# Indoor Stimulation and Rough Play



## TK9NY (Jan 6, 2017)

What are some fun things we can do indoors to burn energy?

The boys get along great, but Dublin absolutely refuses to set play boundaries so "rough play" quickly escalates. They both get riled up (Limerick more so than Dublin, though Dublin is no slouch) and Dublin bears the brunt of it, he's covered in little scabs and scratches from baby land shark teeth. I step in but it doesn't seem to do much good, they're right back at it a few minutes later. Yes, Dublin tends to go back for more and even instigates it sometimes. 

They also get the zoomies indoors and start chasing each other, which.... in a smaller house isn't a good thing. They've run into almost every piece of furniture i own, giving me mini-heart attacks and making me feel like i shouldn't own furniture because it gets in their way. 

I've slowly been increasing their outdoor exercise, letting them run free in the yard and increasing the distance we walk, but some ideas for inside would be welcome especially coming into cooler months (and eventually winter). We're without a yard again, at least for another 24-48 hours (lawn guy came and put stuff down). And with the rain/storms walking is hit or miss. 

Ideas, anyone?

Next week starts puppy class and puppy preschool. So Limerick will be with me a full day at work following his class and then a full day at preschool. That should help drain his energy, somewhat, and give Dublin some time without baby land shark on his heels. 

Note: i don't have access to a treadmill and Limerick has no clue what "fetch" means. I throw a toy and he just watches it go.


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## cowpony (Dec 30, 2009)

I had the same problem with puppy Galen and senior Pogo. Galen would dart out like a moray eel emerging from a cave and bury his puppy teeth into his victim. Poor Pogo's neck was covered with scabs. 
I used baby gates and x-pen paneling to separate the two when it was clear Galen was out of control. Quite often excessively rough play indicated Galen needed a nap.
I also worked on training both of them, and I doubled down on trick training for Galen after Pogo passed away. I found tricks requiring strength, accuracy, and control were very good at dampening Galen's insane energy. Two good ones for him wer teaching him to sit on a footstool and teaching him to get into a box . When he was hyper I would simply direct him back and forth between the box and the stool a few times.


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## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

My dogs are older but I find something involving nose work is the best way to work off energy indoors. At its simplest that means me tossing tiny treats around the room for them to find; more complicated is treats in puzzle toys or hidden; advanced is a tiny treat inside a tiny tin, which is then hidden. Mine have even learned that they get three games, and then it is time to settle down.


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

Mental exercise is just as good as physical exercise for puppies. "Find it!" is lots of fun and works the brain and the body. Start by letting the dogs watch you "hide" a treat, then release them to "find it". Then hide the treat someplace easy while they can't see you. Hide the treat in increasingly harder places all over the house while they wait in one room. Then switch to hiding a toy. Let them see/sniff the toy and go back to hiding it in easy places working up to more difficult. Big party when they find it. Haven't done this with two dogs at once, you might start with one at a time while the other is confined.


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## PeggyTheParti (Sep 5, 2019)

I’d probably keep them separated most of the time indoors, allowing for 20-minute play sessions here and there, as well as mini joint training sessions. Ten minutes of going through her tricks and basic commands is perfect for Peggy. As a puppy it was more like 30 seconds.

In ten minutes, I go through 1/4 - 1/2 cup of kibble, so these sessions can double as meal times.

(Side note: If I were applying chemicals to my lawn, it would be permanently off limits to pets. I don’t have much faith in the manufacturers of those products, especially after seeing the neurological effects on my own dog. Really scary stuff.)


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## 94Magna_Tom (Feb 23, 2021)

I like "In the box" then sit, "On the box" then sit, food puzzles. Command training including "sit-stay" and "down-stay". "Stays" lead to "comes".


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## Rose n Poos (Sep 22, 2017)

This thread from a while back had some good ideas. 








A big list of ways to tire your dog without a yard


My life is so much better if Annie gets three 20+ min walks a day - but it usually doesn't happen. So I thought I'd start a big list of the ways I've found to tire out a dog, and hope someone will add to it. I'm especially interested in ways to make normal everyday activities more tiring for...




www.poodleforum.com





For brain drain I fall back on the AKC CGC 
Take the Test – American Kennel Club (akc.org) 

and AKC Trick Dog
AKC Trick Dog – American Kennel Club 

Have one in pen or crate while you work with the other, then switch off for the next session, and in another even shorter session have them together but work more on waiting turns.


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