best way to WORK a dog

[lv4dogs]

You've got some great ideas there. Working their brain will tire them out. Even a 10 minute obedience session will ear them out a little.

Along with all the other suggestions (except the one with the dog running next to a car thats just too dangerous) I'd suggest doing the NILIF (nothing in life is free, are you familiar with it?) and an extra walk or two a day.

I have a long hallway and sometimes when it is really bad outside or even just when I am sitting watching tv (after out nightly walk but Kaige still has energy to burn) I sit on the couch & throw his tennis ball down the hallway. He'll play fetch forever. lol

[ParNone]

I gotta say having a second dog really helps. When my two smoothies start getting nutty inside, which means barking for Collies , I just open the back door and let'em chase each other around the back yard, until their tongues are hanging out.

I've also found that short intense exercise throughout the day works better then one long walk. So we go outside and play frisbee. I stand in a corner of the yard with a few frisbees and keep'em running for'em for about 10 mins. I'm barely moving, but they're getting quite a workout. We do this at least 4 times a day. I also play fetch with them inside, while I'm on the computer or watching TV.

I also agree that working their minds helps tire them out too. So I add "find it" to the fetch games. I start out teaching "find it" with treats. Put them in a "Stay", Toss a treat on the floor in front of them, then say "Okay, Find it" to release them from the "Stay" to get it. Then gradually increase the difficulty, by first increasing the distance to the treat, then hide in a different room, then make the hiding place in the room harder. Once they're getting the concept, you can replace treats with say their Ball. Hide a bunch around the house and then you can keep them busy searching for a few, while you watch some TV.

Par...