# Indoor activites for rainy days



## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

The weather in Florida is supposed to be horrible this week with thunderstorms. Any ideas on indoor activities for my 13 week old? She is used to running around my yard a couple times a day. I still have her confined to the kitchen and great room so not a ton of room for running.


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## kellygh (Oct 25, 2010)

I empathize :-\ It has been raining for 2 days in my part of Dixie, and it makes the day go by with more "leave it" & "no" than I would like. Pumpkin's attention span is still short (7.5m), so there is only so much mileage I can get out of games & toys; therefore, I am putting on the wellies, jacket, & hat, and we are heading out anyway. Once Pumpkin gets over the "eek! my feet are wet," she will have a nice little run. I may not be able to stand it if I don't. We have a large playroom that is nice for running, but all the toys beg Pumpkin to run off &/or chew at least one or 2. I wish I had a good suggestion, but I just choose to get wet. Good Luck!


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

Savannah and I walk in the rain, but not thunderstorms. If possible you may want to shift your walking to earlier in the day to avoid the thunder and lightning in the afternoon. 

If you can't shift your walking schedule, I highly recommend the games of 'Find It' that others have posted on this forum. It works for treats, for food, and for toys. At 13 weeks, I suggest hiding it in the middle of the floor for the first few times. It is a confusing game initially. I also suggest rotating the treat/food/toy after each session so boredom doesn't set in. The other 'activity' I recommend is stuffing a kong with different types of good stuff. I will put a fingertip size piece of cheese or leftover pork or brocolli in the bottom and put an ice cube on top. She can smell the good stuff through the small hole in the bottom, but has to get the ice cube out first to get it. (I usuallly put a dot of peanut butter in the ice cube to make it more interesting). This week could also be a magic week to focus on 'sit', 'stay', 'down', and 'come'. If the two of you are inside anyway, you may as well take advantage of the time. 

Have fun!


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Thanks for the responses - We have been going outside in between thunderstorms. It will be interesting to see how she is during her crazy time (4-6pm). Since I work from home, I decided to introduce her to a new room and that kept her busy smelling every part of it.

I think it is great idea to just focus on indoor training. She already has her commands down pat - sit, down, roll over but need to work on stay. Also, I can always practice leash training indoors. 

AND -need to find some time to work and do my job...lol.


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## Kswift49 (Jan 22, 2011)

Hi there,

I also live in FL and the weather has been very wet...my V is about 14 weeks and at this stage everything is so new to him..once we get over the rain, he starts to chase leaves and has discovered BIRDS!!! This breed is meant for hunting with all sorts of weather conditions, so since we live in a warmer climate a little exposure to the elements is fine. 
Do you live in Palm Beach county?? How about a play date?


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Recently I bought a toy called the "Kong Wobbler" which is a treat-dispensing toy. You take part of the daily ration of kibble and put in inside the toy. Then you set it down on the floor. Your pup works and works to get all the kibble out. Takes up at least 20 or 30 minutes, depending on the amount of kibble you use. Careful not to forget about this play session when it is meal time, or you will end up with a fat dog!


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Kswift49 said:


> Hi there,
> 
> I also live in FL and the weather has been very wet...my V is about 14 weeks and at this stage everything is so new to him..once we get over the rain, he starts to chase leaves and has discovered BIRDS!!! This breed is meant for hunting with all sorts of weather conditions, so since we live in a warmer climate a little exposure to the elements is fine.
> Do you live in Palm Beach county?? How about a play date?


Kswift49 - I live in the Tampa area but got my V in that area. Did you get your V near by in Hollywood. Our V's are similiar in age so wondering if they are from the same litter. We have already met with Ruby's litter mate here in Tampa. Would be cool if we found another one. My brother lives in West Palm so when we come visit him we can set up a play date.


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## Kswift49 (Jan 22, 2011)

Hi!!

I think RubyRoo and Mostyn might be cousins...my breeder is associated with the Tampa Bay Vizsla Club.
The Sire is "Stoner" Skipfire's Street Fighting Man and the Dam is Pleiades Loop D'Loop.
So definitely, let's get them together when you visit your brother.


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## RubyRoo (Feb 1, 2011)

Kswift49 said:


> Hi!!
> 
> I think RubyRoo and Mostyn might be cousins...my breeder is associated with the Tampa Bay Vizsla Club.
> The Sire is "Stoner" Skipfire's Street Fighting Man and the Dam is Pleiades Loop D'Loop.
> So definitely, let's get them together when you visit your brother.



They aren't cousins- they are brother and sister!!!!! We got Ruby from Dan and Lisa. Small world - let's definitely keep in touch.


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## jld640 (Sep 29, 2010)

I was thinking of games I wish I had started with Savannah when she was smaller. See if you like any of these…

One is the game where you drag a toy and have her follow it (and you) to get her used to staying close to your feet. My guess is that it is easier to weave a toy in and out and around your legs with a 15-20 pound Vizsla instead of a 45 pound Vizsla. 

The next is a game that teaches ‘come’. Get a handful of small treats and let her see them. Stand in the middle of a room and throw a treat to one side. When she starts back to you, say ‘Come’. When she reaches you, pet her (make sure you touch her collar), praise her, do NOT give her the next treat. Throw the next treat in a different direction. When she starts back, say ‘Come’, when she reaches you, pet her (make sure to touch her collar), praise her, and throw the treat in a different direction. Savannah was already too big to try this game in the house when I first read about it. My heart was in my throat the first time we tried it in the cul-de-sac, but it worked like a dream – especially the touch the collar part. When the game was done, I grabbed her collar, snapped on the leash, and we went back to the house with no fuss at all. Throwing in different directions is more important than I first thought. When we were practicing fetch at short distances, we used a ball in a hallway. Even though we have progressed beyond the hallway, if we return to it, she only fetches in one direction. If I stand at the other end of the hallway, she has no clue what to do. 

The last game I wish we had started when she was small is ‘catch the treat’. Fetch has been a learning process for us. We had to start at 2 feet and work out (we are at around 25 feet now – the chucker is out of the question). Since eventually I want to throw a frisbee with her, she needs to be able to catch as well as fetch. I throw little Zukes treats (a little larger than a pencil eraser) and she can now catch them. At the beginning, though, they would just bounce off her nose. Really funny, except it hadn’t occurred to me that she would need to practice catching.


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## Kswift49 (Jan 22, 2011)

They aren't cousins- they are brother and sister!!!!! We got Ruby from Dan and Lisa. Small world - let's definitely keep in touch.
[/quote]

How wonderful!!!! Let me now when you're in the area...


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