I took a tennis ball and pit it in a sock. I then tied it onto the end of fishing line....the really thick, heavy duty "spyder wire" brand, that is used to do offshore fishing. I then got a lawn chair, went out to the back yard, and I started casting that tennis ball on that heavy duty fishing gear, and then "reeled it in" across the ground in my back yard......my babies went absolutely nuts and they adore this gameof catch. They would run themselves to death if I was to do this during the sumer heat, so I only do this during the cool months.....this wears them out and they sleep like rocks!

haha. Brilliant.

So sorry you are hurting!!! After a spinal fusion, I found this helpful: I trained Liberty to bring me one of his toys for "fetch" by climbing stairs up the couch. I played with him and the toy on the couch and then threw it from there for him to retrieve. He loves to zoom down the stairs, get the toy, and run back up for another round! He would keep doing it as long as I let him. I had to do was sit there and move an arm. :D. It felt like cheating because it was a real easy way for him to get a cardio workout. Liberty is also happier with an old cotton sock stuffed into another and tied in a knot than any of his pricey toys. He's a cheap date. LOL. Until we got the stairs, I used large throw pillows to make a very safe and soft ramp up to one of the couches and to the bed.

All I can say is that I don't know how you guys who have multiple Yorkies do it. My dog takes up so much of my air space, I just could not imagine having another one!!

I love the suggestions from people who have yards and space. I SO wish I did have that luxury. People who live around me that have tiny dogs (not a lot of them, most have dogs that will protect them - I live in a really s**tty city - but my house is in a good area, but still not the best place), keep their dogs inside. I don't want to do that, I want my dog to get out and have fresh air and sunshine and see people, things and dogs. Everyone knows her around here and they love her (even the gang bangers), so I am lucky in that way.

As I said, this is the city there is good and bad. I have to make sure that she is protected from the bad.

Anyway, I used a ripped pantyhose and tied it around her squeaky toy, I didn't have to bend down!! She loved it and we played enough that she is now conked in her bed waiting for me to go my bed so she can go to sleep.

I am so very sorry to hear about your chronic pain. I understand what it's like to hurt all the time - that's my life. Most of the time I have learned to just ignore the pain and muddle through it, but there are times when that doesn't work.

Lollie is my fetch-a-holic. She learned early on to bring her favorite fetchey toy to me and put it in my hand. Otherwise there were times that I found it very hard to play. Other times I lay on our hardwood floors flat on my back and if she wants to play bad enough she will bring her toy to me.

I hope your chiropractor can get you going again.

Can you kick the ball instead or use a claw to pick it up? this is a great idea

You stated in your post 3 times exactly. You brought up your vet and breeders recommendation a whole 4 pages later. Yes I will pray for your pain and misfortune. But mostly the dogs misfortune bc I can guarantee both my vet and breeder nothing would ever pass my mind let alone my actions to give medicine which QUOTED BY YOUR EXACT POST...!

1. I gave her a tiny bit of Children's Benadryl for her to calm down

2.I hurt my back and I can't bend down to pick up her ball 50 million times, which is why I gave her the Benadryl

3. BUT I really needed to stop the bending tonight, hence the Benadryl.

Once again for your selfish reasons. Of course your going to get attention on a yorkie site when your drugging your yorkie. We are ppl who love our & your dogs. So feeling almighty. Never the case. Im not the one posting doing something negative to my dog. Lets be completely honest. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to come up with the answers fellow loving dog lovers suggested.

Please though if you at any time find the need to alter your pets concious state. Call for help. There are other resources. Especially if you have to later question your action and seek the opinions of others. What type of reaction did you expect.? You roll a ball of yarn it comes unraveled.! It doesnt take a genius to figure that out as well but hmph. I could never spend too much time figuring out the world or those confusing and questionably involved in it.

I think Buffy512 is concerned because it appears that Benadryl is being used for non medical sedation. Sportschick, is there a day camp that your dog could go to a couple of times a week? That way he could get exercise while playing with friends, and you could get some rest. Some of the camps here will pick up, and return your dog to you. Just a thought.

I hope you feel better soon. I've been sick for a few days(dang weather changes) and I love my dogs but good GOD I wanted to hide all their toys when I was feeling really bad hehehe. Some of the members here have given you awesome advice when it comes to playing so all I have to say is GET BETTER SOON (((hugs)))) and don't overexert yourself you know your physical limits right now and you dont want to make yourself worse :-) :-)

Ok so until you are a vet who has he ability to do so. Leave that to them. Not you. Its different if you are given medical advice to proceed with doing so. You call ME out my name bc you feel bad. Which you stated as well. For doing the drugging. So yeah call me a beaaaaatch all you want. I sure hope it makes you feel better! Kinda funny how each and every advice has not once suggested to continue giving benadryl just bc you dont want to bend over. Sounds to me your seeking attention rather than getting true and honest opinions from people who sincerely care about animals.

Educate yourself. You are the exact reason Im proud of my breeder. Bc my breeder takes the time to get to know her family in which the pet is going to. So that things like this dont happen. Its reasons similar to this why our beloved pets end up in rescues and shelters. God bless your heart. I always thought it was wrong to give a child benedryl just so they could wind down. What makes a dog any different.? It doesn't.

So continue to call me out of my name for whatever its worth bc I will always speak up for those who are unable to speak for themselves.

I guess that just simply says who you are as a person. Your unwillingly able to accept positive criticism about advice YOU set out to seek. Don't ask for opinions if your too weak to accept any outcome. Especially one that is looking out for your pets best interest.

Not once did I intend to disrespect you or accuse your ability of taking care of your pet. You insisted on using a lack of educated words aimed towards me to try and get your point across or make yourself feel better. Your a WINNER for that. Bravo!

I refuse to stoop to your level.!

Bless

There are places like PetSmart that have doggie day care, but my breeder advised me not to leave her at any kind of day care or camp because she has had people who have bought her dogs do that and the dogs have gotten hurt. I just wouldn't feel comfortable leaving my dog in the care of people who are also looking after a bunch of other dogs.

I used an old pair of panty hose last night and tied them around one of her squeaky toys and played with her that way. Worked great, I didn't have to bend down as much. I also decided that I am not going to do any long walks for a few days, I am going to do what I did last year when I broke my toe AGAIN. Just walk down to the park benches and sit there with her so she can look around and we both get our dose of sunshine and fresh air. Plus, I am going to play with her with the bigger ball that I can just kick around.

I feel guilty when I don't give her at least 30 minutes of good walking, hence the exacerbation of my back/hop pain. I SHOULD have stopped walking last week for a few days and I would probably be fine by now. I believe it is tendinitis in my hip joint and the only way to stop the inflammatory process is to not do what is making it hurt, i.e. walking through it. As much as I hate to do this, I will probably get a cortisone shot.

Exactly. I had a daughter who would fight her sleep for hours and hours until she finally had no strength to fight anymore. Which literally averaged about 4hrs each night. She finally grew out of it when she was around 2 years. Not once did I ever think about giving her benadryl for winding her down. If I needed a break I sought out help. There is nothing wrong with that. Im stating my opinion as a concerned caregiver. Furry or not.

OH MY GOD PEOPLE. It is Children's Benadryl. AGAIN, vets prescribe it ALL THE TIME. Do some freakin research will you. It isn't heroin. I gave her one tenth of one drop of CHILDREN's BENADRYL. My vet told me to give her WAY more than that when I HAD to give it to her to calm her down because of her hurt toe. Since she survived the horrors of Benadryl for 2 weeks while her toe got better, I figured she could survive one night of me giving it to her so MY back could get better.

To all those who have given me very good suggestions, thank you. And also, thank you for the well wishers about my back.

Do us all the favor. Stop giving your pet benedryl just bc you want it to wind down. Learn training techniques. Or like you said. Ball inside of a stocking worked well. So why not ask us before doing what you resulted to. We would have given the same advice. Now you have some great tools. Im happy people were able to help. So honestly. Without the benedryl there is OBVIOUSLY other options. You found them. Without using a medicine that clearly states.

WARNING: Do not use to make child sleepy.!!!!

I will say BLESS as I please. Bc you will never catch me being on the other side of this post. Im not perfect as no one is. But I do strive to be a better person each and every day. As we all should. Take the advice && YES please move on! Shame on you for calling me out my name. Im glad I tried to help to yet be treated like this.! Im glad to be on this side of the fence. Anyday!

BLESS

sorry I don't know why you'd give your dog allergy meds cos your back hurts. I agree get some thing in the toy department that doesn't require bending why not lie on the couch for a bit, can you move your arms?

I have a chuckit, if you can get someone to pick one up for you it's great, because it has a tosser that you could use to get the ball when she doesn't bring it all the way back to you

My vet would never recommend sedation from Benadryl for my dog due to MY bad back. He'd just say having a well-behaved dog is something you train them to be so that they are prepared to cope with your down-times and illnesses without you having to drug them to make it through. You can figure out some things to help keep them busy from your bedridden position for a bit but for the most part, my vet would tell me to do just what I do - just lie there and let your dog be if you don't feel like entertaining him - he'll figure it out and play with his toys, chewies or go lie down, watch out the window, etc., unless he spoiled and doesn't know how to act without your constant attention and feedback. And if I had a vet that did specifically suggested sedating my dog due to my poor health, I would find a different vet as he doesn't have my dog's health as his foremost consideration.

Once you feel better, actually training your little guy, playing some challenging games with him will teach him that you are his pack leader and if you say, "Crate up/go to bed" or "Relax", he will, knowing that it won't be permanent and secure inside that life will resume its fun times again some day and accept life as it is until that time, living in the eternal hope that most dogs live in. Dogs learn how to naturally cope with enforced down-times without any drugs given half the chance. All of mine have and I'm no great dog-trainer or expert.

You know, it's a shame that adults can't have a discussion without name-calling, or being disrespectful. Besides being very juvenile, it is against the rules. Contact admin!

You might need to change vets as pain medication is all most dogs need for injury. Once their pain is ameliorated, they are usually naturally calmed due to the sedation aspect of pain medication and the fact of the injury. Benadryl can agitate and have a rebound effect that excites/agitates some users after a while.

I actually agree about bad decision on the vets side. Benadryl is not bad for them and she has expressed it was a one off. But I totally agree will what jolly is saying otherwise

Like babies. Out of sight out of mind. When I've thrown the ball many times and I'm exhausted or need to do something. I just hide it. Out of sight out of mind. Chew toys cam help them too.

I suppose you could call me lucky or I have a very well behaved dog, either way...Winston "knows" if I'm not feeling well, he is very content just laying next to me...giving healing kisses. He also loves to play ball...and can run after it and bring it back for me to throw again and again. But yet, if I'm done playing, have other things to do or just not feeling well, he knows and understands that it's down time now and simply snuggles up.

My dog is not really good all the time, but I am teaching him that I am the boss, and I make the rules. He's only 4 months old, so we are just into all the training stuff, and will be training for quite some time to come. Right now I'm working on training him to a schedule that works for him as well as myself.

When I first rescued Gizmo 8 maybe 9 weeks ago, he was extremely sick, but he's well now. But the first thing I did was contact a friend I have that's near me and also has a yorkie, she's actually had many of them, and I asked her if in the future, if I needed a break if she would take him for a day, here and there. That was very important to me to make sure I had someone ready, if needed.

Over the last 4 1/2 years, I've had about 7 or 8 surgeries for things caused from my spinal cord damage, and have been in the hospital approx 15 or more times from going septic from infections also due to my paralysis. I too live in a large city, one of the biggest since I'm right outside of downtown Los Angeles. Sometimes being in a big city can be helpful as there are more resources available.

I do hope your back feels better soon, but if I were you, I would just let your dog know that sometimes you are not able to play as much as you would like. The one thing about dogs, is they do adjust to what you ask of them. Like I said, with Gizmo, we are just in the training phase as he is young, but he is learning that I am the boss, and he has to listen to my commands for him. He has no choice :-) just be really consistent with putting him down for naps in an xpen or crate, and he will eventually get it. I have put Gizmo in his xpen for naps between playtime every day since I started training, and he now knows if I put him in there during the day, it's nap time and he goes to his bed now, without me having to tell him, and takes a nap. Think about people in wheelchairs that have service dogs, they obviously are not playing all day, and do what needs to be done to meet the disabled persons needs, because they are trained that way. I eventually am going to get gizmo certified as my service dog, along with the training he requires, since I am permanently disabled and my paralysis will progress as time goes on, it already has in the last four and a half years since I became this way. You shouldn't feel bad about not playing when you can't, because is you don't take care of yourself, who will take care of your dog is something happens to you, like if you end up in the hospital. It's really important to have someone that can be there in an emergency, that was why I asked my friend to begin with, so I knew I had a backup plan if needed for a break, or if I have to go the hospital or anything. Do you have a friend you can trust? I would definitely think about the what ifs, ad make sure you have a person who can help you out occasionally.

Well, I just recently had a total knee replacement, Im going on 3 weeks post op. drugging my 7 month old hyper active pup NEVER entered my mind. I lay on the couch and throw his ball or i will find his chew toy. Ill also tell him , "no bandit, mommy don't feel good.". I feel that he senses that something is wrong with me. He crawled up on my chest tonight and just started licking me in my face just trying to offer me his love. He is so sweet! I would never drug my dog! That is NOT the solution!

I also would never drug my pups but I do know the pain she is suffering can do wierd things to ones mind. A few years back before my surgery I got to the point that if I had not had the fear of God for my soul I would not be here today. Pain can get to the point of making you just not want to go on anymore and even though they had me on very high pain meds with the nerves in my back being completely pinched flat they did very little for me. I hope and pray she will take all the wonderful advice given her and also that she will find relief for her suffering. I agree also with the out of site out of mind as we have a very hyper pup in Laddy. He can literally drive you nuts with his squeaky toys so that they have to be put up at times. And OP you asked about those of us with more than one lol that is why we or I should say my dh and I have 2 they entertain each other.

Good lord why do some people have to be cruel to get a point across. SHE GETS IT!
Sometimes I really think about abandoning this site because of some of the bashing that goes on with people who may have made a mistake but are looking for help and guidance. Then I remember about how much help I received when I started on here with some truly lovely people who really guided me through the course of having Jess come into our lives (you know who you are :). I cant tell you how much you helped me. I then realize that if I leave its one less person who can objectively look at a situation, good or bad and try and help with kindness. (that's not to say we haven't had some less than nice posters on here that got what they deserved) I just don't think this is one of them.

I hear what you're saying. Think we have to remind ourselves sometimes of all the wise people that also participate on YT. These people are able to guide a person seeking help in a way that best helps the fur-babies because those seeking help are not turned off by uncontrolled anger issues but guided with kindness. Knowledge is always best delivered by kindness. Anything less, well ....

Yeah lets guide everybody along the yellow brick road with lollipops and gumdrops! That sounds very realistic.

Can we guide with Baby Ruths and Starbucks Caramel Fraps too? I h8 lollipops and fruity candy;)(j/k)......oooooh now I'm craving a Frap BAD CAFFEINE

If its obvious not to do. Its very obvious to say. It truly doesnt take a scientist to figure out not to do something to a dogs conciousness. If they simply cannot take the truth as it is. I have never sugar coated a fact tgat was immorally wrong to my own. Im going to walk around with sunshine and daisies to someone who doesnt even care to come up with the simple solution of crating for quiet time or coming up with a fetch game alternative.? Im sure thats the least of their problems that their feelings were hurt. If they cant consider their pets well being. I dont consider their feelings. Thats the way I see it. Afterall Jefferey Dohmer was always smacked on the wrist for his chiildhood fantasies and look where that led him! I worry about people who bother animals in any negative way. Big or small.!

Its not that my intent was to hurt someones feelings or come off harsh. I think its selfish to give your pet something based off YOUR MOOD to alter its activities. I think we are here to advocate & educate. I simply did just that!