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Old 10-09-2013, 08:28 AM   #13
gemy
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Location: Huntsville,Ont,Canaada
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Well I will bring a slightly different point of view to the toy question. When they are puppies I usually travel around the house with a pocket of two or three chew toys, so when I stop in-appropriate chewing I can reward with what you CAN chew on!.

But generally speaking we only have out their rope chews on an on-going basis. Their water toys are in their water bag, and are only used for training and water retrieval work. Their squeakee toys which basically kills my ears I only allow them to play with indoors for a bit of time - I last about 15minutes with three happy chompers squeak squeak squeak.....

With multiple dogs it is more difficult I have found. Because even if I get three toys ( I have learnt not to bother to get Razzle a small sized toy, because he turns his nose up at them, and will only go after the big dogs toys) of the same nature, naturally they all will gravitate to one particular toy; and that is when problems can quickly develop.

Mainly because I train with toys. the boys and when my gal was alive, always came to me to play with their toy. It is how you teach and maintain toy drive for reward training.

The boys love their balls, but the first ball out for chase is the supremely most valued toy! Even when I have a ball for each, it is that first throw with that first ball, that sigh, everyone wants.... And take a break for an hour, I use a different ball, and voila that now becomes supreme ball...

I think that interactive toys are the best, and quite frankly dogs do not need to be entertained 50% of their day. Routines of walking, grooming, feeding, washing, resting etc, are very comforting to dogs. Then spice it up with a new walk route, a drive to a more distant park, a new pet store visit, visit a friends home, hook up with a Sunday walking group in a new park, and you provide a very rich environment for your dog and for you too!

Find the toy is a wonderfull game for dogs and can be done indoors. With Magic's injury and his high drive, we now play with his ball in and around my chair. I hid it under my leg or some such, he sniffs it out and finds it, then lays it back in my lap. I roll it down and or to one side of the lounger and bam he finds it and brings it back, tail wagging excitedly. And very safe activity for him.

Anyhow just a few thoughts on the subject.
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Razzle and Dara. Our clan. RIP Karma Dec 24th 2004-July 14 2013 RIP Zoey Jun9 th 2008-May 12 2012. RIP Magic,Mar 26 2006July 1st 2018
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