys around and seeing if they move?

Both of these dogs LOVED puzzle toys with treats. Brody (who was never into playing with toys or balls) loses her mind for a kong toy or a food ball or a sliding puzzle toy. Most of these we fill with a mixture of regular kibble and treats as a way to combine meal time and play time.

Here are some house favorites:

https://www.amazon.com/Trixie-Chess-Game-Level-3/dp/B003X19R7U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1524684827&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+chess

https://www.amazon.com/KONG-PW1-Wobbler-Large/dp/B003ALMW0M/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1524684854&sr=1-2&keywords=kong+wobbler

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Buddy-Twist-Treat-Medium/dp/B0002I0RMG/ref=pd_sim_199_39?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0002I0RMG&pd_rd_r=N85DG8WFA0EGG7X8AKDJ&pd_rd_w=t3Rhe&pd_rd_wg=wI3Rm&psc=1&refRID=N85DG8WFA0EGG7X8AKDJ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ULTT44/ref=twister_B004AHKW5W?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I'm a dog fanatic, so here is a list of awesome dog supplies for under $25, for those interested!
-[vet wrap] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UELUXNO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_9y2-yb13E3QJH) for any time you need to help your dog with his/her boo boo.
-[large chuck it ball] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0084DRJKO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_9z2-ybMRKYDYG) that my puppy is addicted to.
-[topical spray] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0025YKUIQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_mE2-ybRANQ1AN) to help with your doggos minor cuts.
-[slip lead] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QJU7FE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_9F2-ybWB9FW9J) for quick trips outside.
-[Kong Zoom Groom] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AR1A0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_DJ2-ybD5EXKZH) for brushing out those thick double coated pooches without tearing the coat or scratching the skin.
-[treat pouch] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JCWAWA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_LL2-yb1WKAR0N) for those fun training sessions!
-[large pet waterer] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057LAGNS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_TN2-ybCVJN55F) so you don't have to keep filling up a bowl.
-[Kong Wobbler] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ALMW0M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_zP2-ybPN8N34J) for those really fast eaters.
-[Herm Sprenger Prong Collar] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I0F8702/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_4R2-yb0ZM4BGR), an excellent training tool for beginner and higher level dogs when used properly.
-[Red Barn dog food roll] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00008DFOG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_wU2-yb83KED07), great training treats, and you can cut them up into any size you want to.
Let me know if you want more!

My pup was just like yours-loves sticks and anything made of wood! Unfortunately, I don't have too many suggestions for the wood replacement. I gave my pup a few of these when he was little, but after reading the Amazon reviews I would possibly reconsider that decision. He enjoyed them, however, and you can do some research and make your own decision!

As far as a puzzle game I highly suggest the Omega Paw Ball. My almost 1-year-old pup recently figured it out and has been loving it. The Kong Wubba is also good, but with my pup I noticed that the Omega Ball requires a bit more finesse and concentration, rather than the Wubba which mostly sent him into frenzied batting episodes.

Hope some of this was helpful!

If you cannot move a lot (and that's why you can't exercise him a lot), I have a few possible suggestions.

https://smile.amazon.com/Squishy-Face-Studio-Exercise-Squeaker/dp/B00HFFXEWE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484324235&sr=8-1&keywords=flirt+pole

A flirt pole is almost like a cat tease toy. It's a pole with a felt toy at the end, and you can get your dog to chase after it. Most people use it in their back yards, and the individual can stand in one place while make the flirt pole go in a circle and the dog runs after it. Depending on the dog, it can really tire them out. My particular puppy likes it, but only for a very limited amount of time (he would rather play keep away). I could see how you might possible be able to do the flirt pole indoors from a seated position.

Dog-feeding puzzles might help your dog calm by taxing his brain:

https://smile.amazon.com/Outward-Hound-Feeder-Bloat-Orange/dp/B00FPKNRCS/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1484324554&sr=1-2&keywords=dog+feeding+puzzles

https://smile.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treat-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1484324953&sr=1-1&keywords=dog+feeding+ball

Also, you could try hiding treats or a toy, and teaching him how to play "hide and seek" with you.

When we want to watch tv, and don't want to get up, we play fetch, and that keeps him happy for a while [but the dang ball always ends up under the couch or other furniture!].

Hope this helps a little.

I definitely plan to give a clicker along with every pup that gets adopted, even though the rescue doesn't provide them (like the dog's collar, leash, and toys). I'll probably also purchase a trick ball for each pup to take home since I think they're amazing tools to keep dogs entertained and busy with a 'job'.

That's a really good idea! I wouldn't mind giving clicker lessons to new owners...I'll have to chat with the rescue about it. :o Thanks!

I have a 70lb dog (think slightly larger than a lab) in an area that does not have ticks and fleas, to put this into perspective.

$35 / month on food
$10 / month on treats
$60 / year vet checkup
$70 / year heart worm medication
$35 / night on boarding
$20 / day on daycare (we send her about twice a month to socialize)

Upfront costs can be pretty expensive. Some of the big items:

$100 - Kennel (this is optional. our dog just really loves her box!)
$45 - Dog bed
$25 - Collar and leash
$15'ish - Water and food bowls

Food can be expensive at first. Maybe your dog hates what you get and it takes a while to find the food that he or she likes. I recommend getting sample bags of food and see what they take to. You can get these at any mom & pop pet store and some of the chains as well, you just have to ask. Same with treats.

Toys are really cheap. We dig through the discount bins to find the right texture and sound that we know our dog enjoys. Balls can be cheap, too. I recommend fun squeaky balls you can get on Amazon. I've yet to meet a dog that doesn't love them!

One option you might try is the "IQ ball" or the kong wobbler. They're both toys that you put kibble in and the dog has to knock them around in order for the kibble to slowly release. Helps with dogs who eat too fast, and it also makes meal time interactive and last much longer so you get a bit of peace!

Edit: additionally, if you can afford it, I'd highly recommend changing foods. If your dog is doing really well on purina one that's fine (nice firm poops that aren't massive) but most dogs will do better on different foods. Even purina pro plan is a good food that's very affordable, but a bit better nutritionally for the dog, and at least on Chewy.com, is just a few more bucks per bag.

Other options that are highly recommended (some are rather pricey) are Taste of the Wild, Fromm, The Costco brand, Acana, Orijen, and many others.

I got a 6 year old dog about 4 years ago. He spent the first 2+ years of his life in a cage alone, then a few years living with a family. He also didn't care for toys or playing with other dogs. He's started playing well with my puppy over the last few months, but before that he didn't play with anyone for more than maybe a 10 second game of chase in the yard.

For toys, I taught him "take it" to get him to pick up a toy. He'll humor me and take what I offer him, but very rarely does he actually play with a toy. He sometimes squeaks a toy a bit if he doesn't think I'm paying attention, but as soon as I notice he drops it and expects pets. He really only cares about bones and kongs.

His life isn't any less fun for him because he's not keen on toys. He's smart enough to know what toys are for, just not interested in spending his time squeaking something when he could be sleeping on the couch!

For yours, if he likes food and sometimes chases the ball, I'd probably try a puzzle toy that involves pushing the ball around to dispense treats. This particular one is big enough not to roll under my couch. He may get the idea to chase it if the treats are coming from the ball and not you. You can also throw out some kibbles into the yard and let him hunt them out.

Also, keep in mind that it could take weeks or even months for a new rescue to adjust to you and your home, especially if he's used to living on the streets or in a kennel at the shelter. I'm not sure how new he is to you, but you may find he comes out of his shell as time goes on and he sees you playing fetch with your other dogs.

for something rawhide-ish that isn't raw hide I'd try "Earth Animal No-Hide" though I don't know how long it'll take a dog to go through it cause my boy has a sensitive stomach so he get's these sparingly for 10-20 min tops (though I know other people who just give these to the dog and love them)

I'd also be worried about the hard cheese scratching up the throat if it's too big, but I'm a worrier and overly paranoid so idk? What I do instead is I get the West Paw Qwizl (cause my boy doesn't care about kongs but LOVES these) and find treats that fit snuggly inside so that I can have them stay by the opening but they're too snug to get out without effort on the dogs part and he just munches on that, you can also fill it with peanut butter (one that's safe for dogs, don't forget to check that) I also have a HOL-ee Roller X Extreme that he can't chew though and squeeze some cookie treats in there that are just big enough to fit and he munches on the ball to try to get them out. Besides that I just have antlers and the benebone maplestick (he loves eating sticks but he can chew through all the imitation wood ones which isn't good)

Our dogs (one GSD and one GSD/Belgian malinois mix) LOVE the Chuck-It balls and they hold up really well. You can get them for pretty good prices on Amazon, too. My dogs think that the whistler ball is the best because it makes noise when you throw it! : )

Yes, I like the thick rubber ones with holes in them, which I stuff with treats and peanut butter. My dog will then paw and throw it around in order to get the treats out, and he'll be occupied for hours licking it. Kind of like this and this though we don't have those exact ones, but you get the idea.

My dog also loves this guy but you'd need extra small training treats for it so it can fall through the small hole. Also it's hard plastic and my floors are tile, so it makes a huge racket when he tosses it around.. no big deal when I'm out of the house though.

Good luck!

My pit loves her wobble wag ball. It's a great toy. They sell it on Amazon for around 14$ sometimes a few dollars less.
It's a very durable ball with grips for her to bite on to and throw around. It also makes a whizzing noise that she likes.
It keeps her entertained for hours. I bought it over a year ago, and it'd still her fav. I bought an extra for the inside so I wouldn't have to keep cleaning it as often.

Wobble Wag Giggle Dog https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PQ5UH0C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0Az5xb1MAR0S7

Have you looked into puzzle toys? What about enhancing the current toys and supplies you have as a more engaging activity for your dog?

For instance sometimes I'll put small treats and peanut butter in a couple bones and hide them around the house. I'll also use a puzzle toy like this that you can put kibble/treats inside and only the correct roll pattern will eject treats out. They make several types of toys like this in several formats, FYI. Another way to "enhance" your toys is creating more value to them pending your specific dogs value system (dog is more attracted to bones and balls inside the home rather stuffed animals and squeeky plush toys for instance.)

Try to give your dog more of a "job" to do when you are gone. This may not help pending the severity of the chewing but another tack to take is to try and understand why your dog is chewing. Is it because lack of excercise (seems unlikely) or mental stimulation (more likely the case) or something else? Try to figure out a correction for why the dog chews to begin with and you may land a better answer than to figure a "work around" or something else that doesn't identify the root issue.

Good luck!

Their intelligence is what leads to lots of their behavior issues. You gotta exercise that brain too.

Have a look at these toys. They have been great for our cattle dogs over the years. They tend to eat too fast so these tend to be food/game focused.

https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Buddy-Dispensing-Medium-Large/dp/B000KV7ZGQ

https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treat-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1480272473&sr=1-1&keywords=dog+food+puzzle

https://www.amazon.com/Outward-Hound-Hide-Interactive-Puzzle/dp/B0043A71PU/ref=sr_1_15?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1480272473&sr=1-15&keywords=dog+food+puzzle

I love the above one but one of our dogs is too smart for it. She picks up the covers with her mouth and sets them aside. when she eats all she can reach she tends to turn it over to dump it out.

I'm super impressed with the bell to go out. We haven't been able to get ours to do that.

Three of four

Old man!

Toy!

Toy two
It's still a black KONG type, but it's awesome.

So far I like it. I use it for tugging and it hasn't broken down yet and my dogs tug hard. I'm happy with it!

We use the large KONG Extreme Dog Toy, Medium, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GUDZO2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_sQ81AbHCEGYVC, trixies flipboard 2 TRIXIE Pet Products Flip Board, Level 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RR81AbJEX56X9. treat ball OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_oS81AbJ0XDRE8, a treat hiding thing Dog Smart Treat Dispensing Dog Toy Brain and Exercise Game for Dogs by Nina Ottosson https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711Y9Y8W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_MS81AbJWBH0TC, a rolling nibble kibble PetSafe Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble Meal Dispensing Dog Toy, Medium/Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001F0RRUA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_FT81AbYG9PW7N, a self toy KONG Rambler Ball, Large (colors vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BBGRT4Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_wU81AbYC200R4, and a large tug a jug PetSafe Medium/Large Sportsmen Tug A Jug Pet Chew Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K4KZ8M0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_LV81AbFBTP67F.

The kong I use spread treats inside because dry treats last only a few seconds.

Trixies flipboard is low to meh at getting her attention, sometimes she doesnt care for the food to bother with it.

Iq treat ball she finds a way to break, pushing into a wall, chomping on it, the moment you look away.

The hide a treat thing is easy for her.

The nibble kibble is the same as the treat ball.

The kong rambler she easily pulls the ball from its station and the toy is moot, now its just a ball.

The tug a jug becomes a weapon that she whips around until it smashes open.

The one thing I have noticed that can keep her attention is a pile of wood we have outside. Inside that pile of wood is chipmunks and squirrels that she messes with until I call her over. I'm thinking that she enjoys live toys? Or does she it as just something for her to herd.

Game and maze toys are great! They also help to get my pyr to eat since she isn't usually inspired by the food in her bowl. My pup loves these two toys and will nudge them around the house until they are empty. Congrats on the new pyr :)

OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-hrMzb3WWTK2W

StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy, Large
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RirMzb483MJ7Z

DIY - freeze some kibble/treats in a Popsicle, put some kibble/treats in an empty water bottle (our dog really likes the really cheap/thin ones that crinkle when squeezed), take a muffin tin and put kibble/treats in the holes and put tennis balls on top of them (we started with a mini muffin tin so the tennis balls just sat on top of the holes so they were easy to remove, then when he was good at that, we moved to a regular muffin tin)

Commercial - Kong, Kong Wobbler, Trixie Toys (lots of options), Omega Ball, Hide-a-Squirrel, Tornado

If you haven't already, read these books; I can't stress enough how much they saved our lives. Perfect Puppy in 7 Days and Before and After Getting your Puppy. They're highly recommended here and for good reason.

We alternate between the Kong Wobbler, the Buster Cube, and the IQ Ball every morning for breakfast. The wobbler is definitely the easiest, the cube is definitely the hardest, and the IQ ball is Sequoia's favorite (but she loves balls of any kind, so no real surprise there).

The total surprise winner was the Pickle! I was convinced it would be torn to shreds in minutes, but it has held up well! It doesn't last super long, but it is easy enough to just stick a little more peanut butter and some more kibble in when she is done.

I don't know about switching to adult food for large breed dogs but we just bought a puzzle treat dispenser for our 12 wk old corgi that we use to feed him dinner and we love it!

It has different difficulties to control how much work the dog has to do to get kibble out and it keeps our puppy engaged and focused mealtimes for 30 minutes or so.

Here's the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Inches-Colors/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469584755&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+iq+toys

I bought a 4 inch one and it fits a little under a cup of kibble.

My dog has some similar play tendencies and she LOVES this ball:
ttp://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002DK26M
These treats are the perfect size and not too high in calories (and they smell delicious):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002R8SLUY
She'll nudge the ball around for hours trying the get a treat from it, even picking it up in her mouth and bouncing it against the wall! It's made from a durable plastic. I've had hers for over a year and it's good as new. Its just the right balance of work/reward and is hands down her favourite toy.
2nd runner up is a braided rope bone for thrashing about and playing tug-o-war.

Dude, those Jolly Balls are incredible. We have the Romp-n-Roll one, and the puppy LOVES it. It's easily his favorite toy. And the ball part is pretty much indestructible! (Though the rope is almost completely shredded now >.<)

I Agree but things to also take into consideration. Environments with high and/or dry temperatures will cause most dogs to attempt to cool off through panting and laying on cool surfaces. (Some people see this as being tired, but is a different form of fatigue)

For the peeing, make a note of any changes that have happened in the past 3-4 months (The new kitten?), even something like change in outdoor lighting can cause a dog to stress. This in turn could cause a fear of peeing at night, or added stress could cause a UTI. Make a note of anything you can for the vet trip. I would restrict your dogs access to the house when you sleep (Crate training, or in your room, or something like that.) Allowing him to continue the behavior is VERY counter productive. Every time he gets away with it, he is 'rewarded' which makes the behavior harder to break.

Something to note JRTs are very high energy dogs that chase small vermin, anything that might run around or roll around (Nothing living please :-) will help burn energy. things like this toy will help with both the terrier predatory drive and his high energy.

Sure!

My partner built him something like this.

I also got him these two puzzles that I only give him when I'm home, just for safety reasons: this "level 2" one that he solved in 30 seconds and this "level 3" one that he hasn't quite gotten the opening drawer part down yet.

He also has this treat ball that he LOVES, but I don't recommend if you live in an apartment/condo with hard floors.

His favorite that he carries around and chucks down our stairs to open is this mushroom.

He also gets kongs with peanut butter in them.

Amazon gets a lot of my money. Lol.

We tried the clicker and it was not effective. Honestly what worked for us was a remote vibrate/shock collar. I know it sounds terrible but I am so thankful I went this route. When we took our puppy to training he was a pain in the ass. The teachers alway used me and my dog as the example and talked about how they are stubborn as can be. When training dogs, they suggest using a choke collar to "correct" your dog. However the amount of strength the trainers used to "correct" my dog made me feel very uncomfotable. They would pull so hard all 4 legs would come off the ground, but after that he listened to every command. I did some research after that and discovered these remote zap/vibrate collars for training (The is the one I use, it is fully waterproof with a 3 mile range, I have never had any issues and it has the best power control setting).

When I got them I tested them on my skin to make sure they wouldn't hurt him or anything. I got it to the point where you could barly feel it. This allowed me to gain his attention with-ought excessive for on a choke collar, which I was very happy with. The collar works amazing, after a few times he misbehaved or didn't listen he got that hint that after 2 vibrations came a shock, so he would listen after 1 vibration. This turned him into the most obedient dog every, he was even happier because we could walk him without a leash.

I know this is not typical of all dogs, but this is what worked for me and my Mini Aussie. I am so thankful I found this collar because I would have no been able to take in for walks in public without it.

We keep him in his crate during the day, usually he is only in there for 5 or 6 hours max a day. When he comes out he is ready to play play play so fetch time is a must after work.

For toys, I purchased TONS of real tennis balls from Walmart, a Chuckit Kick Fetch, Frisabee, Bones with marrow from our local deli, and rope toys. His Chuckit Kick Fetch is his favorite!

We bath the dog once a week, usually on days he swims. In the winter not so much, only when we notice him licking himself or if we notice any fleas to keep that under control. We have had a hard time with fleas in the past because his fur is so thick its hard to get rid of them once them have them.

I hear JRs need tons of exercise, but if you're taking him out in the backyard to play and walking him everyday, that should suffice. This sounds like more of a training issue to me. If there's a space where you can do agility training in your area, that might be a good way of exhausting some of that energy while working on following commands at the same time. If you have to leave him alone in the house, make sure he has ample toys or even a tv or radio. Something like this might be a good idea too.

This sounds a lot like boredom to me. Is it possible to get the dog out exercising more? Other things that may help are training classes to get him to think, or doggy daycare (nothing tires my guys out more than running with other dogs all day). Something that you can use indoors to help tire him out is a flirt pole. It will cost about $10 in supplies, and if you follow the "rules" that site lists then Pikachu is getting mental and physical stimulation, and you barely have to do anything.


Other than that, you might need to babygate off a section of the house - kitchen or bathroom, and get him used to being left in there. It's easier to keep one room spotless than it is to keep an entire house. Make sure to get a few puzzle toys this is a favourite of my dogs or a kong to freeze his lunch in to keep him occupied.

Good luck!

My dog hasn't ever really "gotten" the logic toys that are in the form of a ball that you roll around, but we've started getting him puzzleboards and he loves them! It took him a while to learn and he gets super excited now whenever we bring it out. There's a whole series of them and we're about to get our bud his second one!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0054Q9TMA/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499449077&sr=8-1&keywords=dog+trixie+puzzle+board&dpPl=1&dpID=416kgbG3sHL&ref=plSrch

I have to be early to work so mornings are usually a no go, but late evening are usually tolerable. We have a few different ones but any that are like [this. ](trixie pet products flip board, level 2 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0054Q9TMA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_klV4Db3WG3DWF) Something that makes him work for it with tiny details. He has gotten pretty smart though and if I don't hold the board down, he picks the whole thing up and turns it upside down.

Also, the Kong Wobbler . He broke the first one so we had to get the biggest one they had. I'll usually feed him his meals this way to make sure he gets the ants in his pants out.

I'm always looking for new suggestions though! He is a smart lil asshole who destroys EVERY TOY so i always gotta make sure anything I get him is pretty durable.

My dog loves this giant squeaky fur ball, and these squeaky tennis balls (but the tennis balls don't last that long). Also I know it doesn't look like much but she also really likes jute tugs like this; I think because she can get a really good grip on it. She's not a huge tugger but she is still always excited when the jute tug comes out.

You can also do it in the yard! Scatter the food around the grass so he has to search it out.

My dog gets her breakfast out of this ball. It's fairly easy for the kibble to fall out (until the last one, which she can never get), but she spends about 15 minutes wandering around the house rolling it and eating. Gives her mind something to do, takes her a bit longer to eat her food, and gives me a peaceful 15 minutes to drink my coffee.

There are also 'snuffle mats' you can try (basically a fleece blanket with a bunch of knots in it; lots of DIY options). All of these are fun ways to get your dog his food while giving him a bit of a challenge!

He is cute as hell!! Also, he is a terror-terrier, you got a double whammy there with him being a chihuahua AND a min pin! They are pretty smart and usually know when they are being bad. Have you tried belly bands? You can get washable/reusable packs or disposables if that's better. Basically you put them on covering his penis when he is in the house after his walk, then remove it after you get outside for his next walk. Though what he is doing sounds like submission peeing which could be a whole different issue. ...

I do know that frustration you are feeling. I felt it with my male when he was that age and now with my female. Try working on new tricks or things to build a stronger bond, and maybe get him some busy toys? The IQ ball is awesome now for my troublesome female- it keeps her busy and rewards her for playing rather than being destructive.

It will pass, hang in there and force yourself to snuggle and love him as much as you can!! :)

I have a rottie pit mix, and Kong has never done me wrong. I see a lot of people saying that their dogs are just not interested in their products. I find they have very durable Balls, and my pups personal favorite the bone. I think if people would maybe put peanut butter, or little treats inside the toy instead of just throwing it to them to play with on their own, the dog would show a little more interest.

They are extremely durable, and fairly priced for the strength. I strongly recommend.

My girl absolutely loves her treat ball. Keeps her busy for hours as she chases it. She loves to try and stick her big snoot in the hole to get the treats out (she never can get them out that way, but that doesn't stop her from trying lol). I'd say it's probably a really good toy for a dog not too interested in toys because you get the added bonus of treats and it keeps their mind busy. Here is the link to where I bought mine.

University Lake is fantastic for dogs. You'll need a headlamp for night and also you see a lot of people who put lights on their dogs. The Delaney Park Strip downtown is good (West end is best) as well as the fenced softball field at Valley of the Moon park at 17th and E. That's become an unofficial dog park.

We love these light up dog balls - you can play fetch in the dark! https://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-MTLP-08-07-MeteorLight-Disc/dp/B001QC9DTU

> Your weekend ignore training regime, was that again in an x pen? Where you frequently went in/out of the room but not pen?
>
>

My puppy is a 16 week old Indian pariah mix that we've had since she was 12 weeks (though separated from her mother at <6 weeks, since that's the age the fosters found her at as a lost stray). The breed is known for its social playing, intelligence, but is also not big on cuddling.

I don't have an X-pen, but we do have a puppy gate: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089HDZYY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 that has been a lifesaver.
Cords have been moved behind big furniture, like the couch, where she can't reach them.

My dog has a lot of food-toys and chews.

Food ball: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ARUKU0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bob-a-lot: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YHB8EI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"Wood" stick we use to lure her away from tempting wooden furniture legs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0754P3NSC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Solo-playing works best with toys that make a noise or move on their own (at least for my puppy). We've found a hard golf ball that noisily rolls across the floor (debatable whether this is a good idea; right now our puppy is too small to fit it fully in her mouth, let alone choke on it, but it's definitely hard enough that I worry she might break a tooth. But no signs of aggressive chewing yet), but she also likes other balls and stuffed toys (which she just takes in her mouth and shakes about wildly).

IMO, the food-dispensing toys are a must-have.

We also leave her dog bed and crate available in this space, and a blanket on the floor, that she likes to sit on while she chews.

Weekend training regime is the same as anything else. Dog in the living room, living room closed off with puppy gate so she can't follow us out, and is in a relatively puppy-proofed space, and toys and chews left strewn about.

She mostly sleeps through the day, now, knowing we won't engage with her playing. If she's being too noisy or needy, I'll leave her alone in the puppy-gated living room and work in another room.

I hope this helps!

OK the only luck I've had so far is the Holee Roller in the smallest size they sell (Mini)

JW Hol-ee Roller Original Treat Dispensing Dog Ball - Hard Natural Rubber - Assorted Colors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BV0EQI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_X-MLBbFRGSMTQ

A puppy who is full of energy and would rather play than eat might benefit from a more engaging meal - try a treat ball or a Kong (add her meal, seal it with a bit of peanut butter and freeze it for a fun treat). Treat feeders, along with feeding on a schedule, helped reform my dainty eater.

You can get a set of 3 Yoho balls for ~$30. The balance is lopsided due to the batteries and they are going to be uncomfortably light at first. This means when you drop them, they will scatter.

But they are the brightest juggling balls I have encountered to-date and the batteries last a damn long time. Also, since I primarily play with 3 ball tricks, having balls with very little weight means i can flow between tricks at incredible speeds.


The Fire Mecca All-Light balls have an absurd number of flashing and color-changing modes (27). They are extremely well balanced and I quite like their weight. Unfortunately, the batteries aren't rechargeable and I have had a bad habit of letting the batteries go dead before festivals. (Changing batteries in a dark tent can be a pain) The light these balls put off is easy to see from a distance, but won't compete with fire. I think they are around $13 a piece.


The Meteorlite balls are waterproof (juggling in the ocean / hot tub / group showers is amazing) and are exceptionally balanced. The weighting is my favorite of this trio. However these were meant to be dog toys, so they bounce. When you get used to that, the bounce is just enough to save a performance. The batteries last a while, but the light is never pupil-dilatingly amazing if you are looking to juggle for friends who are 'inebriated'. Those are $10 per.

Happy juggling!

Aw man! That stinks! A great way to tire out your dog is mentally as well, with puzzle toys. So kongs are great, also this toy: https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Smarter-Interactive-Treal-Colors/dp/B003ARUKU0/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1486501019&sr=8-3&keywords=puppy+puzzle+toys and also practicing tricks and training with them can make them wiped.

As for the biting, I suggest setting up a play pen in an area with no toys or anything inside it. It's puppy jail! And the second they bite you, they go in puppy jail, and you don't acknowledge them for 15 seconds. Then take them back out. Bite you? Back in puppy jail. It's exhausting, but they will soon understand that biting = puppy jail time and no play time.

Good luck!!

1. Stuffed moose
   
   
2. IQ Treat Ball (she gets kibble in it)
   
   
3. Kong Wobbler (more kibble)
   
   
4. Treat & Train (still more kibble)
   
   
5. Snuffle mat (have I mentioned kibble?)
   
   So yeah, the only toy that has held her interest despite its inability to dispense food is the stuffed moose. I've actually put all the rest of her toys away in hopes of someday reintroducing them and having them seem novel again.

I'm sure you know this already, but it can't be said too often--consistency is KEY for dogs. You (and your family) have to be more stubborn than she is, every time. Whenever anyone gives in, she learns that her behavior is effective and acceptable.

Before bringing more food into the mix (as this may just excite her more), try to ignore her/push her away at every meal for at least 2 weeks and see if there's any improvement in her behavior at that point. Our new dog (picked him up mid-January, just turned 2) was all about it when we were eating, but he has already stopped bothering us at meal times (took about 1 week for the worst of the behavior to stop, 2 weeks for him to actually completely leave us alone). Best of luck!!

P.S.: My last thought would be maybe to give her something to entertain her while you are eating (something like this ). We haven't tried this, but if the barking/jumping is really unbearable, this might be a way to encourage her to ignore you while you eat.

Definitely time to get back to the basics on potty training, consider investing in a set of potty bells. Bring treats, and a clicker if you've been doing clicker training, and click and reward any time your puppy correctly goes outside.

We trained our puppy to ring his bells by using his 'go outside' command, ringing the bells by hand, and then immediately heading outside to his bathroom spot.

I like to joke that my Doberman puppy is a miniature nuclear reactor, just an endless supply of energy that seems to defy science and logic. He's about to turn 1.5 yrs old and we're still doing 3-5 walks a day for upwards of 4 miles total, and that's barely enough to tire him out.

Walking alone isn't enough, larger, high-energy breeds need to run, and run, and then run some more. We got him a 30' cotton leash and this large ball that we take out to the park a few times per week for him to chase until he won't run anymore.

Our lab puppy was very destructive in the beginning as well. No matter how tired we tried to make her, dogs are resilient she has never ending energy. So if we weren't able to tire her out, we had to keep her interested in something.

I found some dog treat puzzles on amazon, like this one. It did help but definitely not 100%....

https://www.amazon.com/OurPets-Treat-Ball-Interactive-Dispensing/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1510695642&sr=8-5&keywords=dog+treat+puzzles

We also installed cameras, where we could talk through them to the dogs, so if I would see her start to get into something I could call her name. it distracted her for the most part, not all the time though...

You just have to keep thinking of ways to keep them engaged in something other than your stuff! Anything you could set up and control remotely in the puppy room would help

You should definitely try the videoing and catching him

We stay inside at -30C
We play until I make him stop at -20C (~10-15 min)
Anything warmer than that and I watch his body language. Any sign of loss of interest in playing or holding a paw up away from the snow and we'll stop. If he gets snow stuck in his pads I'll stop him and melt it.

We dont do much leash walking in the winter. We'll go to a dog park where I can throw a ball along a trampled path where we might not lose it. If we can't do that sometimes we'll go to an open area where he can chase around some larger toys like his egg or ball.

I have a lot of fun when there's a crust layer on top of the snow that a ball will roll on forever, but the dog is too heavy and has to fight through it.

To specifically address your question, at -10C for 30 min I wouldn't be too worried as long as he's moderately active. If you are doing most of your walks on city streets/sidewalks I would consider boots to help protect his paws from the salt.

Also check his paws nightly to be sure that the pads aren't split or cracking, there are balms/moisturizers you can use if they are. My pup usually ends up cutting his pads on icy snow at least a couple times a year.

Jolly Ball makes a soccer ball too, like this. I freaking love Jolly Ball anything, hands down one of my fav toy companies.

Edit: Oh, I also forgot that Jolly Balls makes eggs too. The weird shape might make it hard to grip but fun to chase!

How old is your pup? If the dog has adult teeth, try getting a deer antler. They are a renewable, non-staining, long-lasting chew toy and my Papillon loves them. She also loves her kong stuffed with peanut butter or dog food or cheese and any of the prior combinations but she won't really chew on anything aside from the antler. If she doesn't have one or can't find hers for a couple days, I find that anything in the house becomes at risk for chewing and she's 2+ years old. You could also try this with some food or hard treats inside just to keep the pup busy. Hope that helps! EDIT: If you find that keeping the dog in sight is an issue, leashing the pup and keeping them tethered to you with a carabiner to a belt loop helps a ton!

My puppy loves this one and the difficulty is adjustable. Easy to clean too!

OurPets Smarter Toys Interactive IQ Treat Ball Dog Toy (Colors may vary) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ZQvmybAZCEFXN

We like this one because it has multiple levels for bones to fall through: Our Pets IQ Treat Ball Interactive... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKU0?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

And this one too: JW Hol-ee Roller Size:Small... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BWF0AR4?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

She loves her interactive little piggies and their hiding holes (the squirrels were all I could find on amazon): ZippyPaws - Woodland Friends Burrow, Interactive Squeaky Hide and Seek Plush Dog Toy - Chipmunks ‘n Log https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PFB3HG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_sE8LBb51HF9D1

I have read some reports of dogs breaking their teeth on Nylabones, and they have never been our dogs' favorite thing anyway, so here are some alternate ideas for ya:

• Tie off a squeaky tennis ball loosely, in an old sock. Depending on the weave and material of the sock this toy will last from 20 minutes to 4 days.
  
  
• Toilet paper and paper towel tubes, or plain cardboard sections (no dyes or tape, etc.; I often use the unprinted flaps of shipping boxes). Non-toxic, fibrous if they ingest it, and it lets them destroy something without costing you a penny.
  
  
• Fill a treat ball with 10-15 small, soft, training treats, and watch them push it around with their nose for the next 10-30 minutes.
  
  
• Build a treat puzzle yourself with layers of non-toxic boxes, take out containers (NO STYROFOAM), and newspaper. Sprinkle small treats in each layer and hold it all together with a little string or paper tape.
  
  
• Like most breeds, both the Staffy and Terrier lines love to lay tug of war. If your dog has good teeth you can use something like this, or this one if they have any oral issues. Just remember to put away toys like this when you are not actively using them, or they will get shredded/chewed to bits.
  
  Have fun!

Agreeing with this agreement!

When I had an heartbreakingly obese foster, I ended up feeding her exclusively from a tricky treat ball. It was like magic: she used to scarf her food down in 5 seconds flat and spend the next hour begging for more. The tricky treat ball slowed her down enough that she would frequently get full before the kibble was all gone!

Edited to add: OP, once his weight gets down, you're very likely to find his interest in playing will increase significantly.

Hi!

My chi’s LOVE food puzzle games. We got our teacup an IQ ball on amazon and she rolls that thing around - it gets her some activity, feeds her, and she uses her brain. My bigger chi likes this one

Maybe that will help?

Hey there,
So your dog sounds like someone who would really love puzzle toys. They are toys that can keep dogs occupied for a while since the way the toy administers treats really varies so the dog will keep at it. A good one that isn't too expensive that my dog loves is this one from amazon. It has an adjustable hole so you can control how often food/treats will come out of the ball. Just keep in mind it's made out of a hard plastic so it may make noise when it gets knocked into things. If this concerns you, another toy I would suggest is this one which is also on amazon. It's a little more expensive but it does the same thing as the first one I listed and it has rubber bumpers around it so it won't make as much noise. Hope this helps!

KONG Rubber Ball Extreme

The black medium/large ball: Amazon link for reference.

• Exercise or Problem requiring equipment: SMR (self myofascial release)
  
  
• Pros: Cheap! Super durable. Larger than a lacrosse ball (around the size of a softball, perhaps slightly smaller) and HARD, which means that you can use it on top of soft surfaces with a fair amount of give and still get plenty of pressure for those more stubborn muscles.
  
  
• Cons: HARD! Be careful if you have a low pain threshold. You may need to start with a softer ball, and move on to this one once an area loosens up to really get at those deeper, stubborn parts. Have to be more careful not to roll on things like bones/joints/nerves since the ball has very little give. Heavy enough that you'll notice if you throw it in your gym bag or backpack.
  
  
• Alternatives: Any hard, round object of a similar size?
  
  
• Purposes/Uses: I love using this to roll my traps, rhomboids, and all around my scaps because I'm super tight there and I need something hard. Also great for pec minor, glutes, TFL, and company. Anything that needs some real tough love. Can really be used almost anywhere if you're careful/mindful.
  
  
• Places to acquire equipment/materials: I got mine on Amazon.
  
  
• Cost: Around $6-8 (USD)

The Kong Wobbler and Bobs-a-lot are great toys. I also use a Tricky Treat ball a lot. My dogs also really love the Snoop.

You could also try the Tug-a-Jug, Kibble Nibble, or Buster Cube.

Add ons are the worst and the best things. But some of them save SO much money. My pups squeaky balls are 50% as an add-on on Amazon. I should really spend time to make an add-on list so I remember when I make bigger carts. Thanks for hosting and welcome back! (WAIT: Are you implying that you can make a whole cart of add-on items as long as they total over $25???)

I have a 7y/o lab mix who is insanely food motivated. I bought a little ball that I fill with kibble that slowly dispenses the kibble as she pushes it around and plays with it, and it is her absolute favorite thing ever! Found it on Amazon!

OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_26ALAb3XT8VFQ

I have this treat ball as well as a similar one that is weighted at the bottom. They're good because my dog has to interact with them to get the treats, and it's completely random, so she can't figure out the puzzle and do it the same way every time. I have a Kong and similar toys that can be filled with food as well. I like to freeze peanut butter or pumpkin in them so they take a little more work. I'll usually rotate out the toys through the week so they don't get bored.

This is our Bambi we rescued her about this time last year. Her favorite food is pizza, and she loves chasing cats. Bambi is so big, her toys usually don't last long, she can skin a tennis ball in like 2 minutes.

She really loves ball/rope toys rope toys are her favorite, but she destroys them too quickly, ones that have a ball on it, she will tend to keep it longer.

Our past doberman,Felix had one of these in blue and it held up extremely well.


Bambi would probably appreciate these eye wipes she gets a lot of eye gunk.

Our 7mths old only eats out of these treats balls now. He seems to like the interactiveness of it. We're looking into the mats too now, since the ball leaves crumbs all over the house as he's rolling it around. Although he's pretty good at cleaning up his own messes most of the time. haha.

I second the trixie puzzles. This one has always given my dog a bit of a brain workout.

I also have an Orbee-Tuff snoop treat ball, but that's probably pretty similar to kongs/puzzle feeders you have already.

However the one that tops them all for me is the Cleverpet. However, since they haven't made new ones in a long time you'll have to scour eBay for one. I use the Cleverpet usually for at least 1 meal a day, sometimes both.

Here's a video of my dog using his:
https://v.redd.it/2qfhd121emb21/DASH_9_6_M?source=fallback