Looking for games to play inside

[Peggy Jensen]

I'm looking for some things to do, training games, just fun stuff to do with my 3 yr. old mini-schnauzer that we can do in the house as I do not have a fenced area to play in. He likes to chase things that I throw for him and will bring it back and drop it for a treat, but back and forth down the hall a few times gets a little boring. He also loves for me to chase him around, but I have been told that is not a good thing to do because it will make a good recall more difficult. Doesn't seem to be too interested in the stuffed toys that you have to take the little birds out of the house or the bees out of the hive or things like that. unless I take them out and throw them.
Anybody have any good suggestions.
Thanks

[Daniela Jantzen]

Peggy,

there are lot of things you can do indoors to keep your dog entertained, busy and occupied.
Using nose and brains one of them:
1. Hide treats around the house and let him find them.
2. Stuff treats into an old sock which you can hide for him to seek as well - taking the sock apart as his imaginary prey is something almost every dog likes.
3. Let him fish for his treats in a bowl of water.
etc.
You could also create a personal indoor agility course:
have him crawl through a tunnel created by a chair with a blanket over it (or borrow some children's playground stuff.
Let him jump over a broomstick resting on two chairs.
Built a slalom out of shoes or buckets he has to walk through.
Put a big board over an old tire (or pillow) for him to walk over etc.
There are plenty of possibilities to keep a dog active inside the house!

Another good thing what you could both do together: start dog dancing just for fun.
http://www.worldcaninefrees tyle.org/video_clips.htm

Have fun!

Danny

[Alberta Hanko]

Wow, I love let him fish for treats in water--hadn't tried that one yet, Danny. Also, Peggy--will he play hide and seek with you? That's always a fun thing. To get it started, you might want to run with his ball, and then call his name, if he is ball crazy. I put mine into a sit or down stay now, and then go off and hide and call him. Keeps us busy on rainy days.

Have fun.

Alberta & Linus

[Amber]

I know I'm seeing this one a little late, but what about the I-Qube? Precious LOVES it! It comes with 4 balls that the dog has to try to find a way to get out of the plush cube (it has slits cut out on each side). At first, Precious had no idea what to do, but I did what the directions told me to do and she was playing with it in no time! Sally chewed up one of the balls, so now she only has 3, but she doesn't mind!