Ideas for cheap entertainment for dogs in yard?

[Richardinla]

Hi,
My girlfriend has two lovely German Shepherd pups, about 6 months old, both female.
They come into the house at night, but are alone (the two of them) in a fenced back yard during the day. It's just bare dirt... one of the dogs does it's utmost to dig under the fence, and occasionally has escaped... but we've plugged up all the areas now with big rocks.

Anyway, here's the question: what could we put in the fenced yard to give the dogs something to play with, some entertainment? Money is tight, so it would have to be something cheap... (old tires, perhaps?)

Thanks for any suggestions!
Richard

[Ceph]

Jolly Balls are good toys...you can attach it to a rope hanging from a branch and from what I hear dogs go after it like woah.

I would also suggest talking them for a walk in the morning before they are left...a good brisk one...and maybe if someone can, come walk them again around lunch time. This would give them less energy to bounce around the yard and dig out.

other suggestions would be to maybe try and set up an agility course in the back..maybe some of the safer kinds using old tires, maybe some homemade weave polls or a simple jump...and play with them during the evening...maybe they will take playing with them on their own...I have heard dogs love those things.

A small pool (baby sized) might be neat in the summer also...one of those simple plastic ones...not too deep...but enough for them to jump around in.

I think though....some toys like the jolly ball and the walking will be the most effective...they need something to stimulate their minds and the more bored the get the more likley they are to tend towards destructive behaviours...especially when no one is around to tell them they are wrong.

[Doberman's]

Tires are ok as long as they are in good condition and not fraying; tires have steel in them that can cause issues if it is exposed.

Can you possibly build a run that they can stay in during the day ? That way you do not have to worry about them escaping.

[Richardinla]

Thanks for the replies...
Yes, I'll get some jolly balls...
The dogs are in a run, really... a fenced part of the yard...

Re. tires: do they all have steel in them? Where would I get old, cheap ones from, that are still in good condition?

And any instructions as to how to build an agility course with the tires?

Many thanks!
R

[ritabooker]

The steel-belted-radials are going to have the steel in them.

I have this site bookmarked for that someday when darling husband gets time to make a play yard for our dog. Check it out, I think you will find it useful:
http://www.dogplay.com/Activities/Agility/agilitye.html;)

[Richardinla]

Thanks for the replies!
So I should get old tires that aren't steel belted radials...

The dogs are left alone during the day, so whatever toys or distractions we come up with, they'll have to amuse themselves... We can obviously show them a few times, first...

We're in a hot part of California... I also want to create some shaded area for them for when it gets hot in the summer... probably the cheapest and easiest way would be a big sheet of exterior plywood?

R

[KatzNK9]

What kind of fence do you have?

[Richardinla]

basic chain-link fencing...

[KatzNK9]

I have a suggestion for you ... to make sure nobody digs under ... take regular wire hangers & cut them so that each end is a "U" shape. Put them in every other section of wire fence & drive them into the ground (like tent pegs). This will hold the fencing down tight & is likely to prevent escapes.

[Richardinla]

Thanks for this suggestion... I'll give it a try, but our ground is so dry... we're in the Californian high desert, so I think we'll need something more... even rebar!
R



I have a suggestion for you ... to make sure nobody digs under ... take regular wire hangers & cut them so that each end is a "U" shape. Put them in every other section of wire fence & drive them into the ground (like tent pegs). This will hold the fencing down tight & is likely to prevent escapes.

[KatzNK9]

You might also try an electric fence. I was able to train a dog to stay 3' off a fence area after only one zap. I rented the "shock box" part of it for a couple of weeks but left the wire up all the time. Never had an escape again.

[eb4i]

Bury chickenwire under the fence.... Like... flat?

So that when they dig, they dig up the chicken wire? That should put an end to the digging.

Electronic fencing just inside the inner perimeter would work too. (Hey! a USE for the stuff! wow!) It could be expensive, but it'd work.

Niko used to have a tire he loved to maul. I never had another dog that showed much interest in them, though.

[Kaos]

Shade will be essential if the area doesn't have trees etc. You can string up a couple of large shade cloths, probably cheaper than wood.

[applesmom]

The other day while skimming through a magazine in a doctors office I saw an article on planning a dog friendly yard.

The only suggestion I had time to read about was placing a hill or platform in the center of a large yard. This was suggested because of the theory that dogs will naturally seek out high ground in order to have an elevated and expanded view of their surroundings. By placing the raised area in the center of the yard there would be no worries of them attempting to jump the fence.

Might not do for barkers though!;)

[Richardinla]

Many thanks for all the excellent suggestions! :)
R

[MoJo]

I have a Siberian Husky x, and they are known for digging so when our dog run arrives (We have to go pick it up ..someday) we are going to be putting chicken wire on both the top and bottom because if they can't dig under- they will likly attempt to go over. All you have to go it use wires and attatch one to the other and Ta Da! It is very simple- and I am sure you can find a friend or relative who has perhaps some extra chainlink/chicken wire or something along those lines that you can use instead of buying it new.

We are planning on digging a bit ourselves- about 6 inches or so, so that the run is in the ground itself- then fill it 6 inches full of sand/dirt overtop of the chicken wired bottom. That way they aren't walking on the chicken wire as I can see that would be very irritating to their paws.

[April]

Some other home alone activities could be - cardboard boxes for them to rip apart, a piece of knotted rag for tug-a-war (my 2 dogs used to love this game)show them how to play 1st, if they eat dry dog food try throwing their breakfast all over the yard - it takes them longer to find all the bits than just chowing down to a bowl full, an empty cordial bottle with dry food in it - as they roll it around pieces fall out, make large ice blocks in empty icecream container with sardines frozen into it - makes a giant popsicle.:thinking:

[Richardinla]

thanks for those excellent suggestions!
R