Hiya, Everyone!
Well, Boss has been up to lots of blog hops this week- I hope everyone has been thoroughly enjoying all of them thusfar! A big thank you to everyone I've met so far this week- you are all so fantastic. It's great to meet you all!
Today's thoughts are my first FitDog Friday! Boss got her college degree in Human Performance/Exercise Science/Kinesiology and Health, so this is right up her alley, at least for the humans!
 |
| Run, run, run...as FAST as you can! |
Boss has learned that raising a puppy is no chore. Puppies need a LOT of exercise, especially as they grow. Exercise keeps them physically healthy, happy, and mentally healthy. After a dog stimulates their mind and body, they are much less likely to get into devious trouble- or at least that has what Boss has found with me so far. Boss has fostered 1 other puppy, as well as raise me, and will be fostering a 13-week-old puppy in 2 weeks. What has been similar with all of us? Staying busy and happy.
 |
| My braided rope tug toy. I love it! |
Boss will be honest, she doesn't take me for a walk every single day. She feels a bit guilty about this. Sometimes, though, I get exercise in a different way. We play fetch in the yard, or play a game of "Chase Boss", or we go to the dog park and get the hiking/running/socializing out. During physical exercise, of course my mind and body are both busy! It's great! Some of those days, though, Bosses are tired from work or have commitments where they can't slip physical activity in, Bosses have to get clever.
 |
| I need to keep my mind busy, right? |
So, what are some of the ideas Bosses have come up with so far to keep me busy (hint: Bosses
really prefer I don't stay busy by ripping up the stairs anymore)? Here are a few:
- Hiding treats around a room. Well, let's be honest here- Bosses would hide treats around the house, but I am so easily distracted and don't get the whole determination thing yet, so we'd just have old treats hanging around the house. One room is all we can handle right now. My personal favorite is ice cubes!
- Treat-dispensing toys. Bosses have bought me a few different types of treat dispensing things, and they seem to keep me busy. Balls with holes in the center for smaller treats, a big treat dispenser with goodies, or even a fabric "maze" game with the stuffies taken out from the middle and stuffed with ice cubes. I looooove ice cubes.
- Honestly, the kitties and I interact and keep each other...busy. Allie usually stays out of it, since she is a pretty mellow gal, but Thor and I play chase. He is usually the instigator, getting me all excited and then bolting off. He gives me mixed signals, because then he growls at me when I actually get to him, but I like it anyway. ;-)
- Chewing toys. I love to chew everything. It's not over-exaggerating when I mention that, because I have probably chewed on almost everything. Bosses like to take me to the local pet store (again, the outing keeps me busy), and I get to pick out something to chew on whenever I am out of food. I usually pick one of those cow-hoof things, because not only does it take me forever to demolish, it smells SO good. Boss thinks it smells like a horribly bad piece of bacon (she even likes bacon!), but I think it smells glorious. Mmm mmm mmm!
Why did Bosses have to get so innovative? Ha. Let me tell you why! (Boss laughs just remembering the Cabin Fever we had last winter!!!)
 |
| Playing fetch when it was a balmy 20F out last winter. |
Last year, I was a tiny little puppy during what was considered a horrible, never-ending winter up here in Minne"snow"ta. Holy cow, it was brutal. Temperatures were at -40F, and that barely counted the windchill. Sometimes, we had windchill/temp readings up to -60F. Needless to say, we ALL were cooped up. Bosses and myself. Boss had to come up with ways to keep me busy during those long, frigid days. So this is where all the mental stimulation comes into fruition. At least we're prepared in case it happens again!
.jpg) |
| I LOVE my floating bumper toy- I can't break it!!! |
When it is too cold to play outside, Bosses and some volunteers/friends from RAGOM get together and plan playgroups for us as well. I got invited to my foster sister's birthday party at an indoor doggy play area last winter. It was sooooo much fun! Here's a snapshot of my momma and I getting a picture together- I love when I get to see her! The weekends are usually for wearing myself out with play and physical activity, and the weekdays are my chance to get my brain working and stay sharp.
 |
| Carrying sticks to my "nest" is also a personal hobby. |
This weekend, I plan on completely wearing myself out- it's football weekend again, and that means more tailgating and play time with friends! I cannot WAIT!
What are some ways you keep yourselves fit, mentally active and healthy? Any fun plans for the weekend? Give me some ideas!
Thanks for joining the Hop - glad to have you! Your Boss has some great advice there for keeping you out of trouble as well as physically and mentally fit. We love treat games and find the food...those are our favorites!
ReplyDeleteSo great to see you here, SlimDoggy! I sure like the treat and find the food games too....keep the food coming! ;-) Now that the weekend is here, I'm sure I'll be nice and worn out by Sunday evening. :) Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteYou have a great variety of stimulating activities, Sadie! We have a similar busy regimen here but we also do a lot of training, classes and dog sports. I would say that playing with friends is a favorite activity and we probably have some of that in store over the weekend!
ReplyDeleteTraining, classes, and dog sports sound like so much fun, and a great way to stay busy! Playing with friends takes the cake, though. Mmmm, cake......have fun this weekend! Thanks for stopping by!
DeleteWelcome to FitDog Friday! Bailie is about your age, and she gets plenty of physical and mental exercise but still takes to shredding things when left home alone. We have now determined this mainly happens in the am hours when she is well rested. Mom leaves her home with Katie and I later in the day with no issues. We are excited for winter and snow again, but right now we are loving the MN Fall weather. Not sure where you are in MN, but you might want to give nose work or tracking a try for some mental workouts. I post about that every couple weeks.
ReplyDeleteI usually do my "shredding" right after all the humans leave and I get sad. So I panic. I love the nice chilly weather, because I really like to eat the snow! We're in the Twin Cities, and so the weather has been rather warm lately. We're living the nice days as if they're our last I love the idea of nose work or tracking- I might be really good at that (assuming my attention span is long enough....Boss thinks I'm a space cadet from time to time). I tried my paw at a lure course a few weeks back and did alright, until a pretty butterfly caught my eye and I chased that instead! Haha! We also considered dock dog classes, agility, or something pretty physical, since I'm an athletic girl. :) Hopefully our beautiful MN fall weather will stick around for a long time, we've got our paws (and hands) crossed around here!
DeleteLooks like you founds some fun ways to stay active. Running is a particular favorite of brown dawgs.
ReplyDeleteOoooo, running! I'm the slow dog in my group of puppy friends...I have Sheltie and Golden/Whippet mix buddies that I run around with a lot. Thing is, they both love to chase ME! Ha! Oh well, I like the chase. ;-) Sure wears me out though, that's a great idea! Thanks for stopping by! :)
DeleteHi Sadie. Kilo loves to play with toys in the house, I call it the zoomies when he gets hyper. Nice long walks are a favourite too.
ReplyDeleteOh, the zoomies! I get that way, too...don't worry, Kilo. We live next to a 3-mile loop around a lake, so we do that often. The plus side is that there is an awesome dog park adjacent to the lake, too! Double whammy! The humans often say that when I get the zoomies, I look like a crazed hyena. You probably look much cooler when you do it, though! :)
DeleteSadie, you sure know how to get into mischief! That is quite an expansive work of shredded art!
ReplyDeleteOne of Chewy's favorite games is tug, so we pretty much play that all day long. In between naps, of course!
Small Boss just came home from work, to find that I may or may not have lifted up a tiny piece of carpet on the NEXT stair up from my previous "artwork"...
Delete....shhhhh, she'll never know that I'm trying to move all the carpet padding from under the carpet to the entryway! ;-) She just vacuumed this morning, and I really don't like this neat and tidy thing. Don't worry, I'm trying my best to make sure it looks like a pit again. :) I like tug, too! I just sometimes try to pull arms out of sockets...oops. Maybe I should learn from you and give them a little rest!
Sadie, you are so cute! Those are great tips!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lauren! So glad you stopped by- I'm glad you liked the tips! These tips were only realized after I shredded half a flight of carpeted stairs, underwear, socks, toys, and memory-foam bath mats. It's just my inconspicuous way of telling my Bosses that they should never work! ;-)
DeleteWe've had to be creative about ways to stay busy, too! It wasn't quite as cold here in Ohio, but there were plenty of days it was below zero and we couldn't get in traditional exercise, either. It sounds like you've found lots of ways to stay fit!
ReplyDeleteThat below zero stuff is for the birds! We had a horrible case of cabin fever here last winter, because it was flat-out dangerous to even go outside for more than 5 minutes on some days! I'm glad it doesn't get that cold in Ohio for you guys, maybe I should mention that to the Bosses and we can move there! ;-)
DeleteWe do a lot of trick training and conditioning exercises. I'm pretty sure he has better balance than I do.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting, Tenacious Little Terrier! I bet you're a seasoned pro at trick training and conditioning. I wish I could say that I have better balance than my Bosses, but....I'm so clumsy, no one would believe me. ;-) Have a wonderful day!
Delete