How to make the dog work?

[rebelpacket]

Hey Everyone!

I'm brand new here, and I've been browsing all day. I have a 1 1/2 year old female rottweiler named "Lola" (picture below of when she was a very little pup).

I work a standard 8 hour day, during which I do keep her in the crate. (I had her out in the house before, but she started chewing on things out of anxiety, so I keep her there to protect her from my house, not the other way around).

Anyways, often on the weekends I go to my parents house to help around, move wood, or rake leaves, etc. Everywhere I read about my dog's breed, I hear how much they like to work. And while I'd love to "put her to work", short of bringing me her leash when asked, I cant find or think of anything to do, to make her feel like she's working.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance, and this is a great forum, I'm glad to have found y'all. :)

[MontanaRott]

There are lots of fun things you can do with Lola to give her a job. Our boy moves the laundry basket from laundry room to the bedroom and pull a cart we found at Lowe's if we are working in the yard. Just look around you and let your imagination go!

[gomer9855]

I'm working on teaching Frau to recycle, since she likes to take the bottles and cans out of the recycling bin. I can't stop her from doing that, so instead Iim teaching her to recycle on command (put them back in the bin). She's also working on taking my socks of for me on command, and I'm going to buy her a cart, as well. Maybe she can pull Faust around since she can have any exercise right now.

[Brooke&Ryan]

Originally Posted by gomer9855

I'm working on teaching Frau to recycle, since she likes to take the bottles and cans out of the recycling bin. I can't stop her from doing that, so instead Iim teaching her to recycle on command (put them back in the bin). She's also working on taking my socks of for me on command, and I'm going to buy her a cart, as well. Maybe she can pull Faust around since she can have any exercise right now.

Julius recycles as well. It's funny because I think he can "tell" when I'm at the end of a bottle of water/soda. He'll sit in front of me & just wait until I'm finished. I then hand it to him & tell him to "recycle."

Jules doesn't have access to our bedroom when we're not at home...so I have taught him how to open the sock drawer & get me out a pair of socks. I tied a rope around the handle & he pulls it open. Took him awhile to get it though. He would always pull too hard & the drawer would fly out of the dresser & slam on the floor. He wasn't too thrilled with that.

He also helps put away a lot of the canned goods when we're unloading groceries. I hand him a can & he takes it over to Ryan.

Hmmm, I'm trying to think of what else he does to help around the house. Like Shirley said, the sky is the limit! These dogs love to work & be doing something....anything!!!

[rebelpacket]

Hahah, those are great! I suppose its the proof I needed that you can really teach a dog to do just about anything with the right amount of paitence.

You've got my gears spinning. I work in the garage on the mill, lathe, and motorcycles quite frequently. Maybe I can teach her to bring me more shop-rags. You think she'd remember the difference between a 15mm and a 18mm? :)

[ACERSMOM]

Teach her to put her toys away, bring you the paper or your slippers or more involved, to pull a cart or wagon. Although I would never have thought about having your dogs help with the laundry you can teach these extremely smart dogs to do just about anything!

I am a gardener and I taught one of my girls to dig on command so she could help me with my planting. Also my guys think it is their "job" to keep the squirrels and deer out of their yard. They help pick up sticks in the yard and carry them to where I want them dropped.

My guys are always very proud when they learn something new and think that they are helping. Use your imagination and have fun with your girl!

[SABELLESMOM]

Mr Digbee, cocker, puts his toys away! It's way fun to watch, because while he's putting things away...('rott'n) Raven pulls them back out! And she's laughing the whole time! I swear!

I consider and type of dog sport training "work" technically. Sign up for some agility, obedience, or at least a CGC course. Sitting in one place, while you answer the door can also be "a job." And they tend to impress people...

[Phyrebrand]

Y'all's dogs are absolutely adorable! Now you're giving me ideas! :0)

[rsaarinen]

I really like the idea of teaching your dog to stuff like this. I'm trying to think of what I can teach my pup when I get him. I think I will start with potty training and work my way up from there . But when he gets old enough you bet I will be teaching him to carry stuff sense I like to backpack and camp. Do you think he would feel likes he'a working when carrying more weight

[miccmill]

Sitting in one place, while you answer the door can also be "a job." And they tend to impress people...

Oh yeah this is work for my Hannah. She knows when she's done a good job too.

I just taught her to throw laundry down the basement stairs. She thought this was totally weird and kept looking up at me to make sure I really wanted this. Then she dropped a sock and it flew down to the bottom of the stairs. She stood there looking at it even after I said "Good job!!! ok all done" like "what's that thing gonna do now, is it gonna move?"

[gomer9855]

Originally Posted by Brooke&Ryan

He would always pull too hard & the drawer would fly out of the dresser & slam on the floor. He wasn't too thrilled with that.

Ha! I can see Frau doing that! Then taking off like a shot with a case of the zoomies! We don't have a dresser, though. We're living like pioneers.

I always thought it'd be neat to teach her to open the fridge and get me a bottle of water, or a soda, whatever. But then I was thinking...what if she decides to open the fridge and get HERSELF something? Like some steak!