Activity ideas for miniature poodle?

[Lemon-Drop]

Hi, I'm trying to think of ideas for my (well, technically my older sisters) miniature poodle, Oliver to do for activities. (He's 11 yrs old)

These are the things that I've tried:

Teaching him to fetch (he doesn't even lift his head when I throw something)

Going on walks (most of the time, he drags)

Teaching him tricks (He just wants the treats, nothing else)

I've wanted to try agility, but he has joint problems and DDD.

Any other ideas? I tried tracking, but he wasn't very interested either.

Thanks!

Also, he's very food/treat motivated.

 

[Folara]

Or make him search for his normal meals, by hiding the usual amount of food in several places. Dry kibble can be hidden all over the place, while wet food should probably be in dishes (but it could be in several small dishes, in different places each day.)

"Hiding" might be as simple as putting it in a different corner or under the table, if he is not good at finding things.

I second this so much! I have a medium-sized chihuahua mix who isn't very food motivated at all but has tons of energy, and her favorite way to eat meals is to search for it. My husband will put dry kibble in her bowl and she will try to bury it with her nose and ignore it, but when I place little piles throughout the house she will run around like crazy looking for food.

It took some teaching for her to understand what to do - I started when we would hang out at a local park and we would sit in the grass after some play time. I would have her sit next to me (I had to hold her back at first) then toss a treat just a foot or two in front of us, then tell her "go find it!" and she would usually find it right away since she saw it land. After some practice, I would have her face me and throw the treat behind her so she wouldn't see it, and she got the hang of sniffing and searching. When I started hiding food in the house I would have my husband hold her in the middle of the living room so she could watch where I put the food, then release her with a "go find it!".

Working for meals is such a great way to stimulate their minds, keep them busy, and get them tired without extra calories or much effort on your part! Another favorite of mine is laying an old sheet on the floor, scattering dry kibble on the sheet, then bunching it up with my hands so she has to sniff and nose around the sheet to get the food. If you have a food-motivated dog it will not take him long to pick this up, but definitely start small and make it very easy at first so he always wins and doesn't get frustrated.

 

[NatJ]

Obviously not something you want to go overboard with because you don't want to give too many treats, but how about just hiding treats around the room for him to find?

Or make him search for his normal meals, by hiding the usual amount of food in several places. Dry kibble can be hidden all over the place, while wet food should probably be in dishes (but it could be in several small dishes, in different places each day.)

"Hiding" might be as simple as putting it in a different corner or under the table, if he is not good at finding things.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Obviously not something you want to go overboard with because you don't want to give too many treats, but how about just hiding treats around the room for him to find?

I could try that... sometimes he's not great at finding treats that I hide, though.

(Sometimes I'll set a treat down, and he'll end up standing on top of it, trying to find it.)

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Well, I like to track coons and coyotes with my dog... so I am no help here.

 

[NatJ]

Hi, I'm trying to think of ideas for my (well, technically my older sisters) miniature poodle, Oliver to do for activities. (He's 11 yrs old)

Are you looking for activities because the dog is bored, or because you are bored?

If you are the one who wants to do things, you might consider something like gently brushing him. That is sometimes relaxing for the dog, so not the best if he is full of energy and needs to get worn out, but great if he is tired or cannot move well.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Are you looking for activities because the dog is bored, or because you are bored?

If you are the one who wants to do things, you might consider something like gently brushing him. That is sometimes relaxing for the dog, so not the best if he is full of energy and needs to get worn out, but great if he is tired or cannot move well.

I think he seems bored, most of the time he likes to sleep, but recently he's been getting into things, like opening bags of flour in the pantry, or chewing up a silicone mat sort of thing.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Likkie mats are great, even better when frozen, you can often find cheap silicon alternatives like dish drainers to use. My dogs love them even in the cold weather.

Those look great! I'll see if I can get one. I can totally see him loving it!

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Or make him search for his normal meals, by hiding the usual amount of food in several places. Dry kibble can be hidden all over the place, while wet food should probably be in dishes (but it could be in several small dishes, in different places each day.)

"Hiding" might be as simple as putting it in a different corner or under the table, if he is not good at finding things.

That's also a good idea! Thanks!

 

[NatJ]

I think he seems bored, most of the time he likes to sleep, but recently he's been getting into things, like opening bags of flour in the pantry, or chewing up a silicone mat sort of thing.

I would make sure he has a few suitable toys to chew on, and maybe consider putting a little smear of something tasty (like peanut butter) on one toy or another to make it extra-interesting. (For peanut butter or anything similar, of course you should not give him large quantities of it, because that would probably make him fat.)