Regular exercise is very important for the physical and mental health of our dogs. Going on regular walks, taking hikes to special places, playing at the dog park or in our own yard are just more pleasant and easier to do in good weather. So how can we keep our dogs well exercised, which leads to calmer and better behavior, when the time of year is not conducive?
Now that I have a very energetic, in need of lots of exercise, Golden Retriever, I am finding answers to that question. There are actually some very good choices that make it fairly easy, especially if you have a small dog.
Martha Norwalk with her Golden Retriever, Robbie
I am not going to talk much about the usual games and things we do with our dogs for fun and to blow off steam, like retrieving balls, sticks or Frisbees, except to say that if you have a small dog, you can often move those games inside in bad weather. You can throw retrieving items up and down a hallway, large room or staircase. Please, no staircase chases for long body dogs like dachshunds and corgis. I do not think that is a safe game for them even if they are in good shape.
I recommend using a high value food reward to motivate your dog. A food reward, in order to be effective, only needs to be large enough to taste so keep them very small. You can use pieces of the dog’s dry food, but I prefer a soft, fast-to-eat treat like cheese or pieces of meat. If your dog is not food motivated you can use a favorite toy.
Here are some great games to get started with. Some require two people:
• Hide and seek: one person holds the dog while the other takes a food reward and goes off to hide somewhere in the house. The holder tells the dog to “Find dad or mom or Susie or Joe.” Take the dog on an exaggerated hunt if they do not yet understand and help them find the hider. The person hiding treats the dog immediately upon being found with lots of praise from both humans. Trade places, start simple and easy. Then get more and more creative with the hiding places. This game can also be played outside.
When you do not have two people, one person can hide treats around the house for the dog to find. Start simple and let the dog see you “hide” the treat and keep it visible at first until they understand the game.
• Come when called game: Start this game in a large room with one person on each end of the room. Both people have food rewards for the dog in their pockets. With the dog’s attention on one of the humans, the other one calls the dog: “Bozo, come here.” Make it sound happy and encourage if needed. Treat the dog on arrival. As soon as the dog has been treated, the opposite person calls the dog and you continue back and forth. The dog will anticipate quickly and start to head back before being called. When they do that they are not rewarded. The one they ran to just ignores them on arrival and the other person calls the dog back. Expand this game to the entire house, callers in different rooms or on different floors of the house. This game can also be moved outside.
• Calisthenics: Large or small, all dogs can do doggie calisthenics in the kitchen or family room. Use a small food reward and do doggie pushups by asking your dog to sit, then down, then sit, etc. Put the food right at their nose and guide them to start. Do them very fast, withholding the food until they have done lots of ups and downs.
Collapse downs, as I like to call them, are very good for the dog physically. Start with the dog in a stand position, put the food reward at his nose and then move it down and backwards towards the floor so the dog collapses backwards into a down without moving forward. Use another food reward to lure him back up into a stand and repeat several times.
• Spin and Twirl: This exercise can really blow off steam. Put a food reward on their nose, tell them “spin” and slowly move the food toward their tail so they begin to turn. Keep luring them slowly until they make it all the way around and give the food with lots of praise. Once they learn the spin, teach them the opposite direction and command “twirl.” As they get it, withhold the food until they have done at least three rapid turns in both directions.
• Flirt Line: This game has become my Robbie’s all time fav. My trainer calls it a flirt line. It really begins with a horse lunge whip or buggy whip. This is a relatively new game in the dog world but it is so popular, dog toy companies are already making small versions for little dogs. I have seen them in local pet stores recently (Tail Teasers) and on Amazon.
I made ours with a full size sturdy lunge whip, about five feet long with the same length of whip. For smaller dogs get a mini horse lunge whip. Tie a toy on the end. My preferred toy is a Skinneez. They are long with squeakers and no stuffing and look like a fake squirrel or rabbit. You can find them on Amazon, pet stores and grocery stores.
Stand in the middle while your dog chases the toy in a circle around you. Depending on the breed, your dog may keep chasing or they may try to cut off the toy. They will run hard and jump and flip for the toy but I do not recommend the jump and flip part due to safety issues.
Once they catch the toy, get them to run around you with it. I make this happen by pretending the game is over and I am trying to take the toy away from Robbie. He will run and run around me as I sing a “Robbie’s runnin the rabbit” song that really gets him moving. Be sure to run them both directions. When the rabbit escapes, start over and have fun.
Not much space is needed for this game and it really wears the dog out fast. It is great exercise. Put the whip away when not in use as this makes it more special and keeps the dog from destroying the toy.
