Puppy Games? - Page 1

Hey All,

I was wondering what some  of your favorite games are to play with your pup (in preparation for a working career.) TWO more days till my boy gets here. Can't wait to post pics of him...

Also interested in any tips for the first couple weeks home.

Do you allow your pups to play with your own dogs and puppies? (supervised of course!)

Thanks in Advance! Kindly,

Stacy

Always have something it's okay for him to chew on handy.  Each time he grabs a hand, foot, ankle, pants leg give him the chew toy.  We use the hard rubber toys like kongs and probably have a couple dozen floating around the house at any given time.  Tugs shouldn't be used as chew toys.  The puppies we let play with our older dogs under VERY supervised conditions.  Our big dog understands he has to be easy and will platz while they climb and chew on him, or at least he did with the last couple.  We have a picture of one sitting on his head as he's laying there.  It all depends on the dog and the situation.

Until I have a reliable recall (off of the other dogs) my new pups don't hang out with the others.....I play lots of games and teach my puppies how to learn with a clicker and tons of treats.. they learn their names, they learn when and where to potty, they learn to touch my hand (target) and the wall (go out).. they learn to twist and spin and go thru my legs like a fig 8.. they learn to always follow me and good things come!! Treats and toys!! We play 101 things to do with a box, a chair, a stick.. I teach sit and platz and watch me!!

I have a puppy coming .. he is a week old today.. i'm very excited, my competition dog is gonna be 5 and although I've had several pups from the last couple litters here to play around with, i'm really looking forward to this boy..

Get Ruff Love by Susan Garrett, it's great.. you play Gimme Dat Collar and Ready Set Go games!! It's a great book, so is Building Blocks for Performance by Bobbie Anderson..... Should be able to find both books on www.dogwise.com, www.jandjdog.com or www.cleanrun.com 

Denise 

Animules Thanks! I have already bought him a few toys. I am ridiculously excited although when I have pin holes in my socks and hands I probably won't be so... LOL

Denise, Both books sound awesome! I recently bought a couple of other books and really enjoy reading. The ones you mentioned seem to be more what I was looking for though. Thanks

Man, you are all making me want to get a new pup now again!  I love that feeling of excitement, of the arrival of the newest addition!  TexasLady I bet that you can hardly stand it!!  However, no puppy in my near future.  Got my hands full as is. 

My puppies get to hang with the older dogs too supervised.  Although my older bitch as rough as she can be on dog when they are bigger is WONDERFUL with puppies.  So she's usually the one to show em the ropes. 

The book, Building Blocks for Performance was highly recommended to be by someone in advanced Obedience training several years ago and I ordered it immediately from Overstock.com. I think it's an excellent book, making points that really make you realize how from the day your puppy arrives you can send them in the directions you want with very simple exercises or games. I would definitely recommend it.

On puppy games, their little brains are like sponges at such a young age! I find it amazing. From the first week of age, you can see differences in pups characters and temperaments. It is possible to guide these drives and develop them in directions you want very early in life. So, I'm a firm believer in spending tons of time with the pups, observing, analyzing and using what they "have" and directing it to the direction you want to take the dog in it's future training. You may realize at an early age that your pup seems highly suited for the training you have planned for them, OR, you may realize that you perhaps may want to train this specific pup in a different "field" depending on his specific attitude and nature.

I like to provide my pups with games using their intelligence and their decision making skills, even at a young age. Getting the puppy to actually be a part of the game and the training.

One place I like to take my young pups that is safe from outside dogs and a very enjoyable visit, is the local building center. Here they get to approach huge Glass Door entrances with reflections and a huge building and all sorts of people. They can get to go for a ride in a shopping cart (keep chunk of carpeting in my truck), they get to see the sprinklers on, go around mazes, see themselves in mirrored folding closet doors, jump through door display entryways, experience many new surfaces, climb on sand and rock piles and all in all have a very enriching time.

At home I am sure to rotate their toys daily, not to leave more than one toy with them when they are alone, and be sure they have quiet time to contemplate each day. I have toys hanging from their indoor kennel at safe heights and also outside from trees to build their eye/paw coordination. I built a see-through acrylic "bridge" on concrete blocks to challenge them and great to build their confidence above ground they can see from up in the air. I put a step stool in their kennel to get on or hide under, have the T.V. on, play C.D.'s for them. There are all sorts of things you can build for them with simple and cheap PVC pipe...weave poles, teepee's, bridges, and tunnels. Put crate halves upside down as dens and upright for "boats". Have a wading pool with floating toys, have a mister hose, make a snow fencing bridge. Daily outings with new textures and surfaces, smells and colors are a must.

Puppies are only puppies once. Breath in and enjoy the Puppy smell! Take Pictures every day! Guide that puppy to be brave, devoted, solid & to develop into a dog that will enrich your life by just knowing them   ENJOY

Good post.  I'm enjoying the ideas here also.  I like the acrylic bridge.

Rezkat,

I can't stand it LOL... Tomorrow afternoon, I know that older dogs do tend to "show the ropes' to the younger dogs. I know they can also tend to "check" the youngsters when they get out of line...that was why I wondered if that would have a negative effect on my pup.

SBB

Excellent and Very helpful post...thanks so much. It sounds like he and I are going to have a lot of fun together. I guess I tend to forget that everything, just about, will be new and fun for him :-) I found the book Building Blocks for Performance through dogwise.com....Overstock didn't carry it...So my order is in. looking forward to reading it already LOL

People tease me about having more pictures of my dogs than my kids...Now that's not entirely true!!! LOL

I have 2 large fenced in yards and and about and acre or so with some trees where I can set up a playground. I absolutely can't wait.

Thanks to everyone for all the advice...I'll post a picture of him tomorrow night :-)

Stacy

He's here! Awesome pup...even after a long ride and even longer flight, he came bouncing out of his kennel, ready to drink some water, eat and WOW!!- I seriously have never had a puppy follow me or my husband around the house like this little guy does. I know young pups will follow you, but this guy is like a shadow LOL And as soon as we stop walking he either sits at our feet and looks up at us, or lays at our feet. Very outgoing and very affectionate. I love him already...So the picture I got isn't the best, but like I said he likes to be right up on me so it was hard to get him to sit still while I snapped the picture :-) First time posting a picture on this site, so I apologize if it comes out too large or microscopic ;-)

Thanks everyone for all the help, I'll be asking a million more question soon

Kindly,

Stacy

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Well that didnt work...   :-(