Doggie games??

[bulldog1967]

How much time do you spend playing with your rottie?

I feel like I'm not spending enough time playing with our female rott Jasmine.

I guess the problem is I don't know what other doggie games to play with her besides "tug", which she DOES like.

Any ideas?

I'm just concerned that she is getting bored with us....I don't want a bored rottie!

Help!

[Judi W]

There are lots and lots of games from hide and seek, to racing recalls, fetch, .........

The best game in town however is training. It exercises the mind as well as the body and you really have something to show for the efforts.

[MontanaRott]

I second what Judi said. We play fetch, hide and seek, tug, etc with Guerin, BUT the happiest, and the most focused, you see the boy truely is when he is working. Either on obedience or training for tracking.
He loves pleasing us and learning and we love watching him learn. And as Judi said, we have exercised his mind and his body. And it HAS paid off for us, because, for all the effort we have put in to him, he is a nice boy to be around.

Good luck with your dog! Let us know how it goes.

[catress]

how do you play hide and seek?

[Judi W]

Well, you hide! At first you hide easy, calling the dog to find you, then you keep making it more difficult and after a single call, the dog must then learn to use his nose and senses to find you. This can be done in the house, or outside and outside at night is great fun.

[spidey]

I agree about hide and seek (and it has the added benefit of working on your recalls at the same time). How I start with my dogs is this:
- have one person hold the dog, the other (with treats if you use them) runs away from the dog and into another room (I usually start with hiding behind the door or somewhere easy), then calls the dog in a happy, excited voice, and the person holding the dog lets it go.
- make a big fuss when the dog finds you, then switch places, gradually making the hiding places more challenging.

Fast recalls up and down a hallway and fast round-robin recalls with a few people in a circle taking turns calling the dog (again, praising and treating like mad when the dog gets to them) are also fun.

I also play the "creeping up on you" game, where I creep up on Rakki very slowly, which makes him insanely excited and gives him the zoomies. I also get him to chase me around.

[Carina43]

You can also play seek with objects, and its a good way to teach "stay" at the same time. Get her a bit excited about a toy, put her on a stay, then hide the toy. Make it easy to find at first (or just put it where she can see it), then make it harder & harder to find.

But training can be fun too, especially if you mix it up with playing. At a training class an instructor referred to it as "structured play" and that is so true.

[Cassandra]

I also play the "creeping up on you" game, where I creep up on Rakki very slowly, which makes him insanely excited and gives him the zoomies.

yep! I do that one! also hide and seek. Another one is you can do with another person is to take a favorite toy and play monkey in the middle. We throw Maggie's favorite toy back and forth between us and sometimes let her get it. Sometimes it's a ball we roll between us real fast. When she is able to get the toy she goes bonkers. It's hysterical.

Outside game I play is to bounce a ball real hard. Maggie likes to jump for it.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally posted by Carina43
You can also play seek with objects, and its a good way to teach "stay" at the same time. Get her a bit excited about a toy, put her on a stay, then hide the toy. Make it easy to find at first (or just put it where she can see it), then make it harder & harder to find.

Julius also loves this game. We'll usually play with a favorite toy or a yummy treat.

Also, like Judi & Shirley said, I think Julius is most happy when he's doing agility. It gives him something to do & he gets to meet & greet with his "friends". He gets so excited when he sees me cutting the hot dogs on Weds. because he knows that soon we'll be going out to the horse farm to work. :)

Ryan & I also like to take Julius to tennis courts or baseball fields which are fenced in (make sure there are dogs permitted) & we'll bring a frisbee or a basketball & chuck it around for him. It certainly tires him out. :) A tired dog is a happy dog!

:)
Brooke

[carolynnl4]

I don't want to make Athena sound ...ditzy... but although I would *love* to play hide 'n seek with her, the moment I disappear, she starts sniffing for something to roll around in. She has absolutely no interest in looking for me, and seems to forget about whatever treat I have as soon as I'm out of sight.

Any ideas on keeping her focused on the game?

[SABELLESMOM]

The games sound so wonderful, I'll have to try the hide-n-seek myself. I'd never thought of that one!

Have you tried frisbee? My GSD's used to love it. Also have you thought of signing up for an agility class. My freinds swear by doing sgility, and flyball.

My knee is shot, so I tend to stick to "easier" things like walking (perhaps "hiking" sounds more athletic?) around the lake, or taking Sable swimming, etc. A long lead can make it a training session as well: recall, fronts, stand, stay, etc. Take some treats!She loves toss and fetch games, and digging in the sand.

I've also set up play dates with other Rottie friends, like Remmy, and Blue, and Atlas! Non Rottie friends like Simon (Am Bulldog) and Gulliver (G. Dane)!