How to entertain a dog in the really bad weather?!

[shivvy]

I don't mind dog walking in most weathers. In fact I quite like getting all wrapped up and heading out to brave the elements. However sometimes the weather is particularly awful and (because my little mutt has a bit of a fear of wind and rain), it isnt the right thing to do to go out for a walk.
However this doesn't stop my wee girl from wanting and expecting a bit of excitement to liven up her day.
I play lots of indoor games (training disguised as fun!) with her such as getting her to sit outside a room then hiding a small treat and then calling her in to hunt it out. Or tying a ball inside a towel and getting her to unwrap it.
However I wondered how other people entertained their dogs when the weather really was too bad to venture out in.
All suggestions welcomed!

[Answerprancer]

When you search for a song and a whole heap of results surface - click once at the top of the bit that says "D/L" and select the one with the biggest number that matches your search - ie the description of the song you wanted and file type (eg. mp3).

[Answerprancer]

That will make your download speeds as fast as they're going to be on your connection.
When the file is downloading, have a look in the "transfers" section and if it's coming in any less than about 20 K/sec - that's a bit slow, if it gives up and says "failed", something's gone wrong.

[Andyvon]

I always took mine out regardless of the weather. They might come back soggy and windswept but they always enjoyed the rubbing with a towel afterwards to dry them off. I also used to take them out on bonfire night with all the bangs and whizzs. That never seemed to bother them either.

[jules77]

Daily exercise is important, and my long haired lot go out twice a day whatever it is doing outside. They get excited to go out the door, but not sure if they enjoy it so much in the wind and rain, LOL! Partly because I dont want wet smelly dogs, and partly to preserve their coat and stop it constantly moulting, they wear waterproof coats in the rain, so only their head, legs and belly get wet.

You could also try one of the Nina Ottosson brain training toys, Search Nina Ottosson games on below link or Dog Tricks by Mary Ray.

http://www.collienet.com/amazon.htm

[lankeela]

Mine climb the walls if they are not taken out whatever the weather. With the GSD pup particularly walking on a hard road in driving rain is brilliant for the coat - a good rub down and he shines like a new pin. However there are lots of books - some ideas here:

http://www.amazon.co....ll-Ever/dp/1593372566

[woofgang]

i think its good to have dogs who will stay in a day if needed as sometimes its unavoidable. During the snow last jan we were housebound all of us for 5 days. Rab liked the garden and thought it was funny to slip and fall over, both love snow but Shughy didn't like the icy conditions. happily while they are both fit and active, they turned out to be real couch potatoes, happy to laze on the settee and watch telly.
It sounds like your girl might like to learn to dance
http://www.maryray.co.uk/
also a stuffed kong is a great amuser

[woofgang]

PS My previous dogs were weimaraners, theses are weimaraner x gsp. One and all on bad weather days they have REFUSED to jump out of the car on occasion when the weather has been really bad.

[shivvy]

Hmmm - doggie dancing . . . .might look in to that.

Though when Bella hears about it she might decide that walking in stormy weather is a great idea!!

[RATTER15]

My dogs would be unbearable if they didn't go out at least one in a day, they go out whatever the weather and go to the beach and swim in the sea everyday, they don't seem to feel the cold and happily swim in the sea in mid winter with snow covering the beach, Brrrrrrr!!!! freeze the balls off a brass monkey!!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKgoQeto_b4

[woofgang]

that's a lovely vid RATTER...the posts on here just go to show that all dogs are different. Mine are quite happy in the rain when out for a run but garden rain is obviously different as they will hold it for hours rather than go out for a pee and get wet; as i said, one dog is quite happy on ice and thinks its funny to slide around and fall over (and he's the one who has twice injured his shoulder too, nothing serious, pulled muscle) the other boy, his brother, thinks its a joke in very poor taste and would rather stay indoors than go on that nasty slippery stuff.

[RATTER15]

That was Gilligan and Merlin earlier in the year, he is the dog in my Avatar(Gilligan), he has grown a bit lol, we know have Keeva to act the fool, just 6 months old and got to have her teeth clamped around anything that will fit inter her mouth, including arms legs another dog, all in play but we are struggling to break her of it a little lol. Bless her :-)