So I ran a little experiment with my pup. Normally, everytime we'd go out to do his business, we'd play fetch and he would get in his daily exercize. Well, for the last few days we've played about 10% of the regular amount of fetch...he's getting a little antsy and is about to burst at the seams with energy.

I took him to the local park and he is just looking for stuff to do. He would offer climbing onto the kids spinning rides, and for the first time he climbed up the steps of the 4 foot tall slide and slid down. The first time he slid down all sprawled out, the second time it was half sliding and half walking, then the third time it was a piece of cake. He jumped on picnic tables...so he likes obstacles now.

So since I'm having a hard time finding a schutzhund club around here I think I'm going to make the obstacles in my back yard...at least the schutzhund jumps, ramps etc...

Anybody have any ideas on building interesting/challenging obstacles?

Or places to visit that have natural obstacles which challenge the dogs balance and footing?

I saw an internet video once where there was a small kiddy pool filled with empty plastic bottles, the handler would throw a toy into it and the dog had to fish through all the bottles til it found the toy and retrieve it.

Use the woods. Fallen trees, etc. Playgrounds are great, too. Lots of things to do at playgrounds. As far as home made...that's all well and good, but you run out of new stuff. I find it easier to find new parks than build new obstacles.

I agree with Jenni, parks and playgrounds are fantastic. I do use those kiddie pools that I have filled with those balls you find at McDonald playgrounds and it is good for desensitization.

Somewhere in McDonald land some kid is sitting in the middle of the playground, crying his eyes out.
"Mommy, some bad lady just ran off with all the pretty colored playground balls."
That's just plain coldhearted Ingrid!

 Quote: bob scott

Somewhere in McDonald land some kid is sitting in the middle of the playground, crying his eyes out.
"Mommy, some bad lady just ran off with all the pretty colored playground balls."
That's just plain coldhearted Ingrid!

Ha! I am just thinking of that kid's well-being. There is no reason to go to McDonald's to eat if there are no balls in the playground :-p


I also used them to make things like this for bitework:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2021/2447922328_22f1fd74f9_o.jpg

Yeah, I got him Flourescent Orange Hunting dog Vest to go to some of the public hunting lands around here, we have a bunch of high ground and swamp land and everything in between. I am kinda worried though about his immunity out in the woods.
He is on heartworm and frontline stuff, but I've ONLY had him vaccinated for Rabies. I'm not familiar with all of the vaccinations but it seems like most of them are for dogs that may be around other sick dogs, so I'm guessing he'd probably be alright.

I'm gonna start looking for new parks and playgrounds...

Nice pic of Capri...

Ingrid, that's a cool bitework tool you got there.

He's unvaccinated? Lucky dog. ;-) He should be fine. Keep his immunity up by feeding him appropriately, do some research to see if anything particularly nasty is prevalent in that area, and if not,then have fun. Other than a few, most vaccines have actually not been proven to work...and can have nasty side effects. I wouldn't worry about him not having anything but rabies.

Moved here from wrong thread

 Quote: Anne Jones

I take my pups to playgrounds to play on all the equipment. Have them play on picnic tables, bleachers, climb fire escape stairs anything that looks wierd, will feel strange or slippery under their feet etc, etc. etc. I go to boat docks so they can walk up & down the ramps & on the floats. I have also done the floats when it is raining & a bit, slippery & they are bouncing around in the water. Stone walls, beach breaker walls ....,anything I can think of. The stranger the better. I fill liter soda bottles with rocks & shake them & let them play with them. I also work & play with them in all these places too. Consequently, they don't pay much attention to things when working. The more imaginative that you can be the better for them. Just what I do.

Thanks Connie, my computer must have hick-upped! Have no idea how that happended

Thanks Anne, that's pretty creative stuff.