Bored during the day

[yavenay]

I occassionally monitor Brandi's actions while I am at work via webcam. It's not something I watched every day but I do check it out every few months or so.
Normally Brandi sleeps most of the day but then she starts waking up an hour before I get home.

Lately I've been noticing she is up all day. She's does a lot of going up and down the stairs. I have two webcams one for each floor. Anyway I know she is not sick because she does the normal things like bark out the window.

I am wondering if she is bored. She doesn't play with toys (rescue...long sad story) and she could care less about tv or the radio. What can I do to help keep her occupied. She seems so bored and she basically just wanders around the house all day. I don't think there is anything wrong with her. She just had a vet appointment. She started on new prescription food about a week ago for her tummy issues but other than that she's perfectly fine physically.

Any suggestion for keeping my little one occupied? She doesn't play with toys or kongs or anything like that. I would love to find a toy that she would be interested in. After 5 yrs of trying to get her interested in toys, I've finally give up. So I am open to any suggestions.
Thanks

[navillusc]

Maybe it's time for a playmate/companion?

[yavenay]

She has one the cat. I wish I could get another yorkie pup for Brandi but I can't handle three furbabies right now. Heck the only reason I have two is because cats are so easy to take care of and it's two is all I can afford right now.

Zoey my cat is very particular about who is in her house. I am surprised she has accepted Brandi. I had another cat before I got Brandi and this cat had caused Zoey to be so sick that I had to give the cat to my mother. Zoey literally stop eating, stop using her litterbox and would only stay in one room. SHe hated the other cat. She tolerates Brandi because Brandi pretty much ignores her (most of the time) and they very seldom fight.

[Yorkiemom1]

Originally Posted by navillusc

Maybe it's time for a playmate/companion?

Good idea.....!
I also have a couple that wont play with toys, but they will occupy themselves with a plastic Gatorade bottle that I put some of their kibble in, then I put a couple TINY pieces of crumbled up crisp bacon in with the kibble...they can smell that tiny amount of bacon a mile off....and they will spend 30-40 minutes rolling that bottle around getting that kibble and the little pieces of bacon, out.....when they get tired of fooling with it, they leave it alone....but they will always come back to it and mess around with it for another extended period of time!

[yavenay]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Good idea.....!
I also have a couple that wont play with toys, but they will occupy themselves with a plastic Gatorade bottle that I put some of their kibble in, then I put a couple TINY pieces of crumbled up crisp bacon in with the kibble...they can smell that tiny amount of bacon a mile off....and they will spend 30-40 minutes rolling that bottle around getting that kibble and the little pieces of bacon, out.....when they get tired of fooling with it, they leave it alone....but they will always come back to it and mess around with it for another extended period of time!

I am going to try that again. I tried something similar with a kong but she just looked at me like I was crazy. I don't think she liked the Kong or maybe it was the treats I used.

[navillusc]

Originally Posted by Yorkiemom1

Good idea.....!
I also have a couple that wont play with toys, but they will occupy themselves with a plastic Gatorade bottle that I put some of their kibble in, then I put a couple TINY pieces of crumbled up crisp bacon in with the kibble...they can smell that tiny amount of bacon a mile off....and they will spend 30-40 minutes rolling that bottle around getting that kibble and the little pieces of bacon, out.....when they get tired of fooling with it, they leave it alone....but they will always come back to it and mess around with it for another extended period of time!

I like the lightweight plastic bottle idea stuffed with...well, stuff...good smelly stuff.

I liked the Kong idea years ago, we saw it on TV and rushed right out to get one, but the Kongs were such heavy rubber my big 120+ lb Shep/Lab wouldn't even chew or play with it...it was practically brand new when we threw it out. They were 'new' and 'all the rage' supposedly back then...lol

His favorite toy of all time was an empty gallon milk/water jug with the lid on. He played every game known with that bottle from soccer to 'doggie Frisbie' and once he got the top off...he'd throw it for himself and fetch and carry the crushed (or not...lol) jug around, play tug...you got the handle, he got the rest...lol...and that's when we'd give him a new empty jug and 'steal' the old crappy, dirty, slobbery jug to trash it.

yavenay, I can kind of see Brandi not considering the cat as a 'real' companion...not like another canine, anyway. Mia loves loves loves 'her' kitty but kitty is only willing to put up with so much doggie stuff before thunking Mia's chin to the floor with his paw on top of her head.

I understand 'the limit' of fur babies that can be kept, too...sometimes due to the pocketbook, sometimes 'imposed' restrictions. If Brandi was playful, there'd be maybe a lot more options to keep her busy.

How about some 'cat' tricks...

Have you tried hiding kibble or treats, etc. around the house for her to discover? Maybe put them under pillow cases or baby receiving blankets so she has to work at getting under there to get the prize? Maybe mirrors at floor level so she can 'see' a canine there with her? Maybe move stuff around on her...obstacles like empty cardboard boxes or hanging scarves from backs of chairs, etc. Or a CD of 'dog voices'...not barks, just when they 'talk'...something 'like' her...maybe put it on a timer so it turns on and off during the day? Can you communicate two-way through your webcam? Maybe you could talk to her if she seems bored. Even a robot vacuum cleaner to scoot around the house...plus that has benefits for you, too.

I dunno...I hope you find something that helps her not be bored...I wouldn't like that either.

[LostLakeLady]

If you have a dehydrator, putting turkey jerky in a kong usually will get some attention even from ones who don't have interest in toys. It's very healthy for them, too. A few of my crew were miller dogs, BYB's etc. who spent most of their lives in cages. Sometimes the ones with the toughest pasts, just need more initiating to play with toys or chew things.

Also, you could give her something to keep her mentally stimulated like a beef knuckle bone. Always raw though; never cooked; as cooked bones are very hard on their teeth and can often cause chipping. If it's not being fed as an actual meal, you can offer larger bones like beef or pork rib bones; her natural instinct will kick in and I've known some dogs to just sit and nibble for hours. Raw bones are excellent for teeth too; and for little dogs that is important and can even eliminate the need for routine dentals. And anything that avoids anesthesia is good in my book, I'm such a worry wort. Hope that helps little Brandi! Take care!

[yorkietalkjilly]

As dogs are pack animals, another dog would be ideal for the companionship they so require but short of that, the kong toys with the bits of things in them would be good and anything she can safely chew on that is not likely to predispose her to choking on. Tibbe will play for an hour with kibble in a diet Coke bottle, trying to flip it to get it to come out the end of the coke bottle. He won't chew on the bottle himself but I won't leave one down when I'm gone just in case he might and get a shard of plastic stuck in his throat. I like that you have stairs for him to climb - that gets in some good exercise. Now if she only had another little companion to chase up and down those stairs......

[yavenay]

Unfortunately my little one is toothless. So nyla bones or bully sticks are pretty much out for her at least while I'm not there to watch. I know years ago, they made videos for cats that my cat would sit and watch for hours. It was of birds chirping and flying around. Zoey would even attack the screen trying to get to them.

I wonder if they have something like that for dogs.

[yavenay]

Originally Posted by navillusc

I like the lightweight plastic bottle idea stuffed with...well, stuff...good smelly stuff.

I liked the Kong idea years ago, we saw it on TV and rushed right out to get one, but the Kongs were such heavy rubber my big 120+ lb Shep/Lab wouldn't even chew or play with it...it was practically brand new when we threw it out. They were 'new' and 'all the rage' supposedly back then...lol

His favorite toy of all time was an empty gallon milk/water jug with the lid on. He played every game known with that bottle from soccer to 'doggie Frisbie' and once he got the top off...he'd throw it for himself and fetch and carry the crushed (or not...lol) jug around, play tug...you got the handle, he got the rest...lol...and that's when we'd give him a new empty jug and 'steal' the old crappy, dirty, slobbery jug to trash it.

yavenay, I can kind of see Brandi not considering the cat as a 'real' companion...not like another canine, anyway. Mia loves loves loves 'her' kitty but kitty is only willing to put up with so much doggie stuff before thunking Mia's chin to the floor with his paw on top of her head.

I understand 'the limit' of fur babies that can be kept, too...sometimes due to the pocketbook, sometimes 'imposed' restrictions. If Brandi was playful, there'd be maybe a lot more options to keep her busy.

How about some 'cat' tricks...

Have you tried hiding kibble or treats, etc. around the house for her to discover? Maybe put them under pillow cases or baby receiving blankets so she has to work at getting under there to get the prize? Maybe mirrors at floor level so she can 'see' a canine there with her? Maybe move stuff around on her...obstacles like empty cardboard boxes or hanging scarves from backs of chairs, etc. Or a CD of 'dog voices'...not barks, just when they 'talk'...something 'like' her...maybe put it on a timer so it turns on and off during the day? Can you communicate two-way through your webcam? Maybe you could talk to her if she seems bored. Even a robot vacuum cleaner to scoot around the house...plus that has benefits for you, too.

I dunno...I hope you find something that helps her not be bored...I wouldn't like that either.

Excellent suggestions. I will definitely try hiding the treats around the house. I have a mirror floor level, no reaction at all.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Originally Posted by yavenay

Unfortunately my little one is toothless. So nyla bones or bully sticks are pretty much out for her at least while I'm not there to watch. I know years ago, they made videos for cats that my cat would sit and watch for hours. It was of birds chirping and flying around. Zoey would even attack the screen trying to get to them.

I wonder if they have something like that for dogs.

Sure do. I bought mind at an old Petco but you could probably Google them. The one's I bought consist mostly of dogs doing agility in a building with lots of dogs constantly barking and jumping all around all over the screen. The videos will drive you crazy in a heartbeat from the nonstop, constant 45 minutes of barking but Tibbe's loves and watches them!!! He loves the TV videos for dogs with cats and squirrels in them also, especially where the cat meowing and yowling audio is amped up. He loves those. Sits right up and takes notice and watches the whole things.

[gracielove]

Our Shih Tzu was always getting into trouble when left alone until he had a window to watch out during the day. He found he could watch for us to come up the drive way from a particular end table. I took the lamp off the table and put one of those chair pillows on it instead. He would spend hours on that table waiting of us to come home. The neighbors could see him there. He would stand up and jump down and go to the door when he saw the car pull in.
I guess keeping track of the neighborhood kept his little mind busy. He never got in trouble after he had his observation point.

[yorkietalkjilly]

Ohmygoodness, Tibbe has to have his lookout posts for surveying his domain. He's got full-length windows in the front of the house and his big, long raised den window in the back of the house that the couch backs up to so he just jumps from the couch to the wide window sill. The width of the back of the couch and the window sill = about 18" so he's got a nice secure perch for watching the squirrels and birds and things that come up and down the alley in back. When I leave, Tibbe is standing on the nearest front windowsill and when I return, he is still there or back there. I used to come home from work to find him asleep on the window sill - just broke my heart to see my baby sound out asleep on the window sill waiting for mommie all day! I think now he must spend his day on the couch or bed as I see evidence he's dug a nest, etc. on both and he's never asleep on the sill anymore when I come home. I think he comes back into the den to listen to the TV audio, as I leave that on through the stereo. Am afraid to leave a TV on in the home when I'm gone for fear it might catch fire. They say those bigscreens can be prone to catching fire so won't do it but leave ESPN on for him to hear all the sportstalk or leave it on Animal Planet. But he loves his windows on the world! I actually had the den window lowered so to accommodate Jilly as it was too high for her to see out. So we had it enlarged so she could see out of it. She spent so much time in that window before she died. We still call it Jilly's Window.

[alaskayorkie]

It used to torment me that my dogs had nothing to do all day, but friends assured me that that's what dogs do. When no one's home, they sleep and rest.

It still bothered me, so I addressed it in 2 ways. I set a 5-hour limit on alone time. I don't always achieve it, but that's my goal even if I have to come home from work to feed them and let them in the yard.

Most importantly, I made sure our routine at other times is fulfilling and predictable. They get a walk before I go to work (easy for me because I work at 3 p.m.!). After the walk, they get some training time or supervised games with me -- fetching, nosework, agility practice, anything as long as it's quality time with me.

After their long day, I take them for a midnight walk as soon as I get home. When they get bored during the day, they know they can count on that evening walk. We also play games on that walk.

After that, it's often lap time while I watch TV. They can be a little amped up in the evening still, but the longer the walk, the more they relax.

I've kinda neglected mentioning that my wife is home with them when I'm not because she works a normal schedule. But their time with her is mainly lap time. Their training and exercise routine revolves around me.