Reddit mentions: The best plush toys for dogs

1.) Something that is blue.
This Neblua Funko Pop is not only cute, but also BLUE.
Because Mother's Day is around the corner, how about this gorgeous necklace?
Not only that, but are you a fidget kinda preson? Then this is the perfect thing for you!

2.) Something that says summer (literally or figuratively).
Gotta love summer! You know what comes with summer? Sunflowers!
For some reason, pineapples really remind me of summer. I can't really say why. They just, like, SCREAM "summer" to me.
Summer, to me, also means relaxing with a good book. And what better book than the next one in the Mara Dyer series by Michelle Hodkin?

3.) Something food related that is unusual.
Not sure if this counts as unusual, but I thought it was quite abnormal...
Also, I can't say I've ever seen a water melon cake-topper, though I'm no expert on cake toppers.
Also, if horror movies and the undead are your kinda thing, how about a side-dish of zombie?


4.) Something you want to gift to someone else, and tell me why.
I really want to gift this beautiful Pop moment to my brother, because he's amazing and deserves all the things.
I also want to gift this soundtrack to my sister because she's always singing, and I know it'd makes her happy.

5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!
Oh my gosh, you are totally asking the right person. The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer is one of the best books that has ever existed. Not only that, but it's a series! Also, my username is taken from the first page of the book, so that must mean that it's good. It's got suspense, kids with powers, and some horror themes. It's just overall a great book. PLEASE check it out!
Another good book series is the Red Queen series by Victoria Aveyard. The final book is coming out this year, so I'm excited!
Why stop there? Another great book is All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. It will break your heart, but in a good way. It's a beautifully written book. I'm not sure what genre you like, but it reminded me of the genre of books like The Fault in Our Stars and Everything, Everything.
Another great series is The Darkest Minds series by Alexandra Bracken. Not only is a great series, but there's also a movie coming out in August that's based off the books! Better get reading. ;)

6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!
These are totally adorable AND affordable! Talk about a deal.
Like writing? This notebook would be the excellent choice for the writer within! Or just someone who likes taking notes.
Have a cat? How 'bout some good ol' catfood?

7.) Something related to dogs. (Bonus point if it works for my GSD)
I don't know what GSD means I'M SORRY! But here is the cutest alligator plushie. Like if I was a dog I would legit want it for myself.
I stumbled across this adorable squirrel set thing and I am internally squeeing at the cuteness.
Okay by now I really want a dog. Somebody send me one pronto. Here's an adorable taco plush, because heck it's cute and funny and I really want a puppy.

8.) Something that is not useful, but so awesome you must have it.
Oh boy, you shouldn't have asked. It's the most expensive thing on my wishlist, and it's beautiful. I know, I know, it's a book, but it's more than that! It's a HUGE book with photographs from my favorite, most-loved movie series! Seriously. Words cannot describe how cool of a book it is. And there's a limited number of them made, and there's only 3 left in stock. But I digress. It's not what one would consider useful, but it sure is awesome.
Wait, what's that? I haven't mentioned Kylo Ren in 2 minutes? Oh boy, better change that. Yes, I love Kylo Ren. I'm aware that is a touchy subject with people. I don't care. I have a shrine in my room for Kylo Ren. This pillow is not what most people would call necessary, though honestly I would probably beg to differ.
Pretty much everyone can agree that Funko Pops aren't necessary, but they are so much fun oh my gosh. Like, for instance, this somewhat expensive yet cool Darth Vader Pop.

9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why?
I love movies. With a passion. But my favorite movies of all time, are The Hunger Games movies. If that wasn't evident by the massive expensive book above, then I don't know what is. But honestly, they're great movies. I know they're not for everyone, but they hold a special place in my heart.
Someone recently gifted me Moulin Rouge, and honestly it is so good. So, I also, of course, recommend that. It has singing, great vocalists, great songs, and a great plot. It also has Ewan McGregor, so what's not to like?
I saw Logan (the final Wolverine movie in theaters, and it is such a beautiful movie. Very sad, but very beautiful. The best Wolverine movie in my opinion. 10/10 would watch/cry again.
Another great futuristic movie is V for Vendetta. It's a well-known movie, and it's very good.
If you're into horror, I love the most recent Carrie movie. I know it's not for everyone, but I really liked it.

10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.
I mean, I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but this bat would make a great weapon in the apocalypse. Also, if you're into leading an army and "saving" people, this bat will probably get you there. (Ahem I totally didn't just buy this bat for myself cough.)
Not sure if bright green is the way to go in the apocalypse, but I'm sure a bow and arrow set would keep you alive for a little bit. Especially if you happen to be Daryl Dixon (though I guess he technically has a crossbow... I digress).
Don't try and tell me that in the apocalypse you won't get peckish. Everyone knows that snacks will be the first to go. Better stock up on those sweet, sweet snacks.

Lots of big dog stuff here! Here's some nice things for the little guys (~25 lbs and under). Many of these items are good for big dogs, too; will note them with a * sign and list them first in each section.

Treats

• Himalayan Dog Cheese Chew*: Long-lasting hard cheese chews; can be microwaved to make "cheesy popcorn" for your dog when it gets small enough to pose a swallowing hazard. Comes in a variety of sizes.
  
  
• Brushless Toothpaste*: Our dog LOVES this stuff, and it keeps his breath smelling awesome. Also helps keep his teeth clean. May want to introduce these into the dog's diet slowly, as some are sensitive to the ingredients but acclimate over time. Comes in an even smaller size for the really tiny dogs, and bigger sizes for the big dogs :)
  
  
• Freeze-dried chicken*: Easy to break into small pieces and sprinkle over your dog's kibble or regular food.
  
  
• Stella & Chewy Meal Mixers*: Great to sprinkle over your dog's regular food for both nutrition and novel taste.
  
  
• Fruitables Minis: Small and low-calorie; great for clicker-training your dog. Comes in a wide variety of flavors.
  
  
• Crazy Dog Bacon Treats*: Also small and very-low calorie; another good clicker-training tool.
  
  Toys
  
  
• KONG Mini Squeaky Tennis Balls*: Great for dogs who like either balls, squeaky toys, or both! My dog had zero interest in balls before these, and they're still the only ones he'll play with. Come in lots of sizes; not good for strong dogs who like to chew up their balls.
  
  
• Dog Tornado*: Easy introductory puzzle toy that's not too big for little dogs. Good for kibble, wet food, and treats. May be too big for dogs under 7 lbs.
  
  
• Dog Tower: Another great introductory puzzle toy suitable for small dogs. Good for kibble and small treats. Not sure how this'll hold up to big dogs, although I think it'd be fine with the gentler ones.
  
  
• JW Treat Pod: Kind of like the Kong, but better suited for gentler, 'licking'-type dogs. Easier to clean out as well, IMO; the small Kongs are so hard to get completely clean even with a brush.
  
  
• Outward Hound Flirt Pole: Fun and easy exercise, the Outward Hound version is more lightweight and suited for small dogs.
  
  Harnesses, Collars, & Safety
  
  
• Pet Stairs*: Large collection of pet stairs. Some on this page are suitable for large dogs as well.
  
  
• Hurtta Active Dog Harness*: High-quality dog harness for dogs that love to run around the outdoors in all kinds of weather and elements. Comes in a variety of sizes; for dogs 7+ lbs.
  
  
• Ruffwear Swamp Cooler*: Comes in XXS, XS, and S. Great for keeping your dog cool in the summer if you don't live in a humid area.
  
  
• Hurtta Pet Overall*: Great for rain and snow; comes in a variety of small sizes. Fit perfectly on our Pom mix and very high quality.
  
  
• Musher's Secret*: Protect your dog's paws in cold weather.
  
  
• Sleepypod Clickit*: Crash-tested car harness, comes in a variety of sizes.
  
  
• Sleepypod Mobile Carrier/Car Seat/Pet Bed: Crash-tested dog bed/car seat/carrier!
  
  
• Lil Pals Step-in Mesh Harness: For the seriously small dogs.
  
  
• Ollydog Marin Collar: Completely waterproof, rustproof, extremely durable, easy to put on...the perfect collar!
  
  Grooming
  
  
• The Stuff Detangler and Conditioner*: Keeps your dog's coat looking clean and glossy; easy to apply and doesn't have a strong odor.
  
  
• Lil Pals Grooming Kit: Miniature grooming tools for your miniature dog at a very affordable price.
  
  Edited to add more+formatting!

How much training has your wife done with him? If you are the one who primarily trains him (even basic stuff like you taught him how to sit and lay down as a puppy to you are the primary reinforcer of good behavior now) he may not know that those 'rules' apply to your wife as well as he may not get reinforced for his choices on her watch. Get her more involved with his training. An easy way to do it is just to have a bag of tiny treats in your pocket - catch the puppy being good? Give him a treat and attention. Is he doing something he shouldn't? Teach her how to redirect and reinforce once he IS doing something he should be doing.

AKA: he is in the cat room, have her call him to her (recall - she can issue a treat once he gets to her feet) and have her redirect him to his bed/mat ("Go to bed") and give him a frozen kong or favorite chew to work on instead.

> but I'm looking for ways to "scold" bad behavior without being rough with him

Scolding is not very effective. As I said before, your pup will learn that the 'correction' only comes when you are around and often times will try to do those behaviors they get scolded for when your back is turned. It is much more effective to redirect - especially with such intelligent breeds - and reinforce what you WANT and ignore the stuff you dont.

A dog is MUCH more likely to repeat a behavior that MAY result in a treat than avoid a behavior that MAY result in a telling off. If I had $100 on the coffee table and you knew that if I caught you taking it would result in me yelling at you - PROBABLY wouldn't inhibit you that much. If you knew that you could get $500 for giving me a compliment, you would probably be more apt to take advantage of that. Works the same way with dogs - they can mildly entertain themselves with self reinforcing behavior (stealing things, getting on furniture, etc) or they can get really big rewards (food, attention, plays, etc) for repeating certain behaviors that often result in those big desirables.

> He's at that point where he's essentially forgotten all of his puppy training, and just "goes through the motions" of sit/down/rollover for the treat. Wife tends to treat him anyway and reinforce the incorrect behaviors.


Revisit the Training basics - particularly the rate of reinforcement. Once a behavior is proofed you should not be giving a treat every time they do X. Training is a fine line. When proofing new behaviors, frequent rewards are a great thing, but once the behavior is learned and reliable, you want to randomize when a reward will happen.

Think about it this way - why are slot machines so entertaining to people? It is not so much 'winning' but the chance to win that keeps people playing. If you won ever single time you played a slot machine you would be really excited about it at first then start to loose all interest - it becomes more of a vending machine then a slot machine. It is that balance of win/loose that keeps humans engaged. You can use that same mentality when rewarding your dog. My theme with this has been 'dogs will repeat what is rewarding' and really encouraging the use of practical rewards in tandem with things like treats - but you need to find that balance.

Especially if your wife is not holding a consistent level of criteria, treats should NOT be involved. Get back to basics - back slides with training are often human problems not dog problems.


> but the Corgi will turn his attention to the GSD and bark/bite/growl at her. Maybe a protective thing?

Depends. Maybe, maybe not. If the GSD is the one with all the energy and excitement he may just be trying to play/herd/interact with that excited dog. It probably isn't very protective unless he is putting himself between your wife and the GSD, growling and air snapping defensively, it is probably more play. Corgis can be very excitable. Read up on Canine Body Language. A happy/playful dog will have a curvy posture and be bouncy - a defensive dog will be ridged and focused.

> The crate we are using is the wire kind like you said, and it used to have a plastic tray on the inside.

If there is nothing between her and the grates on the bottom of the crate use a piece of wood or buy a new tray (if you havent already)- that is really uncomfortable to lay on for any length of time. A large piece of dense wood (not ply wood, the can easily chew off flakes) on the floor would work well or a heavier piece of plastic. You may want to find a way to fasten the tray into the bottom of the crate with zip ties to help prevent her from moving it around.

> as she'll be stuck in there for 8-9 hours without release.

How much exercise does she get in the morning before you leave? Do more. Spend an hour at the dog park in the morning or play training games in the yard. Someone letting them out in the afternoon will help, but unless they spend 1 hour+ with them playing pretty hard, your dog is still going to have a lot of energy stored up.


> Been going to dog parks more. Corgi seems more interested in being slow and peeing on everything (he's not fixed.) GSD enjoys the ball/frisbee and runs a ton.

Corgis seem to be really sniffy dogs - GSDs do have a lot of drive for balls (depending on their breeding lines, but in general this holds fairly true). Try to get them both out and running. Maybe go to the park with your wife and each of you take a dog - find some dogs they like to play with or other activities they enjoy. Flirt poles are great for corgis - they aren't typically good fetchers unless you spend a lot of time teaching them (this will vary, but I know a LOT of corgis and I only know 1 who will fetch reliably). They DO enjoy herding games and running around. Sniffing is kind of like the internet for dogs (lame comparison but not untrue) - it is good mental stimulation but your pup still needs plenty of physical exercise. Training games at home can also help -set up a small homemade agility course, work on tricks or teach him to herd a large ball around the yard.

Oh Lordy I have a ton...I'll try to categorize them...

Best for Puppies
These are all easy toys that dispense a lot of kibble with very little movement. Perfect for baby puppies or really low-confidence dogs. These can also be upgraded in difficulty later by stuffing them with wet food and freezing, or stuffing with a large, hard to extract treat (like a slice of lunchmeat).

• PetSafe Busy Buddy Twist 'n Treat...total pain in the ass to fill if you put more than half a cup of food in it, but it's a great "intro to puzzle toys" for a dog that has never had to work for food before. Also very easy to clean.
  
• Soda Pup Coffee Cup...representative of a whole genre of "rubber toys with large holes" that make great easy kibble toys or challenging stuff and freeze toys. Some other toys in this genre are the Kong and the West Paw Toppl. I like the Soda Pup ones best because they have higher capacity and a flat bottom.
  
• Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Snoop...pretty easy by itself with kibble, can be made more challenging by stuffing a Mazee ball in the large hole.
  
• Plastic Milk Jug...or a water bottle, raid your recycling bin. You'll have to supervise to make sure your puppy doesn't shred and eat the jug, but it's a relatively easy and fun (and free) enrichment item. Another puzzle toy you may find in your recycling bin is a cardboard box filled with paper balls. Sprinkle some treats in the box, fill with the balls, and let your dog forage around in your DIY ball pit.
  
  Easy Rollers
  These basically just dispense kibble by rolling. Not particularly complex, but good for the dog that prefers to solve puzzles by brute force.
  
  
• IQ Treat Ball...this toy takes the longest to empty out of all my toys, but it is way too freaking small and loud as hell on my hardwood at 6am. Really easy to fill and clean though, as it comes completely apart.
  
• Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball...a lot quieter but it empties faster and isn't as easy to fill (or clean).
  
• Kruuse Buster Cube...this one is also ungodly loud, but it takes a good while to empty despite the fairly consistent payoff per roll. It's a cube (but they also make a spherical one) and the insides have a few baffles to keep kibble from just falling out.
  
  Wobblers
  These require a more finessed rolling motion to empty, so they're the next step up from just batting a toy around.
  
  
• PetSafe Busy Buddy Kibble Nibble...more of a wobbler/roller hybrid. Surprisingly time-consuming for how huge the holes are, and it gets an A+ for filling and cleaning. Unfortunately my GSD knows how to unscrew it, so it's not much of a challenge for him.
  
• Starmark Bob-A-Lot...lots of ways to adjust the difficulty on this one, which is nice. I had a foster chew the yellow piece off of mine, but it still works well.
  
• Kong Wobbler...pretty standard toy, I actually do not have one of these but I know a lot of people that like them. They're available at big box pet stores which is nice.
  
• Nina Ottosson Pyramid...very similar to the Kong Wobbler, but the hole is in a more difficult location. Good toy but the bottom could use more counterweighting for the wobble action.
  
• PetSafe Busy Buddy Magic Mushroom...really good wobble action, but for some reason it's common for dogs to try and chuck this one down the stairs and break it. I've heard of a few dogs doing this, including my GSD. I have no idea what about this toy screams "fling me down the stairs!"
  
  Complex Action Toys
  These need movement in more than one direction (or very specific movement) to get kibble out of, which makes them pretty challenging.
  
  
• PetSafe Busy Buddy Tug-a-Jug...this toy is hard to learn but easy to master. Once your dog figures out the mechanism it doesn't last long. Also that rope gets SUPER GROSS.
  
• Nina Ottosson Board Games...I don't personally have any of these because my dogs cannot be trusted with small parts, but I've heard people say good things about them.
  
• Trixie Mad Scientist...this toy is cool because the dog has to learn to spin the tubes slowly or centripetal acceleration holds the food in. Good exercise in impulse control. I had a DIY one for awhile but my dogs decided to brute force this toy.
  
  Soothing, Low Energy Toys
  Along with the stuff n' freeze toys, these are good for dogs on crate rest or who need some extra help relaxing before bed.
  
  
• Snuffle Mat...great toy for activating a dog's foraging instincts and calming their minds. This is a good DIY project, or you can get extra lazy and chuck a bunch of food into the grass for nature's puzzle toy.
  
• HyperPet Lickimat...my cats eat their wet food from the orange kind ("buddy"), and my dogs use the green kind ("soother") with some PB or cheese as a distraction during grooming. You can spread a thin layer of something tasty on them and freeze for a long-lasting treat that promotes the calming behavior of licking.
  
  
  My dogs (and cats!) eat all their food out of puzzles so I am constantly on the lookout for new challenges! I'd be happy to provide more details on any of the toys I have, or buy and review any toys people have been wondering about :)
  EDIT: btw this Jackson Galaxy Asteroid is my favorite cat puzzle toy. They really need to make one for dogs because it is kinda quirky with its bounciness and super quiet.

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. :-)

Hi! We adopted a four/five-year-old frenchie a few months ago and have had great success getting her yeast infections, fur, and overall health under control. She was in literally the same situation before she was rescued.

​

Our vet prescribed us ketoconazole wipes, which you can get on amazon (for less than the vet price! and it's the same thing!). These have done wonders for her face, paws, and bottom end. If he has yeast on his feet, he probably has it in his tail crease as well. At first, we were going through a pack of these every 3 weeks. Yikes. You can find them here: https://www.amazon.com/Mal-Wipes-Support-Healthy-Dechra/dp/B01IO9563E/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia?hvadid=178372316526&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9002006&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=10651630771226582108&hvtargid=aud-647006051489%3Akwd-33682989493&keywords=mal-a+ket+wipes&pd_rd_i=B01IO9563E&pd_rd_r=17b03f45-b65a-4d10-915a-5f2d282f3f38&pd_rd_w=LhGqy&pd_rd_wg=7jM7d&pf_rd_p=23754a30-606a-4e0a-ba42-b43d14507217&pf_rd_r=NP7E26CJCVV82H56D8V6&qid=1554385994&s=gateway

​

She came to us on a grain free diet but the vet put her on a grain-included diet for her heart murmur. We give her Honest Kitchen food and it's been working incredibly well. If you want to remain grain-free, they have an option for that. I linked her favorite flavor. Her tear stains have been clearing up, coat is all shiny, and yeast is more manageable since switching from kibble to this. Also, they have a great intro offer on prime. https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/meals/dehydrated-grain-free/dehydrated-grain-free-chicken-dog-food

​

Our Phoebe is big for a frenchie (30-35 lbs) and loves walks. She and I do 3-4 miles a day. She also loves to go for hikes and once a week will do a short run. People will tell you that these are "lethargic apartment dogs" but it completely depends on the particular dog. As yours gets healthier, his energy level will increase a lot.

​

Also, Phoebe loves clothes. She did not have clothes before us. She will pick out a shirt to wear if I give her options. Her favorites are the Hanna Anderson dog pajamas (here: https://www.hannaandersson.com/discontinued-product/50902-AH1.html?dwvar_50902-AH1_color=AH1&cgid=). I think it's because the fabric is super soft. She also wears sweaters when it's cold, and will pick out which one she wants to wear. She has learned how to help get herself dressed.

​

Frenchies should wear harnesses, not collars, because of their lack of defined neck and general lack of skill at breathing. If you're looking to spend money, the canada pooch ones are double adjustable and comfortable. Before she got that one as a special present, she had this one that my parents' beagle used to wear. She loved it, but the elastic was getting old! link here: https://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-EasySport-Harness-Adjustable-Reflective/dp/B00HY6TFKE/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=dog+harness+with+handle&qid=1554386488&s=gateway&sr=8-7

​

Phoebe loves her toys and is a big chewer. Strong mouth. The toys that have held up best to her are these strange platypus ducks https://www.amazon.com/Multipet-Large-Dog-Toy-Yellow/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=duck+dog+toy&qid=1554386781&s=gateway&sr=8-3 and her trash panda, which she picked out at home depot https://www.homedepot.com/p/Loonies-Raccoon-54021/307751080.

​

I have lots of opinions and recommendations so feel free to ask me questions! I love to talk about Phoebe. You can also follow her on instagram at @phoebephilothefrenchie.

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!

Oh that is hard one. I work on this with mine, but I think her prey drive is just too high for me to ever take her off-leash without worrying.

Look here for some basics on teaching recall. A long line is a great start. You want to find whatever motivates your dog best. High value treats, favorite toy, play. I'm going to copy/paste a previous response I did as to how I taught my chaser recall:

> With Syd, the best initial technique was the turn-and-run. I would call Syd to come and turn around and run in the opposite direction so that she ran after and chased me, then I rewarded further either with play or treats. Syd loves chasing! I then varied the rewards, switching between chase, play, and treats. I usually use treats now with only an occasional turn-and-run, and higher value treats for bigger distractions (dogs, squirrels, etc.). Recalling with distractions is still a work in progress.

A flirt pole can also be a useful tool in teaching your dog a good leave it. My dog loves to chase the flirt pole, but I taught her to only chase when I release her and to leave it when I say.

Generally, you want to start easy, reward really well, and gradually build up distractions.

May I ask what part of the world you are in? Just out of curiosity of where you have adder snakes. :)

You might ask the vet for a tranquilizer for her. Or even morphine to keep her doped up, even if it means boarding her with the vet for the period of time she needs to stay quiet.

Prednisone (corticosteriods) will give them a euphoric feeling, make her drink and piss several gallons a day, but make her slightly drowsier than normal, too. You may want to ask your vet about this.

Something that you can do right now that will make her happy is to brush her and brush her. She would soak that up like a sponge. And maybe the additional love will help to offset her energy.

You may want to put her into a giant crate to keep her confined, but them give her stuff animals to nurture as "babies. I got my oldest son's little pit one of these hide-a-squirrel toys, because she is bad about kidnapping babies. Stuffie babies, neighbor's dog's puppy babies... I thought she would extract all 6 babies, and be happy for a week or two. Come to find out, her greatest joy in life is to go through the same actions as a dog that is digging a flea on the log part of it. My son said she is spending about 4-5 hours a day, digging fleas on that log. It is too hilarious to us. But what I find works best for me is to find toys on Chewy, and when my order is going to be less than the free shipping amount? I get them off of amazon. But keeping her mind occupied while she is crated, so she can't elevate pulse and breathing rate, might be of some help.

The reason for my first question. I live in an area where we actively have rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths. They don't call them adders, so to speak. My middle son's ex-girlfriend was watching the farm for me while I was gone out of state for a year. She had a little doxy-cocker cross that kept getting bitten by copperheads over and over. And over. The first few times, we were in an absolute panic, and didn't understand why the vet just laughed (as we called her... first time at 1 am, the second time at 3 am), when we told her the dog had been bitten. She just told us to give benedryl, and bring him in, in the morning. But after the second bite, she explained that in our area, that the snakes would do dry bites. That only a few drops of the venom would get into anything bitten. But out in west Tx for instance, the Mojave rattlers out there would inject so much venom into anything it bit, that all of the antivenin in the world would not help. So just the benedryl, and about a week's worth of antibiotics were all we ever needed to do.

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.
  
  
  

First of all, thanks for saving those babies! I've never actually raised a piglet, but I know there's an underage pig Facebook page and they're very helpful. I do think piglets can start eating very milked down pellets pretty young, but, again, they would be your best resource.

When your pigs start getting older--please find a vet and get them fixed. I cannot tell overemphasize how important this step is, so I'll just leave it there. When they're old enough to get fixed, GET THEM FIXED!!

I would also recommend harness training them early on, since my 4 year old thinks his harness is the devil and won't go near one for all the cheerios in the world. Ditto car riding. Give them lots of praise (and, more importantly, treats) so they want to wear their harnesses/go places.

As far as toys go, our pig is super lazy, but he loves this for indoors and he has one of these for the yard. Either of those can keep him occupied for an hour at a time, though you might need to check in on them from time to time to make sure their ball hasn't gotten stuck or they haven't knocked anything else. (I once got out of the shower to find my entire living room rearranged because of the path the ball had taken...)

Good luck! Your pigs are lucky to have you!

Basically, never feed your dog out of a bowl again. Every meal is an opportunity for mental stimulation!
Use:
Frozen Kongs - these are super easy to prep in advance. I usually have 3-5 in the freezer at any given time.
Puzzle toys like these are good for treats: 1, 2, 3

These are good for kibble: 1, 2, 3

For training, an easy way to get started is to go through the 101 Dog Tricks book. It's 101 tricks/skills to teach them with step by step instructions. Super approachable, and the tricks range from simple stuff like sit and down to more advanced skills like leg weaves. Any of the Do More With Your Dog series is good. I think they have a puppy specific book as well.

If your dog likes learning new tricks or skills you might consider getting into a dog sport like agility or nosework or even obedience. They're fun and challenging for both you and your dog - plus it's a great way to strengthen your relationship in general.

I don't think I've been "formally" introduced to you lovely people even though I've seen some of your contests going on here before ;)

For gift one: Either [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Neff-Womens-Cupcake-Beanie-Velvet/dp/B005HSWZNK/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=39B8AKCSDRT5J&coliid=I1UFRCZ07903KE&psc=1) or [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Ticket-Stub-Diary-Eric-Epstein/dp/1452114226/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1NPR8WP3XYH58&coliid=IXBG9Y68EXA72) both I've been wanting for a long time because I saw that hat on a little girl at the school I used to work for and have been obsessed but can't find it anywhere, and I collect tickets from everything I go to... so having a way to organize them would be awesome!

For gift 2: Also decently under $20 is [this] (http://www.amazon.com/Kyjen-Tail-Teaser-Dog-Refill/dp/B0042I5G2I/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2IR97ZBE8XCJR&coliid=I27I9XMHLTKH2U) which I would absolutely love because I just moved (again) and need to spend more time with my pups!

So c'mon...gimme something good! :b

(I don't know you, but I love you, you wonderful and beautiful people, you!)

Hopping on here, I have a 5 mo Goldendoodle who did not do well with crate training at first. The woman we got him from suggested that many people had great success using Snuggle Puppy Behavioral Toy and it was an absolute game changer for us. Ollie has slept through the night (minus nights with belly aches), every night since. I would also recommend keeping the crate in your room with you, as others have suggested.

I also highly recommend Zak George’s videos on dog training, I read his book too, but the YouTube videos are extremely informational and worked really well for me when I needed help training Ollie.

For the puppy energy I took Ollie for lots of short walks, I live in Florida so the heat was a definite issue and I didn’t want to keep him out for too long, however, once he was walked he would nap for hours.

Apart from that, just give your puppy lots of love and patience and know it does get easier with time. I was pulling my hair out for the first month, almost two months with Ollie, but now, at month three, it’s like a switch has flipped. I can tell what he needs much more quickly than the first month and he’s much better about trying to communicate what he needs. Good luck OP!

my mini wigglebutt has the same problem. He likes to be chased and chase things but doesn't like to return the ball. He thinks it is funner to drop the ball wait there and make me try and go get it and then he will pick it up and run. He gets nippy so its hard to play with him because he gets so amped up. i got him a tethertug that he will play with. https://tethertug.com I get him different squeaker toys to put on the end and he will latch onto it which is good. Although the toy is meant to be able to play by himself he does not like that. So I stay on the other end and get him amped up and swing it at him which he likes. He wont nip at me cause he will go after the toy and i don't have to go after every toy because it is in the ground. He will get tired pretty quickly which is nice. If you don't want to hammer a metal stake in the ground, I also have a flirt pole. its like the same thing as the tether tug but instead of it being in the ground you hold it and fly it around and my wigglebutt will hold on and likes to be dragged. https://www.amazon.com/Outward-Hound-41001-Exercise-Replacement/dp/B0042I5G2I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469571753&sr=8-1&keywords=flirt+pole something like this. I would recommend getting a flirt pole first to see if she likes the idea of having a toy on a pole. Hope this helps. it certainly has helped me not get nipped at, herded, or pull my shoulder out from playing with him.

I have a very high energy dog as well. He has separation anxiety and can be destructive when bored as well.
Crate training was hard and took more than 6 months but gives him a safe place while we are gone. He’s even gone into the kennel on his own one time when he saw me getting ready to leave!
Establishing a morning/daily routine also has helped a ton with that. That would also help with the house training!
As far as the energy goes, both mental stimulation and physical exercise are important. We take Benji to the dog park almost every day. If we don’t make it there, he gets a long (2-4mi) walk in the morning and evening. The exercise is good for me too! We got a martingale collar and that has helped a ton for the pulling! Highly recommend. We also got this toy which may help you as well- he loves it! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0042I5G2I/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_9ldRBbTG31S4F Mental stimulation can be new smells or behavior/clicker/treat training.

Good luck!

Toys:


Jalousie 12 Pack Dog Squeaky Toys... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CSG684C?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

UEETEK Squeaky Dog Toys for Small... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06ZZJBH52?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Ferret Sport Balls Asst, 2-Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ENGOP8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_c8tyDbBXQWQ6M


Marshall Ferret Fun-N-Games Blanket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OE5H54?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Kaytee FerreTrail Flex-E... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ASBEK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Ferret Bed Bug Play Center https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MIU5HI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Ferret Krackle Sack,... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ARPSI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Ferret Octo-Play https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EFV9YM?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Marshall Pet Turtle Tunnel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004VVY49M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_BLdeGqpB9Nl5j

KONG - Plush, Low Stuffing Squeak... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000IVGBFY?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

EocuSun Kids Ball Pit Large Pop... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KUHQZG0?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Click N' Play Pack of 200... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PYLU3GG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share x3

D.Y. TOY Weazel Ball - The Weasel Rolls with Ball https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PKFJKG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7.tyDb0YSNMVT

Bonka Bird Toys 1745 Chandelier... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015RSD7JA?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

ZippyPaws Burrow Squeaky Hide and... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007X7FJAO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

ZippyPaws - Zippy Burrow Interactive Squeaky Hide and Seek Plush Dog Toy - Unicorns in Rainbow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N8GCB7V/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_pjuyDbWY6CFSW

JW Pet Good Cuz Rubber Dog Toy (2... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0113J85JO?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

3Pack Molar Clean Teeth Rubber Toy, Bagvhandbagro Clean Teeth Rubber Pacifier Chew Toy, Bell Chewing Playing Training Toys, for Pet Puppy Dog Cat (Color Random) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XJNGWMK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_okuyDbTBM8HB2

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Squeaking-Dog-Toy-Hamburger-or-Hot-Dog-Assorted/54273866

https://www.chewy.com/zippypaws-zippy-burrow-crayon-box/dp/206190?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=ZippyPaws&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwIPrBRCJARIsAFlVT8_JjfKpnKxdVtL4DtsY7-ld2qS-_7r6PVUG1k0afX9p0jvSthjMAbkaAknVEALw_wcB

just disclaimer some of these toys should only be played with under your supervision so use your best judgement. Check any rubber or stuffed/fabric toys daily for wear and if you see it starting to come apart throw it away as any loose pieces can be swallowed and cause a blockage. My ferrets aren’t chewers they just like to have toys to stash so I’m not as worried but everyone’s ferrets are different so be careful. Also you could make a dig box with rice (never instant) or dried pasta which is a lot of fun for them. They love tunnels, they love to dig, and they love to steal and stash small objects so the toys meet that criteria they’ll be happy lol

I have had the same issue. I adopted a Australian Shepherd who lived most of his life in shelters. It is so sad that he can't play yet. When I fist got Timber he couldn't even enjoy being touched. It's been a long road. I can recommend two things whole-heartedly:

1. A Snuffle Mat! You hide food in it and it takes him a while to find them and we do make it like a game and it reinforces his beagling skills https://www.amazon.com/Wooly-Snuffle-Mat-Encourages-Foraging/dp/B01N1FV55I/ref=sr_1_3?crid=38K8RUHNRBC2V&keywords=snuffle+mat+for+dogs&qid=1562695856&s=gateway&sprefix=snuffle+%2Caps%2C144&sr=8-3
   
2. This toy it is awesome and my dog loves it and he can play with it alone or with me - kind of play soccer with it https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054C9B1I/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   I'm also playing a game - that I hope doesn't make me sound like a slob - my house is clean - I promise. But I get small treats that he really loves (cut up franks or cheese cubes) and I throw them in the house and he egg him on to run and chase them - he loves it - and I'm hoping to parlay this into fetch with a ball/frisbee. It takes a while but so rewarding to see them make little strides in 'dogging'. Good luck - please share a photo of your pup!
   
   ​
   
   ETA: I'd also love to hear other advice/strategies!

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!

A MUTE BUTTON

Ok, but seriously...It's expensive, but I've heard of some breeders sending this home with their puppies. I bought one myself and left it with the breeder during our last visit before pick up so she could let the puppies play with an sufficiently rub their smells all over it (which resulted in us getting a photo of our puppy snuggled up to it a few hours later). It's a great transitional device for them leaving the litter.

Something I do with all my dogs, and maybe something that would be nifty from a breeder, is having a binder with important information pertaining to the dogs, and dividers for different categories. I keep their health records in there, the 3 page document with information we get when I bring them home, registration paperwork, print outs from class, certificates, etc. I think getting a binder to neatly store all important information on my dog is very useful, and getting one from the breeder with suggestions on training, expected puppy behavior, etc. would be pretty useful.

But really, I've never had a lot sent home with me after getting dogs, beyond a gallon bag of food to transition with and a toy that smells like mom.

We got a snuggle puppy for our 11 week puppy and it has been a life saver!! You can find them on Amazon - Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy Behavioral Aid Toy, Brown Mutt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C9YHFS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_AYGyybQW2BN5X

Has a heart beat in it and heating pad that will make him feel like he's with his litter mates. We used the heating pads at first but found them unnecessary and expensive to use on a daily basis since you would have to buy replacements often but may be good for such a young puppy to have the heat aspect as well. Recommend watching him with it first because there is velcro at the bottom to get where the fake heart it is so just make sure he can't chew it. Our puppy treat his like his littermate and loves it.

As long as you tire her out every day you will not be disappointed! Welcome to the club.

It took me a few months of pushing myself to get more comfortable trusting our adult adopted ACD (adopted in Feb this year) but after I realized he's not going to take off sprinting when he's off his leash, the bond really solidified.

They are very smart and have a lot of personality. I've only been able to find one toy that mine wont destroy within a half an hour.

Above all other advice make sure you get pet insurance (I think we have healthy paws). Within a couple of months we had to have a few teeth extracted from ours before we enrolled. $700. They are hearty pure breeds, but they're still pure breeds and have genetic issues sometimes, or they just play hard and tear their ACLs often (my vet recommended fetch with a ball rather than a frisbee).

I also highly recommend agility training. My ACD loves it and can do a full hour before getting brain drain. I've been tempted to try taking him to a dog friendly sheep ranch but I don't want to unlock his heeling instincts, I'm fortunate to have an ACD that is more of a retriever than a nipper.

We've just abandoned any stuffed toys for Joe, because what is enjoyable for him is methodically ripping them apart. The first thing he goes for is the tag, because he knows that comes off easily, and after that he goes for the seams :)

Anyway, best toys for him are ones that we play with together: this flirt pole is great and I'm surprised how sturdy it is; we have a rope tug toy (it used to be a snake but the head was stuffed and so it got ripped apart within 24 hours!); and we have a Hol-ee roller ball which he enjoys chewing occasionally and chasing even more rarely! The holes are a little big to put regular treats in, but once I put the end of his rawhide chew in there and he had a LOT of fun with it, and another time I stuffed it with socks and an old dishcloth for him to pull out the holes because I thought it would replace stuffed toys a bit more safely. Then he tried to eat my sock, so I haven't done it since :P But it's fine if you're going to supervise!

We also have a rawhide chew for him and an antler. He really likes the antler; I think next time I would get the antlers that are split down the middle so that it's even more attractive to him.

Here are some we've had luck with:

Hyper Pet Lickimat Slow Feeder Dog Mat & Boredom Buster there are a ton of recipes out there. I've learned Maisey prefers savory more to sweet recipes.

StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Dog Toy This seems pretty darn sturdy. Ours has small teeth marks on the top from when Maisey pushes it into a corner and picks it up to move it, but otherwise she uses it exactly as intended and no destruction involved. Our blue heeler, on the other hand, knew where the treats were coming from and would actively paw at the opening to try and dig them out. She would NOT push it around. Dot was special though. Being a blue heeler, she was a stubborn, intelligent dog who wasn't playing anyone's games.

VARRAM Pet Fitness Robot Pet robot that cracks me up to see Maisey play with. It has an app on your phone that you drive it around with. It's like a sphero that dispenses treats.

Starmark Everlasting Bento Ball I highly recommend this. Maisey can spend so much time on it, we've started setting a timer.

Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole You'll see a lot of recommendations for flirt poles. They require training (for both you and the dog) to use properly - there are a ton of videos on YouTube about how to use it - don't get me wrong, it's pretty easy. Maisey didn't really go for it. It wasn't her thing. Her prey drive isn't very high.

We also have a Kong but it isn't my favorite. I don't like squeezing the toy in, I have problems every time. I know people will put in food and freeze it, but I don't have that kind of forethought. They are great for destructive dogs though.

You can also look up indoor games. You can put a treat or toy in a blanket and have them dig it out. You can setup obstacle courses. Just google something like indoor dog games or something similar.

Hope that helps!

Every dog is different! This is just a rough list, but hopefully some of these things will entertain your puppy:

• A good tug toy. Either a rope or something long and durable (we use braided sheepskin) that your puppy can get ahold of without putting your hands at risk for chomps.
  
  
• A couple tennis balls and a chucker. 99% of dogs love tennis balls.
  
  
• A soft stuffing-free plush toy for them to carry around and cuddle. Stuffing-free so you don't have to worry about them swallowing anything. Bonus if it has a squeaker.
  
  
• A couple puzzle toys. I personally like Starmark's puzzle toys, in particular the Pickle Pocket and the [Bob-a-lot] (https://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob-Lot-Interactive-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=pd_sim_199_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GGKBW1XCD9KTGNVHJRHB).
  
  
• A chew. They sell puppy-safe plastic chews that are probably best for dogs under 5-6 months. Once he is old enough you could try him on bully sticks or twizzies.
  
  
• Bonus toy that provides a different texture/movement/challenge for your dog. Maybe one of those really tough toys made out of firehose material, or a wood burl, or ?? Some dogs just like empty water bottles.
  
  

They don't have squeakers but I've had good success with rope toys. Not all dogs like rope toys, and some dogs shred them, if your dog shreds them then they shouldn't be allowed to play with them. For dogs that just chew the rope and try to untie the knots, I've had them last 5 or 6 months. An XL 3-knot like this could work (I usually get the large for a 40 - 60lb dog).

If you really like squeaky toys, you might try duckworth (the yellow one). There's nothing special about the materials or construction of this toy (meaning he'd delicate) of but for reasons I do not understand dogs that have destroyed all squeaky toys at my house have played with duckworth without damaging him. If you do try this, cut off that black thing on his head. He didn't have that when I bought him, but if he did I think it would be his undoing.

Overall though, I don't think dog toys are BIFL items. They're generally pretty inexpensive and given that your dog's jaws are strong, their teeth are fragile and you expect them to use their strong jaws and fragile teeth to chew on the toy, it's just not a recipe for a long lasting toy (or the toy lasts but the dog's teeth don't, which isn't a win overall).

Greyhounds love slumberballs! I got my 60 pound girl a extra large one since I knew she'd like a lot of room to stretch out on it, so you could either do that size or size up to a giant one to allow him to be more comfortable. Either size would work though.

Did you get toys yet? How about a raised feeder? In my experience with fostering and owning my girl, they don't seem to be too big on chew types of toys, but love squeaky toys. Mine loves this squeaky toy since the squeaker is super loud and strong, and this plush toy. A little while after we got her we also realized that while she wasn't into small balls like tennis balls or anything, she really loved big balls like soccer balls. I was sick of her destroying soccer balls quickly, so I got her one of these since it was recommeded to me by someone at the dog park, and that thing is seriously indestructible. As far as feeders go, if you haven't gotten one yet then I'd recommend this one. $20 and comes with two bowls. I've had it for a year now with no problems.

My 8 week old Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever (closely related to Goldens) was not a fan of the crate at all. We'd put her in there, even if she was tired, and she'd start whining up to a half hour.

I read about the Snuggle Puppy and the reviews on Amazon seemed too good to be true, but I wanted her to have an easier time and $30 seemed worth a shot. So, we got her this and honestly, it helps so much. The newer model comes with a heart that has an 8 hour setting, a continuous setting (runs until battery dies) and off.

So, what we do now is throw in some Freeze Dried Beef Liver Treats (the Ferrari of dog treats) in her Kong, top it off with some peanut butter and put that in the crate with her Snuggle Puppy. She'll go in there, work on her Kong and lay down. Once she lays down we cover the front of her cage with a blanket or towel to reduce some of the light and she goes to sleep with nary a whimper. It's been working day or night. It definitely comforts her. I highly recommend it.

Hahaha! Well I'm still working on my 2008 resolutions so you're way ahead of me. My dog (Echo) is doing great - other than pulling on the tether. But OMG - the energy - and so smart! I work from home so several times a day he'll come in my office and just look at me and cry - like "let's play". Mother guilt never goes away, I guess! He's very quiet - have only heard him bark a couple of times. I have a snuffle mat that he enjoys - maybe get him engrossed in that before you walk out the door. He also LOVES those toys that laugh and shake https://www.amazon.com/Hyper-Pet-Doggie-Wiggly-Interactive/dp/B0054C9B1I/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3IFABC6GU5T7A&keywords=interactive+dog+toys&qid=1570510557&sprefix=interactive%2Caps%2C367&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExMFpTV0ozQldMTFhRJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzA0MzY1MVlaWlFRSDVIUEk4UyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDIzNjE3MkhWUEhWNTgzM1VXJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== . I live right on the river and near the mountains so he gets quite a lot of exercise - although we're a little more cautious as it is bear season here! I took him to the ocean for the first time last weekend and he absolutely loved that as well. He is learning how to catch (and not eat) a frisbee as well. And yes - I'm exhausted. Cat people have it so easy..... ;)

Along with what everyone else has said, I would recommend this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C9YHFS/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_s_awd_d_YawFxb1PW070M

It's a stuffed animal that has a fake heart inside which vibrates like a heart beat. My puppy loved this! It gave her a little "friend" to snuggle with in her crate. It even comes with a hand warmer you can shove inside too, to simulate a warm puppy to snuggle with. That and treats, a toy, anything to make it a happy place! Try to feed meals in the crate too. Start with the door open, as the pup goes inside further and is more comfortable you can shut the door and let him out when he's finished eating.

The thing that causes this behavior is that he is a working breed dog who is extremely energetic. You basically described almost every lab I have ever trained. His owners need to give him a lot more mental and physical stimulation.

Since he is a lab, a chuck it ball thrower would be a great way to play fetch. A flirt pole is another really great toy for tiring dogs out.

For mental stimulation, mealtimes are a perfect opportunity. Have them get either a Bob-A-Lot or a Kong Wobbler for daily feeding and get rid of his food bowl. I recommend the Bob-A-Lot because you can make it easier or harder. This gives him ~10 extra minutes of brain work every day and you don't have to do anything extra.

Then basic obedience and chew/puzzle toys (kong marathon ball, nobbly nubbly, squirrel dude) will also help.

You can feed him exclusively through food dispensing toys which will help occupy him and drain some energy. I'd pick up a couple different ones like this and rotate their use. See the recommendations below that, most of those toys are pretty good. The Bob A Lot is nice because you can put a decent amount of Kibble in before you have to refill. For hard puzzles, there's one called the Tug-A-Jug which lasts a long time. Freeze creamy stuff or wet food in Kongs to make them last a bit longer. If you can find a type of bone he really likes, keep a bunch in stock; chewing can be great for tiring him out.

And like other posters have suggested, practicing a little training every day will make a difference. Teach new tricks or mix in some basic obedience cues with a game of fetch or tug, using the toy as the reward.

I'm only about a month and a half in but since it seems you've been struggling with the crate training part, the Smart Pet Love Puppy made it SO MUCH EASIER. She even immediately started sleeping through the night. The prices on Amazon fluctuate but I'd spend even more on this again if I had to. The heartbeat calms her down and even now I don't turn it on and it's still her favorite toy.

It also helped when I got her the smallest crate at Petco—a cat sized one. Half of it is filled up with her Smart Puppy and a Snuggie, so she has never once had an accident in her crate.

Once keeping her in the crate became easy, it was easier to potty train. That's all I have to add to what VFR800Rider had to say.

I switched from normal bowl-feeding to [this food dispenser toy] (https://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Treat-Kibble-Dispensing-Puppy/dp/B01CP7B9L4/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468270533&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=bobalot+feeder) and my dog LOVES it. It's hilarious to watch him knock it around and he just about does cartwheels at meal times.

Is it possible to start taking your pups for walks to tire them out? Or teaching fetch to tire them out quicker in the backyard, or tug of war?

I've also been thinking about getting a [flirt pole] (https://www.amazon.com/Outward-Hound-41001-Exercise-Replacement/dp/B0042I5G2I/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1468270723&sr=1-1&keywords=flirt+pole) as my dog got to play with one at our training class this weekend and about crapped his pants (he really liked it). I think the trick is to figure out what activity your dogs likes best – chewing? squeaky stuff? chasing? digging? nosework? and then finding more focused activites related to that. Good luck!

I saw your wish list and you don't have any waste bags! I know toys and beds are important, but you have to think about hygiene as well. I bought waste bags similar to these and they're really important, so I would recommend getting them:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NABTGY2/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1550399181&sr=8-1&keywords=Dog&dpPl=1&dpID=41wU8IMCLcL&ref=plSrch

I thought these were pretty cool as wel, in case you wanna groom your dogs:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01N9KSITZ/ref=mp_s_a_1_27?ie=UTF8&qid=1550399482&sr=8-27&keywords=Dog

And lastly this toy looks really nice. I remember I used to have one of these Gumbys(kids toy), and the dog version looks pretty good:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00A80X19E/ref=mp_s_a_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1550399610&sr=8-21&keywords=Dog&dpPl=1&dpID=41IhHv4douL&ref=plSrch

Awesome! Our family loves Disney, so I put a Cheshire Cat on my Wanted Wishlist.

I absolutely love my Dad's dog, Kenzie. Whenever I go over to her house, she can tell it's me and try to jump out of her play area to come see me. She doesn't do that with anyone else.

It's probably because she knows she goes on adventures with me, and she loves adventuring.

Jumping in to recommend the Bob-A-Lot that I got my dog a few months ago. It seems to be a little more work for her than the Kong Wobbler since you can adjust the hole that the food comes out of. If I don't feed her out of that, I use this dog bowl. Another good way for me to wear her brain out is to take the meal with us on our walks and train a little as we go.

Just recently my friend got me this toy and she loves it. She'll pull all the toys out and play with them for a while, then wait while I stuff them back in again.

Good luck!! I really hope you get to keep your pupper!

Grand Pyrenees are super active dogs that are incredible escape artists. So in addition to a really good crate you should make sure you fix up your fence. Make sure you install a dog proofing system or consider a dog specific fence. Invisible electric fences are useless on them when they get older. They definately need to run around. They are crazy diggers.

Other than that make sure you get dog food toys like this. They have lots of energy. More than regular pups. They also will get annoyed of you crate them for 10+ hours a day like some people think they can do.

The biggest thing with them is to remember that they need to play a lot. Puppy play dates in your own yard will help them out a lot.

kibble dispensing toys:

• starmark bobalot --adjustable opening sizes, separate compartment for extra goodies.
  
• petsafe magic mushroom -- adjustable openings
  
• omega tricky treat ball -- treat ball for kibble and smallish treats
  
• JW Treat Ball -- treat ball for larger pieces of dog biscuit
  
  goop/cheese/mush holders:
  
  
• classic kong for all the things.
  
• nylabone marrow bone--good with melted cheese smeared inside.
  
• goughnuts cup--no hole in the bottom, so easy to fill with liquid and then freeze.
  
  Puzzles:
  
  
• trixie brand puzzles like this one require a bit more finesse, but once the dog gets the hang of it it's fun.
  
• ball sleeve (non-food option)
  
• kyjen ball inside ball (non-food option), also good with a stuffed animal hidden inside.
  
  random combinations of other toys. For example,
  
  
• a stuffed jolly pets monster mouth can be wedged neatly inside dog savers tire for a greater challenge.
  
• the narrow end of a small classic kong can be wedged neatly in the opening of an orbee tuff toy
  
  * fixed a link
  

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.

I would suggest that you definitely keep up the crate training. Are you putting treats in his crate when he goes in? Sometimes it's best to associate the crate with these types of positive reinforcements so he is more inclined to think the crate is a great place. If he has separation anxiety, I heard this heartbeat toy works quite well for young puppies.

My other suggestion is, the meantime, while you are crate training him, why don't you get one of these playpens if you have to leave him in the kitchen. That way he is at least away from the walls and in an enclosed space. If he starts to chew the playpen, you could spray it with this bitter spray which really helped my dog when he was teething.

Good luck!!

One really neat thing you can teach your puppy with a ball is precision heeling. There are quite a few steps you have to take first before using a ball. You start off teaching​ your pup with food. I highly recommend looking at this video to get started. Once your dog has the basics with the food down, you can transfer to putting a ball under your armpit and having the dog heel for that. I recommend getting a ball attached to rope so you can immediately reward by playing tug with the dog, because that will ultimately become a greater reward than food. I recommend a ball like this or this. Let me know if you have more questions!

Is she getting enough mental and physical exercise? It sounds like she’s bored and is getting into things. Even if you have appropriate chews for her, make sure she’s getting enough physical exercise and that you’re engaging her brain with puzzle toys and training. Both of my dogs eat their meals from Starmark Bob-a-Lot toys because it engages their brains. Nina Ottosson makes tons of great puzzle toys of varying difficulties that are relatively inexpensive. Working on trick training and obedience commands also helps tucker them out - do “commercial break” sessions, as short as 90 seconds and no longer than 5 minutes, a couple times a day.

When it comes to physical exercise, make sure she’s getting walks or that you’re playing fetch with her. Plenty of dog owners just toss their dogs out in their backyards and call it “exercise” even though most dogs aren’t going to actually expend much energy in a yard by themselves. Walks around the neighborhood are also a great opportunity for sniffing new smells, which is great mental exercise. If you don’t have the time or energy to walk her, consider hiring a dog walker, or sending her to doggy daycare one or two days a week. We also play with a flirt pole some evenings when my dogs seem restless despite multiple walks... best $15 I’ve ever spent! You can use it indoors in an open space or out in your yard (if you have one).

If your dog is getting plenty of physical and mental stimulation and still chewing things up, management is your best friend. Crate her when you can’t watch her closely or confine her to a puppy-proofed room. Or use the “umbilical” method - put her on a leash and tie it around your waist so she goes everywhere with you and isn’t out of your sight. You really can’t train a dog out of behaviors you don’t witness, but you’re setting her up for failure (and a dangerous intestinal blockage) if you leave her unsupervised in a room with tons of things she can (but shouldn’t) chew. A 15 month old lab is still effectively a big puppy and labs have an affinity for chewing things up. It might be that the best you can do is manage it now and hope she grows out of it in the coming years.

I’d be interested to see if he was actually being “aggressive” or if he was just playing. As stated earlier pits have extremely high pain tolerances. (But they do in fact feel pain). I have bruises and one pretty gnarly scar from playing with mine who is about 80 lbs. Mostly, it happens when we go out to play fetch. He gets over worked and extremely excited and starts to come at me instead of the toy.

My suggestion: shut it down quickly. Simply grab the collar and get him to sit down, and don’t let him move until he is calmed down. The more you push, hit and kick, the harder he is going to try to bring you down, because that is how pits play, by trying to pin each other. Hitting your dog is never the answer.

Get or make a flirt pole , as it creates a greater distance between you the dog and the toy, which will help keep his attention focused on the toy and not on you.

I adopted two older, female ferrets a long time ago. Luckily, neither of them were bad at chewing/ biting, nor were they climbers, but they still managed to teach me a few things;

Buy dirt-cheap (ie Walmart) bathmats, preferably ones with rubbery undersides, to line wire cage floors. You can cut them to the right size pretty easily, toss them in the wash when they get peed & pooped on - it *will happen - and you can replace them when they get shredded - this will also happen.

Ferrotone is your best friend when it's nail-clipping time. A few drops on their belly will distract them and leave their feet available. Lay them in your lap, their back resting against your stomach.

Don't buy clay-based litter, the dust will give your ferret a respiratory infection. Yesterday's News is your best bet and buy in bulk!

Buy a dish that attaches to the side of the cage for water - bottles are meant for small rodents, not longbois. Also, no matter how large, hamsterballs are not appropriate for ferrets. It hurts their spines.

I've posted about this before, this dog toy is amazing. My girls would hide all the squirrel-babies then sleep inside the log. I pulled the whiskers out of the toys just because they were kinda pokey: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B005VS9WO6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_hRhBDbHZKGN5R

Looks like you have a good list going, remember to update your pups microchip with your address and get him/her a tag with your details.

We got a 36 inch crate and it's plenty big for our boy (he's around 30 pounds).

Puppia harness is a great starter harness, it's soft and doesn't have a bunch of metal jingling pieces which our puppy HATED on his harness our breeder gave us.

Kibble, check out dog food advisor for reviews and ratings of foods content, we were using grain free salmon and sweet potato from chicken soup for the soul, it's decently priced and well rated I can't find it anywhere atm so we're switching him back to their normal kibble.

Salmon Oil is a lifesaver in the winter, our pup gets terribly dry skin and extremely itchy without it.

Start out with a puppy kong, they sell kong fillers that are cheese and peanut butter flavored, our puppy was pretty picky at first and only ate the cheese one, didn't like frozen kongs either.

I'd start with a Basic Collar here's a Dog Tag Silencer and a Break-away collar for outdoors or dog park. A dog was choked unconscious at our park so I typically just keep our guys ID tags on his harness and don't use a collar, but if you do I definitely recommend a break-away if you are primarily using a harness with it.

Items we found useful: Bed Liner, Crate Fence, Kong, Stainless Steel Bowls (highly reccomend US made do not buy any made in China for health reasons), Zippy Paws Hide and Seek toys, Potty/accident cleaner, Potty Bells, Anti-chew Bitter Apple spray, 50 ft Leash, Retractable Leash, Soft stop Leash extender, Car Seat Belt, Car Booster Seat, Gentle Shampoo, Comb, Travel Water Bottle, Flirt Pole, Special Treats, Chew Stick, Greenies

Sorry for the HUGE list lol, feel free to ask any questions!

[This food toy ](StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9lN9ybXY00DZT) I love everything about it: pup learned how to use it quickly, it's easy to clean, holds enough food for each meal.

I can change how fast it dispenses the food depending on kibble size and how difficult I want to make it. Keeps my pup entertained for about 20 minutes which is great in the morning while I get ready for my day. I've recommended it to many friends and have never had a complaint.

What was your last one made of? Was it plastic coated wire cable? I have one like /u/tokisushi linked for potty breaks and my dog has broken 2 collars (running after cats/squirrels) but never has hurt the tie-out.

Better than a stationary tie-out might be one of those zipline tracks that you string between two trees, especially if your intent is for the dog to get some exercise. Dogs generally do not "wear themselves out" like you are hoping for but it would at least be more conducive to running than a regular tie-out.

I read your other comment about how the dog is not yours and all that, and I totally get where you're coming from. Just thinking out loud, mental stimulation is usually a lot more tiring (especially for puppies) than physical stimulation. Since he's confined to the kitchen a lot, he'd probably benefit from something like a puzzle feeder.

Firstly, get your dog neutered. There are places that will do this at discount rates (look for mobile spay/neuter clinics in your area) or local shelters/humane societies. Google it. There is no reason to not neuter your dog (unless you are a certified breeder and you intend to breed this dog).

This is something that my trainer told me that I found really helped - by the time you've seen a dog or person on your walk, your dog has likely been aware of them for some time, either through his superior sense of smell or hearing. This means that as soon as you see a person, you need to start looking at his body cues (See Here and Here) and then react appropriately by redirecting or distracting. My own GSD (female, spayed, 1.5 years old) is almost always in the 'alert' or 'unsure' stage when she sees another dog while we are walking.

As for the other stuff, it sounds like you need to go back to basics. Find a treat or a toy that he really likes and use that to train and only to train (meaning he will not get it unless you are walking/training). For my dog, training treats consist of boiled chicken, string cheese, or hot dogs (depending on what is at hand) but sometimes even this doesn't work. The only toy that she goes consistently bonkers for is a flirt pole. Start off by training a heel command indoors. When he heels consistently inside (without being lured by treats) you can move it outside. Stick to just in front of/behind your house at first, then move to longer walks as he gets more and more consistent with the behavior.

Other than that, consider getting a 30 foot leash (like others have said) and play play play right before going for a walk. Use play time to train cues such as 'drop it' and 'stay'. I also recommend looking up some trainers on youtube (Zak George, Kikopup, Victoria Stilwell). Its not the same as having a professional trainer, but it does help a lot.

There is already a lot of good advice in this thread. Don't give in, feed her meals in her crate, etc. But here is something else you can try as well.

Before I got my puppy, I was browsing this sub and someone recommended this behavioral aid toy.

I ordered it and I think it worked great. At the very least, it made me feel better about tearing her away from her mom and litter mates! I used the heart ticker for a long time afterwards too just to calm her down for sleep time.

Kong is good. Get two: one to keep in the freezer and one to give to her. The frozen ones will take longer for her to get through. Put some peanut butter and treats in there and she'll be occupied for awhile.

I also have one of these things for my smart dog and it's great for her meals. I put her full serving of dry food in it and it takes her a good half hour to get everything out. It's also great because you can adjust the size of the release points to make it harder or easier for her.

Hey man two weeks ago I was in the exact same situation you are. My GSD is a male and 14 weeks now. Since two weeks ago his mouth has gotten extremely softer. He still has an outburst here and there and I do lose my temper sometimes, but if its one thing this little guy has taught me, it's patience. I was at the end of my rope just like you guys and figured I would give it just a little more time and I have seen a huge difference in him in those two weeks. They don't call German Shepherd puppies land sharks for no reason. Now potty training is another thing....

Also, he does try to assert his dominance over me but thats become less frequent as well. He just wants to be a leader, you can tell. He used to hump me, got his first red rocket at 10 weeks, started marking at 12ish weeks (doesn't even lift his leg yet), so I can tell that if I'm not confident and assertive that he's just going to be a hassle to not only myself but others. You have to show him that those are your children and are more important that he is. One nice thing though is that he rarely barks and when he does I remove him from the situation.

Oh and I don't exercise him every day because of those damn hips, but I do play with him a lot. It helps that I currently stay at home all day but that's not going to last for too much longer so we'll see what happens afterwards.

Anyways, this turned out into a bit of a rant but if you want to talk just shoot me a PM or something.


Edit: Get her one of these! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0042I5G2I/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It's like the best thing in the world to him. I'm also using it to teach him drop it so it works out. Only thing is he loves to chew on the chew toy and the rope so be careful with that or it'll come apart. Nothing some duck tape won't fix though, I hope.

Shibas play differently than other dogs. The best way we kept our girl interested in playtime with a ball was to get a cat toy - had a stuffed bird inside and made noise when it rolled. She loved it and it spurred her prey drive. We also got a dog-hearty flirt pole and it’s still her favorite toy.

For the biting - he’s probably never been taught how to mouth rather than bite down and doesn’t realize what he’s doing. The trainer should be able to help with that.

Someone on reddit, posted snuggle pet

They said it really did help their new puppy as well, it has a heart beat, and it can keep warm. It helped calm their puppy! In looking at the reviews it helped a number of people. May not work for really large dogs, they'll chew it to bits in no time. It might be worth a shot, just a suggestion! He's a cutie. :)

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.

Have you tried a flirt pole for him to chase?

Also, what kind of training have you tried? He's only a puppy, so I'd hate for you to write him off as "dim" when really he just might not be...properly motivated. Check out Kikopup's puppy training videos and start clicker training to get him thinking, which should help tire him out (and training is always good).

Additionally, maybe look into an interactive feeder for another mental challenge. I use the Kong Wobbler to feed my dog her meals, and I think that might be the best thing I've purchased for her yet.

Edited to add: Hide and seek is also a great indoor game to get your pup moving and thinking. You can hide yourself and have him find you, or I just hide little treats around for my dog to sniff you. I can really tell her gears are turning and she's actually working when she plays this game! I'd also look into what kind of group training classes are in your area and talk to local trainers--he's definitely not to young to do basic obedience, and from there he may be able to start with classes like agility or flyball which will really wear out an active adult dog.

One of my favorite things to buy myself some time is what we affectionally call Bob (or the bob-a-lot by StarMark). I had my eye on one of these when I first brought my puppy home and didn't buy it for awhile but when I did it revolutionized my life. This keeps my pup busy and entertained forever. We will give her some food in the bowl for meal times but we put aside a lot of the daily food to be fed out through this. Our pup is incredibly food motivated but sometimes is super selective about what she'll chew.

Not trying to shoot down your idea, but I did Barkbox for a few months and it was just okay. The treats were nice but the toys didn't last long and I had to fish pieces of them out of my dog's mouth so she didn't eat them - not exactly something you can leave the dog to do unsupervised. If he is into puzzle toys at all (working to get a treat out) that might be something to look into.

Does she have a flirt pole? They're very cheap (or you can make your own) and it has been the best thing I've ever bought my dog. Ten minutes and she's tired. I've had it for a year plus and left it out in the rain and cold, and it just looks a little sunbleached. Really sturdy and you can attach pretty much any sort of toys to it.

My Blanco did not eat so fast that he seemed to be getting sick, but knowing that he would enjoy being engaged for his food, we bought him this: https://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob---Lot-Interactive-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1469221369&sr=8-2&keywords=dog+food+toy

I won't say he loves it, but he knows how it works and never leaves a piece behind. I've heard of dogs getting bored/frustrated by toys like this and refusing to eat if that is how their food is served, but he has been using it for a few months now and nothing has changed yet.

Plus it gives me like twenty minutes of me-time where I don't have to worry about entertaining him.

I have an 8 month Yorkie is pretty high energy but not as a high as a husky mix. First thing I’d suggest is mental stimulation games. Our trainer in class last week taught us a very simple one where you can use Amazon box and put them down and place treats inside. It teaches them to sniff them out. We also gave our boy a treat puzzle ball, which has been a GOD. SEND.

However, the best thing for physical exercise to wear them out is this Tail Tease toy. We can’t use it with our boy right now (just got fixed 3 days ago) but, last weekend when it was stupid hot outside and we couldn’t do longer walks, this thing wore his butt out within 10 minutes. I can’t recommend it enough.

Meatball is absolutely ADORABLE! And this basket of goodies sounds delicious! I think Meatball would like this very stylish doggy sweater, this hide and seek toy kit that keeps my puppyboys busy for hours and even though it's crazy expensive, I think this is rather fitting for his name. Happy holidays to you and Meatball, from me and Doug/Yoshi!

I hope it works for you! And always be sure to wait for a period of time (at least 2-3 minutes of quiet has been my rule) after he stops making noise entirely before you let him out. There needs to be a long enough period of quiet so he understands that being quiet is what is getting him out, not making noise.

Another thing that might help is covering the crate with a sheet to keep the puppy covered up. Seeing a big open room around himself while he is alone might scare him. He might feel a bit safer if he is "hidden" in a smaller space.

I actually tried it for the first time this morning when my pup started crying when I re-crated her after her bathroom break at 5am. She stopped crying after probably less than a minute of being covered and she was dead silent until I got up for work at 7:30am. I wish I had tried it sooner, and I hope it continues to be successful tonight...

At the very least, it should help prevent her from seeing my cats walking around free in the middle of the night and start crying as a result.

One more thing I will be trying once it arrives tomorrow from Amazon is a snuggle puppy... It is a bit on the expensive side, but I am thinking it might help for my puppy. She really prefers to cuddle up in peoples laps to go to bed instead of in her crate or the floor, so I am hoping that having something in the crate with her that is warm and has a "heartbeat" will help soothe her.

Nothing wrong with laying next to the crate, but if he's coming from a situation where he was with a lot of other dogs, this might be a good tool for you. If that's too expensive and he's small enough, this should be sufficient and it's a lot cheaper. Our dog had the same issues, but the latter option was much too small for her. I hope that helps. :-)

Six weeks is really young. I'm assuming a rescue since any breeder would know to not separate a puppy from it's mom and littler mates at that age. 8 weeks minimum, 10 weeks better. There is still a lot of learning needed to be done there. Not sure how to over come that. As for the potty training 6 weeks is too young to expect much. Figure they can hold it for about an hour for each month of age. So, he's at an hour. You can start crate training. Use it for when he isn't supervised. Like when you're at work. Don't use it for punishment or as a place to put him while you watch TV, etc. Get him outside regularly. It's easier to potty train successfully when they never get used to peeing in the house to big with.

You might want to look into a heartbeat "toy" to keep in the create with him. My friend used this one. Someone else might have a better recommendation.

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Pet-Love-Snuggle-Behavioral/dp/B000C9YHFS

I have a 7 week old Goldendoodle and bought a SmartPet Suggle Puppy (Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy Behavioral Aid Toy, Brown Mutt https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000C9YHFS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LDuExb6FDJ7J1). They have a heartbeat and a place for a warming pack, really helped my little guy I think. He snuggles with it every night and seems to love it. It was expensive, but I feel it was worth the splurge!

I did towels in the crate since I worried about potty training, but my guy has been awesome and had no accidents. Just make sure to take them out often (I do every hour when he's awake!) and take away food/water at least an hour before bed.

Good luck!! Stay patient with crate training, it's been my biggest obstacle so far.

Our favourite is Bob-a-lot. We used to use a Kong Wobbler, but it was too easy. The bob-a-lot lets you adjust the hole openings so it's more difficult. He has learned how to open the first hole though so it doesn't keep him as occupied as before.

He really likes PetSafe Busy Buddy, Petzone IQ Treat Ball, and Nina Ottoson Treat Maze, but I didn't find them very durable. My 10lb pup isn't much of a chewer, but he definitely cracked the plastic on most of those puzzle toys.

Two things that saved me my first few months:

1. Split Antler to chew on. Oh man, did this keep her busy.
   
2. An electronic toy that runs away from her. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054C9B1I/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   She's still obsessed with the second. It is so great for getting her attention focused on something (but is loud, just to warn you). Anytime she's ancy and I can't play with her, I let her play with the tail. If you keep it away from them and give it to them at certain points, it'll hold their attention better.
   
   Good luck!

My terrier mix puppy rips every single plush to shreds within minutes or hours of getting it except this stuffed duck which has lasted two and a half weeks so far and is still fully intact. I don't know if it's the texture of it or what. Clearly by the reviews, some dogs are still destroying it, but I've been super impressed with what it has survived so far and it's her go to toy and gets roughed up a lot. I've also heard good things about the softer toys from the Bark Box Destroyers Club.

I've got a high energy lab mix too, and as many people have said here, walking just doesn't cut it. Several people have recommended fetch, which has been a huge help. Additionally, this thing has been a lifesaver. Basically, anything that gets him running hard and will help you drain his excess energy quickly.

Antler dog chews last almost forever, but they're a chew toy.

Also great are "flirt pole" type toys that are not meant for chewing but are soft and fluffy interactive toys that you can play with your dog and put away when you're done.

http://www.amazon.com/Kyjen-PP02290-Exercise-Training-Replacement/dp/B0042I5G2I/

I have found that "puzzle" type toys (squirrels in a tree, pieces that come apart with velcro) are good for dogs who like destructive toy play, as they satisfy their need to destroy by pulling the pieces apart, and MAY not need to destroy it further. Of course, your mileage may vary.

http://www.amazon.com/Kyjen-PP01076-IntelliBone-Interactive-Multicolor/dp/B0002I0O6K/

Tuffy Dog toys and those indestructable snakes that squeak even after they're punctured also last a while.

http://www.dogtuff.com/tuffy-dog-toys.html

http://www.amazon.com/Kyjen-PP01481-Invincibles-Stuffingless-6-Squeakers/dp/B003RQNE7U

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0017JDGZO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_kr6-zb8PX80P6

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Av6-zbS52SFWB

These are Penny's favorite toys, and they are super cheap. Feel free to link your pup's favorite too! Christmas is coming!

If he has a hard time with separation, you might want to get him a snuggle puppy (they make snuggle kitties, but the puppy is usually cheaper and kittens can't tell the difference...). It has a heart beat and it will make him feel like he has someone alive to snuggle with.

Good news is the more food-motivated a dog is, often the easier they are to train.

In addition to making sure your dog does whatever "calm" behavior you want before giving the food (sit, lay down, go to a special place) - I'd strongly consider feeding her via a Bobble, Kong, or puzzle toy.

This will slow down her eating process, help digestion (so she's not scarfing food down in a single gulp, and if she's super-active may provide mental stimulation akin to a long walk or session of fetch.

When my dog was a puppy we used the Bobble and puzzle toys on rainy days when he couldn't get a lot of exercise outside and they worked wonders on exhausting him without physical exercise.

My dog loves these .

They’re meant to go into a stuffed log thing, but he don’t really seem to get how to do that & prefers tossing the chipmunks around.

They’re 3 for $10 and for whatever reason, he doesn’t try to destuff them.

He also loves the pig & giraffe versions.

(My dog is small, but there seem to be positive reviews from big dog owners too)

That’s great! I’m so glad you’re hanging in there and seeing better results :) keep it up! We had to play with our puppy’s toys too before he got the hint. One of the first ones he got really into was this plush log with plush squirrels inside he had to dig out, maybe you can try it!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PFB3HG/

Something interesting to get is a [bob-a-lot.](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_JiVwxbF4BKWQC
) Or a flirt pole!

Both are fun, interactive toys that you don't see too often and I would love to get them at a dog birthday party.

Came here to say west paw. My dog is a CHEWER.

We’ve been getting him the super chewer bark box for the last couple of months. Half of the toys don’t last 5 minutes (we like the treats). They sent us a benebone as a replacement and he liked it a lot. It’s about halfway gone after about two weeks. Nylabones get shredded. Soft toys are basically non-starters (though the duck toy is doing pretty well a few days in... feet are gone but no fluff out yet!)

The West Paw toys we got him MONTHS ago are still fully intact and he loves them.

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

Oh, Premier Pet makes a bunch of them - [on Amazon] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_n_3?fst=as%3Aoff&rh=n%3A2619533011%2Cp_4%3APremier-Pet-Products%2Cn%3A%212619534011%2Cn%3A2975312011%2Cn%3A2975413011&bbn=2975312011&ie=UTF8&qid=1427303947&rnid=2975312011) but most pet stores carry a few of them too.

I use the Kibble Nibbler Ball for his meals, and other toys for some kibble throughout the day - he loves squirrel buddy, but I also have the waggle bone, large twist n'treat, the mushroom, and the barnacle. He figures them out fast, but it does slow his eating and make him think!

He also [loves this toy] (http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob---Lot-Interactive-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1427304091&sr=1-1&keywords=bob+a+lot), which is way better than the similar Kong Wobbler in that its slower to dispense and better balanced (he figured out how to get the wobbler to balance on its side and just dump the kibble out in on big pile!)

I have had good luck with the Outward Hound Invincibles line. They have lasted quite a while for my beagle. Plus they have squeakers that keep squeaking even if they get holes in them. I have some of these that are months old.

I've also been happy with the goDog line of toys that have "ChewGuard Technology" These don't last quite as long as the Invincibles but will work for a decent amount of time.

There is the KONG line of toys as well but my beagle has never liked to play with them. He gets the treat out in about two minutes and quits using it. They will last basically forever though if your beagle will play with one.

Every dog is different, but the hearbeat stuffy worked for my pup. You can put a warmer in there too. I took it with me when I picked up my pup and rubbed it all over his mama to get her scent on it. The combination of his mother's scent, the warmth, and the heartbeat worked for him. I made sure his crate was blocked off to keep it small and cozy and he snuggled up with the stuffy. Do you have anything with his mother's scent? Is the breeder nearby? Is that something you can do? Even if it's just an old towel or something that you can get her scent on, it might be comforting for your pup.

Mine loves this. I put treats in it and he has to get all the squirells out. He loves it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000HHQ3AM/ref=twister_B07V8VTLBR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

​

He also likes those little flat unstuffed animals that he can whip back and forth.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P0YQZ28/ref=twister_B00PCJK2QG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Well, you can surely find a store that sells pet supplies in Athens. I would get a small toy for the dog from Greece, if possible. If you’d rather order online, that should be fine too. I don’t think anyone would expect a major present for something like this. Anything cute and cheerful looking will do. For ex: hedgehogs

I'll check those out! Thanks for the recommendations. I already have the kong for her and I'll freeze PB with some of her kibble in it, which takes her some time to get through. She has an insane amount of energy, so the others will definitely help! She also loves the Bob-A-Lot, if you're looking for something else for yours. But this one is also incredibly loud because of the hard plastic.

You said he avoids squeak toys and you're trying to stay away from plush, but there's a Hide-A-Squirrel toy on Amazon that has really high ratings. I haven't tried it myself, but I've been interested. It sounds like it's pretty durable, so hopefully it wouldn't end up all over your house. I know you can take the "stump" and hide treats in it to make it more of a puzzle.

This toy was the best when i had to keep my puppy indoors. She loved chasing it in circles. It will save your hands from all the nipping too!
Outward hound teaser toy

This big hedgie is one of my dogs favorites. They have smaller sizes too!!!

Not only is this.... duck/google/schmoo one of my doggos favorites, it has tons of reviews from people saying for some reason their dog really loves it.

I'm new to puppydom but my 11 week old Westie loves:

• ball + rope combo
  
• kong gator
  
• hide a squirrel plush - He is straight obsessed with this one
  
• treat ball - I alternate kongs and treat balls to keep him busy in is crate.
  
  I also bought him a little tunnel thing to meet his lil' terrier heart's burrowing needs.
  

Overstimulating sounds right to me. It’s almost like a human, if you run 3 miles every day, you’re going to be a bit stir crazy if you don’t get your 3 mile run in for a day. Your Aussie is dependent on that stimulation everyday because he’s been so active.

Try rotating between focus training and problem solving some nights and exercise other night. Aussie will literally never tire if she’s playing with a dog or chasing a frisbee. She does get drained from activities like hide and seek because its mentally draining. We’ve started to hide a toy and while she’s looking hide another toy, then give her commands like “warm, hot, cold” based on proximity to the toy and when she find Squishy we tell her “Good job, now find Bear” and she goes searching for her bear.

Instead of toys that will just get destroyed, look into toys that promote problem solving.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0798K86LR/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1536457543&sr=8-3&keywords=Pupper+Pamper&dpPl=1&dpID=51HL1EmZOoL&ref=plSrch <— You can make these with 2 liter bottles but this is a good way to switch up dinner time. Don’t let your pup chew through these, he has to solve the puzzle. No brute forcing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0711Y9XTF/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1536457614&sr=8-5&keywords=dog%2Bpuzzle%2Btoys&dpPl=1&dpID=41uG8OG2guL&ref=plSrch&th=1&psc=1 <— Same sort of thing, just changes it up so it’s a different puzzle.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0038WP1YC/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1536457667&sr=8-15&keywords=dog+puzzle+toys <— I have a friend that ditched the food bowl and went with this for feeding. Just don’t let them brute force his way through it, keep your dog focused on the puzzle.

https://www.amazon.com/ZippyPaws-Woodland-Friends-Interactive-Chipmunks/dp/B008PFB3HG <— Toys like this are great for “Find the toy, then go put it in a bucket” then when the bucket is full, give a sign and you set the toy back up for him.

I recommend this: http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Pet-Snuggle-Behavioral-Golden/dp/B000S753WK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457383190&sr=8-1&keywords=heartbeat+dog+toy+for+sleep

It simulates the puppy's mother's warmth and heartbeat and could help calm your puppy to sleep.

I agree with that- and it may sound a little 'over the top' but they make [[https://www.amazon.com/SmartPetLove-Snuggle-Puppy-Behavioral-Brown/dp/B000C9YHFS\]](https://www.amazon.com/SmartPetLove-Snuggle-Puppy-Behavioral-Brown/dp/B000C9YHFS](https://www.amazon.com/SmartPetLove-Snuggle-Puppy-Behavioral-Brown/dp/B000C9YHFS)">stuffed) stuffed animals (dogs) that have a 'heart beat'. When I worked at a shelter, we used these when puppies were brought in alone or had to be separated. Could be a good idea to purchase one and set up for the puppy when you need to leave (showering, going to work, etc.).

In a similar vein, the hedgehog version! I have the squirrels for my dog and he loves them. But the hedgehogs are SO CUTE

My 2 cents, skip the raised dishes, and definitely skip the create.

Realistically you need at a minimum, a bed, food and water dishes, food, I strongly recommend sweet potato chews. It'll help with the stress induced diarrhea, a few toys and a Duckworth (see link below) I have yet to meet a dog that doesn't love them.

Multipet Duckworth https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_8T4QDb0BKC3DQ

Edit: obviously collar and leash, but those should be supplied by the rescue

See this duck here? https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000084E7Y/ref=psd_mlt_bc_B000084E7Y this duck has amazingly survived my dog since she was a puppy through her teething. He's her favorite toy and even though the constant squeaking makes me tear my hair out I'm glad she has at least one toy that she can chew and dig her teeth into and not have it fall apart. It's not even soft anymore and we've washed it dozens of times.

the perfect ball is one that is tough enough to be durable but soft enough that the dog can satisfyingly chomp on it. it also depends how intense your dog is and how hard he bites. after going through tons of balls this is my choice.

https://www.amazon.com/Canine-Hardware-231301-Chuckit-Large/dp/B008APMO7E/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1482260499&sr=1-1&keywords=chuckit+large+ultra+tug

its durable and has a handle so you can choose to either play tug or fetch with the dog. get one large enough that the dog can't accidentally swallow it.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now!!! A note on crate training, what I've been doing (and PLEASE if someone more experienced wants to correct me on this I want to learn) is leaving the crate open all day in whatever room we're in (stays in either the corner of my room where it stays for bedtime or the corner of my boyfriends living room when we visit I there). When we play with a toy, about every third throw is into the crate. Beau is getting the hang of climbing in and out of it and isn't associating it with being locked up. I'm lucky in that he only whines for maybe 10 minutes before going to sleep. I make sure the LAST thing we do at night (or anytime before crating) is a potty break. Then I put him in there with a Kong that he mostly ignores and ignore him. I tried talking to him from my bed and that seemed to only prolong the whining. I also purchased a [snuggle puppy](Smart Pet Love Snuggle Puppy Behavioral Aid Toy, Golden https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000S753WK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_15oMxbGYBS4VM) which has a little motorized heartbeat and a place for a heating pack. It's supposed to remind him of mom or his pack. I got it yesterday so he's only used it for one night but I feel like it cut down the whining for a bit or two. When we got up at 5am for a potty break (he can't sleep through the night all the way but he can make it from 11:30 to 5am, I'm so proud) he only whined for maybe 3 minutes before falling back asleep. I also try my best to tired him out as much as possible for crating. At bedtime this means I have to wake him up from a nap and rile him up a bit which is frustrating when I'm tired but it makes the difference before 3am and 5am. I really want the crate to work out cuz he's so small (under 4lbs) and I need him contained so he doesn't hurt himself overnight or on car rides. Plus I was told that eventually the crate becomes a safe place for the dog, like a bedroom for a teenager. Pretty much you don't bother the dog when it goes into its crate and there's a chance it'll take its own timeouts when it's overwhelmed or scared. That's the goal at least.

Like others have said, crate train. Wrangler hated his crate the first time I put him in it, so go slowwww. Tips:

• Get a crate that's only big enough to let him stand up and turn around. Chewy sells a crate that has a divider so you can increase his space as he grows.
  
• Feed them near/in the crate. Play near the crate. When he sleeps, place him in the crate with the door open. Teach him that the crate isn't scary.
  
• Go SLOW. Start with closing the door for two seconds, then five seconds, ten seconds, etc. Do not open the crate if he whines or barks. Only open it up once he settles down. This may take a while.
  
• When introducing them to the crate, come back and leave the room to let them know that you're not abandoning them. Talk to them, but don't speak in a calming voice because it might teach them they have something to be afraid of. Speak in a regular tone.
  
• Don't use puppy pads! This will teach them to go inside the crate/house and is apparently a hard behavior to break. Yes, it is different than them going on a blanket because their scent entices them to go. You're better off just tossing a blanket in the wash.
  
• A puppy can generally hold their bladder/bowls for as many months old that they are plus one extra hour. So eight weeks, three hours. This is a general rule, and not always true, especially when they are in the crate. My 9 week old pup will go 7 hours in his crate before he whines to go outside. So do be prepared to wake up in the middle of the night to go potty. I would get an alarm app on your phone that goes off at a time (within a range you specify) where you are not in the middle of a sleep cycle so you aren't so groggy when you wake up.
  
• Put something with your scent in the crate that he won't rip to total shreds. I'd suggest a sweatshirt with drawstrings removed.
  
• I wrapped a small ticking clock up in a blanket to mimic a heartbeat to comfort my MAS. We then upgraded to a Snuggle Puppy
  
  I read a good crate training guide online, but I can't find it. When I do I will post it!

This literally saved us our first week. Now our puppy doesn't need the heartbeat but still LOVES to snuggle up to it. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000C9YHFS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Update: here’s a link to the flirt pole I have. I posted a link to the snuffle mat in another response in case you’re interested. Good luck with you pup!

That might be the problem. You're with her all day every day and then leaving her completely alone at night time. It sounds like you aren't able to set her up in your room with you, it might be worth trying heart beat stuffies (Puppy Snuggle Behaviour Aid) or to make a similar set up yourself using a ticking wall clock and setting a blanket and stuffy over so it simulates the steady heart beat.

I got this for my dog and he loves to play with it. You fill it with treats and hes has to knock it around to work them out. Keeps him entertained for awhile.

http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob-A-Lot-Interactive-Pet-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1418248676&sr=1-2&keywords=dog+toy+treat+dispenser

Chuckit! Large Ultra Tug https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008APMO7E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_j2uNDbB4J6KPQ


They're great for two-ball, targeting, tug, and should work with the Chuck it throwing arm too. Aren't bad for their teeth like regular tennis balls.

Honestly, I would not risk it and switch to a flirt pole. Mine looks like a little squirrel and I imagine your dog would very much like that.

Bob-a-lot is one idea. http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob---Lot-Interactive-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4

But I recommend that you practice his training for a few minutes every couple hours and then give him a toy to play with. The training will burn off mental energy and the release from training will make him eager for the toy.

https://www.amazon.ca/ZippyPaws-Woodland-Friends-Interactive-Chipmunks/dp/B008PFB3HG

Something like this? My pup loves this style of toy, I'll stuff some kibble and other random toys in as well. (Forgive my mobile formatting)

I agree with mental stimulation. I'm always home with my corgi and give him lots of exercise and socialization outside but he loves food toys for mental stimulation and it makes his meals last so much longer.

We use these for kibble: http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-Buddy-Tug-A-Jug-Dispensing-Medium/dp/B000KV7ZGQ

http://www.amazon.com/StarMark-Bob-A-Lot-Interactive-Pet-Large/dp/B001JQLNB4

http://www.amazon.com/Buster-Food-Cube-Large-Colors/dp/B0006G54OU/ref=pd_sim_199_6?ie=UTF8&dpID=41NL87Y8KbL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=1N6FCHDFXGVVTQFF7HAG

and we use these for treats:
http://www.petsmart.com/dog/toys/martha-stewart-pets-treat-dispensing-bone-dog-toy-zid36-19474/cat-36-catid-100118

http://www.fordogtrainers.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=5245

http://www.amazon.com/Starmark-Treat-Dispensing-Jack-Medium/dp/B00L61279E

You might get one of the treat dispensing balls like this one.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JQLNB4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001JQLNB4&linkCode=as2&tag=k9ofmine-20&linkId=I6W6RIYKDEMUWFI6
The dog really has to work at it, gives the brain a workout too, and that might divert her for one meal. And the antler is a good alternative because it takes awhile and gives teeth and tummy a workout too.

Maybe try a Snuggle Puppy? It really helped our pup during her first week home. She would fall asleep right on top of the snuggle pup, comforted (I assume) by the simulated heartbeat and source of warmth.

Flirt poles are god send especially on a rainy day. Dogs will chase that thing until they're ready to pass out. May want to get the "off" command down before getting the flirt pole just so it's not so annoying getting the dog to let it go. Flirt poles don't hold up as well as I would like.

I have always bought my dogs this one

I have a pup who occasionally gets in a picky mood so I got one of these wobbler feeding balls to mix up his mealtime routine.


If he still seems disinterested, sometimes I throw in one or two pieces of a small treat that I know he will smell and go after. It's a lot of fun to watch, too!


Edit to add: Since you mentioned that she sometimes eats it when scattered on the floor... have you looked into a Snuffle mat? They are basically small fringed rugs that the food "hides" in and they have to sniff it out.

These (or anything like it) are amazing toys, too, if you're wanting to give him something super-exciting to chase: https://www.amazon.com/Outward-Hound-Tail-Teaser-Flirt/dp/B0042I5G2I/ref=asc_df_B0042I5G2I/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=218421090408&hvpos=1o3&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17638886111757722282&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9013522&hvtargid=pla-342650215612&psc=1

I have one of these that's the UK site but they're on amazon.com as well :)

I wouldn't recommend fishing line. It can get caught up in the dog or you and would be more painful than something thicker. Well, if you are as clumsy as my dog and I are, it can. My dog uses her paws and the cord on mine caught on her carpal pad. It gave her a little burn :(

She also once knocked my feet out from under me while chasing, which shocked us both but luckily we were both ok. I am really careful now to not have her cross behind me!

I have this one. I like it. The toys that came with it didn't last very long, but I just use other toys that I already had.

My dog loves the Bobs Alot, we use it for all her dinners. Our dog is not a chewer, and the Kong wishbone is also good for keeping her occupied trying to get treats out.

Just an FYI - this comment was auto-removed because referral links aren't allowed. If you want to post something from amazon, it needs to be chopped down to just the item number, like this:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B000C9YHFS/

My puppy goes nuts for any GoDog toy. The pig, rooster and rhino are her favourites. This rhino from Kyjen however, is a lot more durable as the material is thicker and the shell thing (not sure why a rhino has a shell) doubles as a frisbee. My dog tore the horn, but I just removed it and sewed the wound shut and the rhino is back in rotation. Also, the GoDog range have really funny squeakers.

This.

It's interactive, and it's fantastic. I put Yumi's daily serve of dry food in it, and she is far more interested in it than she is when it's in a bowl.

I second toys, toys and more toys. I actually tend to buy her Ikea toys cause they're cheap so I can replace them when she destroys them (toys will be destroyed), they're made for babies so there's nothing she can rip off and swallow, and some even have squeaky things which she loves.

Give them more toys than you can poke a stick at. Thus far, they have saved my furniture and house from destruction. Well, except for the computer chair. For some reason she's obsessed with the wheels.

It looks like you just got your puppy four or five days ago, and crate training isn't going to happen that fast. I would take a deep breath and see if you can remove yourself from the situation for a bit if you can, you being stressed and puppy being stressed is not conducive to getting pup to like her crate.

It sounds like you're doing everything right, doing it in steps, making the crate a place of fun and treats. The puppy is still very new to you and her environment, and has lost her family.

My big suggestion for you is to keep on plowing through, making sure you have time to come home from lunch to check on pup, and know you are doing almost everything right. This will pass.

In the meantime a lot of people have vouched for the Snuggle Pup which warms up and emulates a puppy that may make your dog feel less alone. I did not use it, but ended up putting in a sturdy heating pad (since my corgi was not a fierce chewer) into the crate, and it seemed to keep him calm.

My husband bought one for our lab puppy on amazon! Came here to say we had that duck for a little while, but my boston mix is VERY determined and adept at defluffing

Multipet Large Dog Toy 15" Yellow https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000084E7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BgsxCbQMNAEME

Lol this Gumby dog toy. Reminds me of my childhood 🤣

Multipet Gumby Plush Filled Dog Toy, 9-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A80X19E/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XLGvCbEZ9QBF4

I got my shiba inu this duck and he has yet to put a hole in it. It is played with nearly every day and has lasted. Also got him some Kong Cozies that have lasted as well. Check the sizing on all toys to make sure you don't get any too small for a lab to swallow though.

StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy, Large https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vzztyb0MZ25AN

I got this one from amazon. It's pretty big, so unless you have some really high couches it should be okay. It has little sliding doors to make the food easier/harder to get out too.

I haven't had it long though, so I can't vouch for durability or anything.

In addition to the hol-ee ball idea these things are pretty cool and come in various sizes!

We have one of these and our dogs love it! I put kibble in it and they'll roll it around for hours, even after all the kibble has been dispensed (hoping that more will suddenly appear!).

Crate is the best weapon. I just got another puppy last weekend and he cries a lot for the first 5-10 minutes he's in the crate at night. If you get a break, wait 2 minutes then treat. Keep it up until she falls asleep. I also bought the Snuggle Puppy at the suggestion of another redditor. He seems to really like it.

https://www.amazon.com/SmartPetLove-Snuggle-Puppy-Behavioral-Brown/dp/B000C9YHFS/ref=asc_df_B000C9YHFS/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=198076665015&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=15468377802100250732&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9002296&hvtargid=aud-643565131866:pla-352722601139&psc=1

Best purchase I ever made.

I use these every day for both meals
bob a lot

Kong wobble

I got the bob a lot when I left the other one at my parents house. It allows you to adjust the kibble flow in two places (inside, and the opening size).
The wobble is much easier to fill. I ended up drilling a few small holes near the main hole, and stringing some zip ties across the dispenser hole, so that food comes out slower, rather than Neko being able to empty it in a few pushes.

They are pretty similar, so you probably only need one.