Teach her to hold and carry objects of your choosing. It's an excellent exercise for developing a dog's focus and obedience, and she likes to do it anyway. Get a couple of the puppy-sized rubber or canvas retrieving bumpers. It sounds like she's about 70% of the way there already.
carrying items
I take Ruby on a walk each night with Quincy (Quincy only goes if the weather is suitable for his hairless self). Quincy' goal on his walk is to get it over with so he can go back home and have teh comfort of his chair, blanket and stuffie. So he walks and gets on with it. Roo, MUST carry something the entire walk, if she gets bored with what she has picked up she will drop it as soon as something better comes along. I take her toys with her so she can carry them because I know they are not toxic to her, but as soon as she sees a pretty stick or a rock she drops teh toy and grabs X.....
Her biggest fancy right now are sticks, and I'm not talking small little twigs but branches that are bigger than she is with the smaller twigs still attached, its quite comical actually lol...A) I worry about whether the braches, sticks and twigs are posionous and B) if they are not have they been sprayed with a pesticide etc etc.
While I think it is absolutly adorable that she has to carry something, it scares me. I live in Ontario Canada, in my town I know we have maple, cedar, pine, elm and whatever else i'm not sure. What branches and twigs are toxic to a dog? I have apple tree sticks that I get for teh parrot from the pet store so I wonder if giving her one of those on our walks would be better, than she has her object to carry but I don't have to worry about poisoning her. I also kinda worry about who else has had these in their mouths, or peed on the etc etc and her contracting something from that. She is really good with leave it, but sometimes I feel so mean telling her to leave it, and I can see how she looks back at it when she walks away.
So do you have dogs that must carry an object on a walk? What types of branches are safe? Are apple tree sticks safe?
Kind of a funny story (well I think so lol)...Friday night we were out and Ruby picked up this monster sized branch, I told her to leave it and she did...yesterday my 6 year old and I were out, she was riding her bike, small town so we always go teh same way, Jilly's bike tripped on that branch I told Roo to leave the night before (bike didn't tip). Today we were out this morning and Roo finds that exact branc again (and we tossed it away after the bike tripped) she dragged it back to where it was when Jilly's bike caught it and just left it there and pranced away LOL.....
Her biggest fancy right now are sticks, and I'm not talking small little twigs but branches that are bigger than she is with the smaller twigs still attached, its quite comical actually lol...A) I worry about whether the braches, sticks and twigs are posionous and B) if they are not have they been sprayed with a pesticide etc etc.
While I think it is absolutly adorable that she has to carry something, it scares me. I live in Ontario Canada, in my town I know we have maple, cedar, pine, elm and whatever else i'm not sure. What branches and twigs are toxic to a dog? I have apple tree sticks that I get for teh parrot from the pet store so I wonder if giving her one of those on our walks would be better, than she has her object to carry but I don't have to worry about poisoning her. I also kinda worry about who else has had these in their mouths, or peed on the etc etc and her contracting something from that. She is really good with leave it, but sometimes I feel so mean telling her to leave it, and I can see how she looks back at it when she walks away.
So do you have dogs that must carry an object on a walk? What types of branches are safe? Are apple tree sticks safe?
Kind of a funny story (well I think so lol)...Friday night we were out and Ruby picked up this monster sized branch, I told her to leave it and she did...yesterday my 6 year old and I were out, she was riding her bike, small town so we always go teh same way, Jilly's bike tripped on that branch I told Roo to leave the night before (bike didn't tip). Today we were out this morning and Roo finds that exact branc again (and we tossed it away after the bike tripped) she dragged it back to where it was when Jilly's bike caught it and just left it there and pranced away LOL.....
1 - 3 of 3 Posts
Sticks are dangerous for dogs for a variety of reasons -- mouth wounds, punctures, intestinal damage they can do if chewed, etc. Google it and you'll see lots of advice to avoid them. Here are just 2 examples:
http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2008/12/throwing-stick-for-dog-could-damage-its.html
http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2008/12/throwing-stick-for-dog-could-damage-its.html
Moderators: Don't know if this topic is a sticky already, but seems like it should be. I've posted about the dangers of them twice in the last month. I'm willing to research & write it.
http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2008/12/throwing-stick-for-dog-could-damage-its.html
http://arbroath.blogspot.com/2008/12/throwing-stick-for-dog-could-damage-its.html
Moderators: Don't know if this topic is a sticky already, but seems like it should be. I've posted about the dangers of them twice in the last month. I'm willing to research & write it.
1 - 3 of 3 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Puppy Forum and Dog Forums
Come join a community dedicated to the discussion of grooming, food reviews, training tips, rescue groups, and dog pictures. All dog breeds and dog breeders welcome
Full Forum Listing
Top Contributors this Month
View All
3GSD4IPO
47 Replies
DaySleepers
45 Replies
Little Louie
24 Replies
Recommended Communities
