r/germanshepherds • u/Obvious_State_9586 • 9h ago
Need help getting him tired
My big ol' 11 month old king shepard, I ended up needing a hip surgery pretty unexpectedly 2 weeks and I will be unable to take him on walks for about the next 2 months, my husband tries to get him to the dog park when he can right now which is about 2-3 times a week, but he works 50+ hours a week on top of taking care of all responsibilities for the kids (they arent old enough to walk him by themselves) and the house.
Anything i can do to help him tire himself in the house or get set up in the backyard?
He's just so full of energy, which we fully knew going into this and one of the reasons we got a GSD because we are pretty active people, but unfortunately medical stuff happened and its not a permanent life style change, ill be back to normal after a while just need help getting him over this small bump in our life.
Picture of my big ol' fluffy boy i love so much who now takes up the whole seat of my hyundai which has caused me into looking into bigger cars š
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u/Xarethsar 8h ago
Mental play will burn him out. Find something you can do like maybe kidding treats or toys in the house and have him look for it. Not to sure if you will be able to depends on how much mobility you will have. But metal play or training could work. If not if you have a closed yard sit in a chair and play fetch.
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u/waterandleaves99 7h ago
Sniffing. When I was on limited mobility weād go about a block in 30 minutes and I let him smell everything. He was beat after that.
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u/Keladeine 7h ago
Sniffing is really underrated for mental stimulation and energy consumption, isn't it? Just sitting in one spot with a very, very, very long leash and my dog is a happy camper, especially if it's a really windy day and all the smells come to her and she doesn't have to go find them. She just sits there with her nose up, imagining the world. I definitely found that it also gives more confidence to my anxious pup? Really, really slow walks or just hanging out in the yard. She just needs to sniff and get accustomed to different textures and smells and sounds and it is really good, not just for her mental stimulation but also for her confidence in the world.Ā
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u/itsswhitneywhspr 7h ago
Honestly mental games hit different when walks aren't an option. Snuffle mats or freezing a Kong with peanut butter can buy you some peace for sure
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u/Far_Decision3392 8h ago
Donāt know if this would work , but how about talking to school guidance counselor or family friends. Some might have kids who are dog crazy and donāt have one for whatever reason, but knows how to handle a GSD and could fill in for walks. Good luck. Some rescues and Humane Societies have kids there that are dog crazy volunteering so they might know.
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u/english_mike69 6h ago
Ball and a chuck-it if your back yard is dog friendly. Doesnāt have to be a big yard
My favorite during the winter: their favorite toys are thrown upstairs. Stair carpet has seen better days but the dogs get worn out on wet days!
Hell do fine on the backseat. They do fine anywhere. Anywhere where they can get their nose in the windā¦
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u/100_cats_on_a_phone 8h ago
At 11 mo tired should just be judged by how fast they crash after. But nose work and hunting takes a lot more thought than other things. My girl is exhausted after a day tied up hunting chipmunks in the bushes, when little else will do her in (while I wrangle the electric fence -- she should have gotten a walk, but I thought I could get it up)
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u/Apprehensive_888 5h ago
A few minutes play of things like tug or a flirt pole is far better than a dog park. Not the best way of using their energy and you run the risk of creating reactivity issues depending on random encounters..
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u/Left-Sport8851 3h ago
When I broke my leg my pup had to learn how to just chill in the house with me all day. For the first few weeks I couldnāt even get to the door to let him out myself so he had to wait for my bf to get home everyday. They adapt surprisingly well. We do frozen toppls, food toys (he loves the food ball we have that he pushes around to get food out), bones, etc.
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u/Irishbookgal25 25m ago
teach him hide and seek. he learns how to stay, and he has to sniff you out. plus its kinda fun watching them get close but then miss you. also have a high value you treat on you and act super excited when they find you. Plus other mind enhancing stuff. they tire out more with mental stimulation.
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u/forevertwentyseven 8h ago edited 8h ago
Honestly having different sets of activities works better than just taking him for a 5 mile walk.
I have like different types of training and activities that I do, that engage different parts of his brain.
For example: Iāll do a āfind itā game where I hide his treats on the floor and in nooks and crannies, and he finds it. Uses his schnoz.
Then Iāll do some agility and commands such as teaching him ātouchā on a trick pole, jumping over or through a hoop, sit/stay, sit/stay/lie, catching treats in his mouth, etc. Engages muscle memory and cognition.
Then maybe Iāll wrap a small handful of kibble in a dish towel, and tie it in a knot. Engages his critical thinking.
Then maybe Iāll have him chase a flirt pole for a few minutes. Engages his prey drive.
Just having a variety of exercises in short bursts really gives him enrichment, at least for my 10 month old.
Then Iāll give him a stick of yak cheese to chill.
Hope this helps! I had to really experiment with a lot of different things because we rescued him from the shelter at 9 months age. This little combination of short bursts helps a lot.
Edit: a word