Enriching The Enviroment

[Novjan]

We have two puppies that we got at 8weeks of age, they are now 9 months old. They have been to puppy school and we have joined a club so training is progressing well. We try and give them individual attention every day and at least one walk on thier own a day.

My work pattern has had to change from working at home more often that at the office to working at the office 2 or 3 full days, at least for the next couple of months.

Now the dogs have to be left on thier own from 8am until around 5ish some days.

So my question is how can I organise the yard so that they are occupied and happy??

I have set up a video camera so I know that they play fight for about an hour after I leave, then they go off camera into the garage where they have a small area with a bed in it. They then surface again around 2 or 3 hours later, then they mooch a bit around the yard and usually play fight some more until I get home.

I know they are still puppies and of course they will play fight but I want to try and give them other things to occupy them. Kongs are out as I am sure there would be squabbles. They do not seem to squabble over carrots, but have been know to growl at each other over bones.

any suggestions??

[koalathebear]

Oops post

Edited August 31, 2010 by koalathebear

[Rebanne]

KB I think you missed the fact that their are 2 dogs being left and they sometimes growl at each other over things like bones so leaving dry food around may also cause a problem.

So saying that, over many years, I have previously left multiple dogs in the yard with marrow bones with never a problem. But with my current mix I could not leave them with fresh bones, but I can leave them with bones they have all had a nibble on prior. So when I know I will be gone for the day, I might chuck out several marrow bones the day before and let them have a chew, one at a time. Once that "freshness" is gone they are not so important to the dogs so no squabbles.

I would exercise them and feed them before you left and leave it at that. it's not every day and you have already seen they sleep a lot of it.

[persephone]

yes, perhaps no food items, in case of fights

things to tug- a couple of soccer balls to thump around... maybe a cardboard carton or three to jump on/rip up/hide in? perhaps a clam shell or other wide and shallow container filled with water ..and a few floating toys?

[becandcharch]

I leave our 2 with toys like ropes, footies, empty soft drink bottles. They love to wrestle so Im sure that takes up a fair bit of their day and the rest I imagine they just sleep

They also have a bungee cord that hangs from a tree which they LOVE.

I try and rotate the toys so the novelty doesnt wear off.

What breed are they?

Edited August 31, 2010 by becandcharch

[Nahla + Teddy's Mum]

Our 2 have kibble left for them all day and they never fight over it. We have it in 2 bowls so they have no need to...they only get narky when they have bones if 1 finishes before the other but soon put each other back in their place and will just sit and wait for them to finish.

Our dogs play fight all day and night long! They love playing tug of war and kicking a footy around the back yard. We have toys scattered around the yard too but they mostly play with each other. They sleep for most of the day anyway so to them it wont seem that long!

I think we miss them more than they miss us!!

[megan_]

I think you'll find that most people will be against leaving food - fights, but also it teaches bad habits (not eating food and grazing all day). It will also be hard to regulate their weight.