How do you amuse your Doodle all day?

[Sandy]

Toby is 13 1/2 weeks, and I am a stay at home, piano teacher Mom. So....that leaves just me and him for most of the day. And I should mention that the two kids living at home work full time, and go to college, so they don't get home at 3:30 like an elementary school kid would. How do you guys keep your Doodles amused all day? I take him on a couple of walks. I sit on the floor and play with toys. I usually crate him once during the day to either do housework or groceries or something like that. He won't played in our fenced yard alone. He doesn't amuse himself well yet, unless I give him an ice cube to chase around! :) What else can I do to help both of our days go by faster?

[Tamara & Giada]

I too am home all day with mine. Yes, when she was young, I considered that my nearly full time job to exercise, play and housebreak her. She is now 10 months old and her needs have really decreased. I still give her attention, but not nearly like I had when she was a baby. I feel they are just like our children the more you give them while they are babies the better bond you will have and the better adjusted they will be:)

He's still so young, give him time..........soon he will play by himself in the back yard. It also helps to have "play dates" with your friend's dogs. My neighbor has boxers, and they are best pals with Giada. I will say I had it easier than you, I have an older dog that helped in that department.............when they were the same size they played a lot!!! GL!

[diane silver]

I really can empathize with you, Sandy. When Emma was a wee pup (she's now a "big girl", almost five and a half months), I felt like I was a prisoner in my kitchen! But if he's had all his shots, I would recommend that you try to socialize him with some other dogs, either at a doggy daycare or a dog park where you know there are puppies his size. I started taking Emma to the park at 12 weeks and go almost daily, and I have to say that it definitely helps with satisfying her unlimited energy and makes for a much happier dog and owner! I really feel that right now she's my full-time job and hope that the time I spend with her now will only help to make her a well-adjusted dog. You'll see that it will begin to get easier as he matures. Also, puppy kindergarten is really great for socialization and you will probably meet other puppy moms who would love to have a playgroup. Good luck, and let me know how it goes.

[Sandy]

He is in Headstart Puppy school, but it only four weeks long, every Friday. He enjoyed it, learned well, and started socializing with other dogs.. It's too bad it's not more often!

It feels like a full time job for sure. And sometimes a lonely job, at that. This site is fabulous!!

[Adina P]

I can hardly believe it, but honestly don't remember what I did with Rosco as a puppy! I know I did feel like you minus the "stay at home mom" part. I lost 5 pounds my first two weeks with him just because I was constantly attending to him. But I think I was more amused by him than concerned with amusing him.

I also crated him a lot more then you crate Toby. What did you do before Toby to make your day go faster? A lot of that you can still do :-)

Try Stuffed Kongs, other chew toys, training practice, teaching tricks, puzzle food dispensers like the ones you can read about HERE.

Now that my dogs are a bit older (2, 3, 13) I don't have to do much at all to entertain them. Sometimes I'm amazed at how low maintenance they can be as adults!!! Seriously. You'll get their slowly but surely yet faster and faster.

[Eva (Lilo and Rocky)]

I got a second dog to keep the first one entertained ;)

[GBK]

LOL I got the second dog and let the first dog entertain and train her :) Bully sticks keep them entertained for a while, and we started to play games like "find" we take a different flavored kibble and hide it around the living room while we practice the sit and stay command. Once we have them all hidden, some in plain site and some hidden under things we yell " find " and they come a runnin to sniff out the treats! It is as much fun to watch who finds what and how fast as they have finding the treats!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Samantha just turned 9 months old. She goes to school every week, we start her 5th class tomorrow and puppy agility on Sunday. Working with her on her "homework" helps - not only with the physical energy but also the mental energy - which is just as inportant! Kongs work on the mental part as well as knotted ropes.
She comes t work me with everyday so here are others to occupy her. I try to stop at the dog park on the way home to run off some energy.
My husband taught her to play Roley Poley, which is more mental than physical but at least it is a sitting game for me. But if she hasn't been run enough or been mentally stimulated enough she can be a bit of a pain in the evening. All she wants to do is play ball. It is my fault so my "punishment" is to either play or go for a walk. Aren't I lucky!?!?!
I agree with what everyone's suggestions.

[fergie11]

Doodles are such fun loving dogs and they really seem to be people dogs. I take fergie for a 3 mile walk a lot of mornings and those days she sleeps most of the day - still - even at 9 months. I do remember some days last summer when I thought - man - i just spent the whole day with that puppy. I'm also at home during the day. I work from about 5 - 10 four mights a week so then she's home with my husband and he plays with her. She is truly a spoiled dog. I have horses where I board somewhere else so she goes with me to the stable and plays with 5 other dogs. She has sleepovers with one of those dogs a lot. It broke my heart to take her friend home while she was sitting and looking at me like (Where's Lizzy going? Can she stay?) So, today I took her to Lizzy's house and she's sleeping there. I swear I'm nuts. Just remember especially if you've ever had kids, this is so-so-so much easier.

Anyway, my plans to fix this - spring (and it can't come soon enough) another puppy is on order. Fergie and I can't wait. Fergie's going to get a sister for her 1st Birthday.

[Sandy]

I have had kids - three in fact. I am so far removed from babyhood that perhaps I am forgetting what a lot of work human babies were. At least with a puppy the growth and maturation come much quicker.

Walk seem to energize Toby, somehow. He comes bursting into the house in a ball of energy. He's adorable - but a lot of work. I know, hang in there, things will improve weekly. :) If I can just get past his current defiant state.....

[Leslie and Halas]

I didn't get anything done when Halas was a puppy. I work, but I go home every day for lunch, and my mom stops by every afternoon, so he gets a couple of potty breaks and some play time. Although, now he mostly comes back in and lays down instead of playing. At night and on weekends, I hardly got anything done. In fact, that hasn't changed much, but I think it's more related to owner laziness now. I wanted (and still want) to spend a lot of time interacting with him and training. Even when he was amusing himself, I still tried to watch and give him praise and attention for being a good boy. We play ball a lot. He's not as tennis-ball-obsessed as some doodles, but he likes a good round of fetch. He has a few puzzle type toys to put treats in, so those keep him entertained. You could crate him a little more during the day if you wanted. I found that Halas didn't nap very well unless he was in his crate. He'd be too interested in what I was doing, and he wouldn't settle down. He realized that crate time was nap time. Going to obedience class and spending time working on those things will be great. It will wear him out physically and mentally. Once he's a little older, he'll tire himself out running in the yard or at a dog park, friends house, etc. Our dog park just opened, and Halas just runs and runs the whole time he's there. Then I have one tired dog. You could also take him to Petsmart and other dog friendly places once he's had all of his shots. The car ride and attention he gets will tire him out. And it will also give you a chance to work on some training things like sitting calmly, etc. Have fun! In a few months you'll wonder where the time went.

[Karen & Lucy]

I work all day, soooo I leave that job to my DH. Since she is almost 3 now she just follows him around. But when she was a pup, I just made sure she had multiple toys and bones EVERYwhere and also my grandkids would come over and play with her, if that does not work THEN maybe a 2nd. doodle would do the trick and amuse her. LOL LOL LOL that is what I would like to do.

[Sandy]

Based on the work load of one Doodle, I don't see a second one in my immediate future. :) I am trying to walk Toby three times a day, give him time in the backyard, and play on the floor with him a lot. I would give anything to have a whole day to clean my house! I am looking forward to with pleasure the days when he will follow me around the house, and just be my loving companion.