Agility, Brain Training and other stuff?

Cherry Blossom

I'm constantly trying to come up with new ways to entertain my dog, she gets bored with everything very quickly. Basic obedience training is going excellent with her, she got sit, lie down, paw straight away. I kind of left it at that for a while as I was mostly concentrating on house and toilet training and after I'd had her a month she wasn't as responsive to obedience training. She's starting to get to a calmer stage now though and I wan't to get back to it. The next step is working on her recall etc as she gets very distracted by everything.

Anyone who's involved in Agility - how old would a terrier need to be before they would start agility training? I bought her a rabbit tunnel and she figured that out straight away and I just do that once a week with her as it's boring if she has to do it everyday and I don't get as good results with it.

I also bought a brain training game (Santa is bringing it ) but I got it out tonight and she figured out the 'slider' side straight away and the other side after about 30 seconds, so now that's boring as well after a few minutes and I can't really do it for too long or she'll be through her whole days food with it. I think she's at the stage now though were I can use this for her to do something with the kids. If I approach her while she's eating she moves back a bit from her food bowl and sits down so it would be great if I can get her to have the same attitude with kids and food. Anyone who has used these brain training games can you recommend a more challanging one I could try with her. I didn't want to get anything too hard and thought it would take her a bit longer than 30 seconds to figure it out :rolleyes: This is the one I got:

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/dogs/dog_toys_dog_training/intelligence_games/72374

Also does anyone have any other ideas of things I can do to keep her entertained, a recommendation for a book of dog tricks or something?

Graces7

Wouldn't dream of doing any of this. Our two keep themselves and each other amused fine well.

And kicking a football around is great also for all of us. Gets us all worn out in the air.

Maybe the dog is't bored .. maybe some anthropomorphism here?- just tired?

But then we are penniless pensioners anyways.. Home made entertainment and a charity shop ball.. Works great for us an dour dogs are high energy breeds.

I suspect with all these things that it is the interaction with you that is the fun and the football works great with that; oh and the wee russet has a "thing" about brushes...

The Sweeper

Google Nina Ottosson, for dog brain toys.

Cherry Blossom

Graces7 wrote: »

Maybe the dog is't bored .. maybe some anthropomorphism here?- just tired?
<snip>
I suspect with all these things that it is the interaction with you that is the fun

Maybe 'short attention span' might be a better choice of words.

She does play ball but again after a few minutes will refuse to participate and wanders off to kill my mums flowers and chase leaves and things and bring me them as presents .

She hid a pigs ear in a corner of the sitting room about 2 weeks ago and I picked it up in case the baby would get it, now she spends a few minutes a couple of times a day trying to dig a hole in the carpet in an effort to recover it.

I even dug a hole in the garden and filled it with sand and wood shavings and hide her toys in it but even that only occupies her for a short time. She likes helping me muck out the stables though and spends a good hour every day digging and rolling in the beds.
<ETA> (Thats probably because it smells like horses)

ppink

The brain stuff is something I am really interested in as the physical is not possible for us any more it has to be indoor and mental.
I make her sit in the utility while I go and hide her kong in the hall/sitting room/kitchen and then she has to find it by herself. She is very good at it. She also has the get the yellow ball, red ball, tennis ball, football and kong.
I play food games with them, that I can put treats all around them, on their paws and even on their noses and they dont take until they are allowed......obviously done over short duration to prevent torture:D
Plastic cups turned upside down with treats under and she has to find the treat.
It is funny but out of all the dogs we had we have only really had one who needs mental stimulation, the rest are happy to slob out!

ISDW

The Sweeper wrote: »

Google Nina Ottosson, for dog brain toys.

I have one of these, and its brilliant, you can make it more and more difficult as the dog gets better at it.

tk123

ISDW wrote: »

I have one of these, and its brilliant, you can make it more and more difficult as the dog gets better at it.

Which one do you have ISDW? Our guy is getting surgery on tuesday and will be on crate rest for a good while so thinking of trying one of these for him.

lrushe

adrenalinjunkie wrote: »

Anyone who's involved in Agility - how old would a terrier need to be before they would start agility training?QUOTE]

She can do it now, Dog Training Ireland do a fantastic Foundation Agility class which teaches dogs the basics, it's more learning the commands and a little introduction to the equipment. There were two rescued Cavs in my class who were so shy to begin with but had really come out of their shell by week six.
I'm currently teaching Brook the weave poles, it's really mental challenging, the dog has to figure it out for themselves as the aim is for the dog to run the through the weave poles by themselves with speed and drive while the handler moves on to direct them to the next piece of equipment.