# Types of exercise.



## vicky2200 (Feb 14, 2012)

Weegee is almost a year old. He is a big toy, 12 inches but only 8.5 pounds. Very sturdy. I don't think he is getting enough exercise. With winter coming, his exercise time will be further reduced. Walking isn't enough for him. We come home from the walk and the other dogs are tired or at least satisfied and he still wants to run and play. I cant play fetch with him outdoors because our yard isn't fenced in. I can't play fetch with him indoors because the other dogs will run and get the toy before him and then it is chaos (dogs running everywhere, knocking things over). If I put the other dogs outside and play with him, he barks and the other dogs start barking and they have to come in. I cant afford to classes to take him to. I don't trust him off leash in the water to play fetch and he wasn't thrilled with the water. What else can I do with him?


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## Ellyisme (Jul 17, 2012)

Do you have a dog park nearby that you can take him to? Maybe some one on one time away from the other dogs will do him well.


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## Ellyisme (Jul 17, 2012)

Another thing I do, I walk my spoo first and then close to the end, I pick up my other, older, dog to walk with us. Then, by the time I'm done walking, both are tired. It makes for great bonding time for the two of us too.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I've found Fetch up and down the stairs is a good energy burner - you need carpet or a fixed rug top and bottom and non-slip stairs, of course. Perhaps you could teach the other dogs that playtime for Weegee is settle down with a special Kong time for them? Then there are lots of possibilities - indoor Fetch, training games, a mini indoor agility course, tricks with a wobble board, crate games, brain games (the Ottosson games are great, or you can make your own), etc, etc. The key, I think, is to be able to work with one dog at a time - so I would be working now on having all the dogs except one settled while each in turn got their special time with you, ready for when winter really sets in.


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## frankgrimes (Nov 28, 2011)

I find a mental walk will tire RAlph out lots more than just a regular walk. We walk but practice sit stays, and down stays and other things. Then we do some urban agility (I tell him to jump up on things etc) we stop at a playground and he goes up and down slides, walks on different platforms etc. His mind has to work to figure things out and when he gets home he is a lot more content.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

I love doing the mental walks as well. We play little hide and seek games, do some OB and trick practices, I'll even lay a small track or two to make them slow down and think. 

I do play fetch and tug games in the house and I have fenced off (finally!) a small area outside just for distraction free training. If you can get away with it (don't know if you're not fenced because of HOA rules or whatnot), but you can make a temporary fold away fenced area with X-pens or even garden fencing and put toddler toys like those plastic slide climbing things for small children and hide goodies in and around it. Teach him to work the slide, etc. Then, fold it all up and tuck it away if necessary. Obviously, this will need to be superised play time, but it's fun for you and them. 
You can always make a mini agility course with silly things like plungers as weave poles, bicycle tires or hula hoops as jumps, PVC pipe and bricks can make another jump. Little plastic patio end tables as a jump table, etc. Just use your imagination for him. He's a nice size for a tiny play yard that can be stored easily enough and by alternating the play obsticles, it can be a whole new play ground every time you set it up.


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## vicky2200 (Feb 14, 2012)

Up north (where we are now), we only have a small area fenced off. It is not chain, more of a 4ft garden fence. It is used for potty only. On a rare occasion I let him run around out there, but as I said, the area is small and there is also the fact that he has to go on a tie out because he can get out. We cant afford to put up real fencing or even put up another larger area of garden fence. 

Down state, we have a fenced in yard. It is small, but I can play fetch with him there. I haven't tried any agility with him but maybe I will in the future.


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## mom24doggies (Mar 28, 2011)

Sounds like mental exercise is going to be your best bet. Mine love it when I get a handful of treats and start putting them through their paces. 

Do you have crates for the other dogs or the ability to shut them away in another room? I do that allll the time. I have 5 dogs, I cannot work with all of them at once! If I get out treats, every last one of them is in front of me offering behaviors. And then Dusty decides I'm not handing them out fast enough and gets impatient and grabs another dog's treat, and Sam steps on Pepper, and Raven loses interest by the time I've got the other three miscreants sitting again, and....you get the picture.  Put the other dogs up and teach them that that is your time with WeeGee. I like fjm's Kong idea. A bully stick would probably make them happy too. 

If at all possible, I would recommend a class of some sort for you two. It sounds like you could use some help training him and his mind needs more to occupy him.  Save up a little each week, like just $5-10. More if you are able. Eventually you will have enough. That is what I do, it builds up fast!


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## vicky2200 (Feb 14, 2012)

The other dogs do okay if I take Weegee in another room if I keep him fairly quiet. The bog problem is when I bring another dog in the room and leave Weegee out. He cries and scratches at the door. I know he will likely out grow it or learn over time, but it is very ANNOYING. Luckily, he doesn't leave marks on the doors.


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