# Outdoor dog toys or entertainment?



## carrieincolorado (Jan 18, 2014)

I am finally getting my backyard fenced.. doing it myself after work so it's going to be another few weeks.

I was just curious what kind of toys or apparatus for outside entertainment is available to buy or make.. I will make a flirt pole but was also wondering if there was something that would keep her busy enough that I could maybe leave her at home for a few hours at a time. At this point she goes everywhere with me and waits in the car while I am working.


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## sourdough44 (Oct 26, 2013)

We have a neighbor that built a larger fenced in area for her dog, tucked a bit away from the house. She did it to allow more exercise for her beagle. I told her when she was planning it that if you aren't there with the dog all it will do is sit by the gate and wait to be taken back toward the house, or at least on a walk with the owner. That's all the dog does, she does not use the enclosure for anything now.

Just saying, a fenced in yard may well contain the dog, but they want to be with the family, for the most part. Unless someone is there with the dog I wouldn't expect much exercise.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I loved having a couple of sections of my yard fenced. I can let one or two girls in Far Field -- a little fenced field on the one side of my house -- while I clean kennels. And when there is grass in Near Field, a few can run and play there as well. 

Also, I can throw a toy for them in the area, and I don't have to worry about anyone getting carried away and going down into the ravine and river, or out in the road. 

I suppose you can purchase or build agility equipment to work with the dog on. But I would not leave the dog in there with the equipment unsupervised -- mine like the A-Frame a little too much, and if they do get hurt, I want to know how they managed it if at all possible.


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## TigervTeMar (Jan 4, 2014)

half deflated soccer ball! if you're there to kick it around for her


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## Lilie (Feb 3, 2010)

Two of my dogs are in the back yard while I'm at work. I normally only leave hard Kong toys in the back yard for them to play with. I don't want a bored dog chewing and swallowing toys. 

In the summer, I'll put out the horse trough for them to play in. I tried the kiddie pool, but they didn't care for it. I'm not sure why. I brought up a large horse trough from the barn and they both jump in and out of it...or just sit in it. 

I did hang a toy once on a bungee type cord from a tree limb. At the end of the cord, I put a Kong toy. Watching them play with it I got far too worried that someone was going to either hang themselves, or end up chewing through the rope and eating the rope. Just didn't work for me. I do hang out the toy when I'm home, and they'll play with it. 

If you had a camera and put it in your back yard, you'd find out that most of the day your dog will sleep.


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## gurlonfire2004 (Jan 15, 2014)

I'm going to get a plastic swimming pool for my pup this summer. I live in the desert, so it will be hot every day. You could also set up a sandbox or area for your pup to dig. You will have to teach the dog how to use the area first, though (by burying toys, treats, and bones and encouraging the dog to find them.) Our dogs have always played outside by themselves. Most of our dogs spent equal time inside and outside, so they did entertain themselves outdoors. I don't leave my puppy outside when I leave the house yet, but I plan to for short periods of time.


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## carrieincolorado (Jan 18, 2014)

Thank you everyone for your replies.. the biggest reason I want the yard is to play while I am home without worrying she will chase the cat onto the neighbors porch or run into the road. (I live in town, sadly) BUT.. if it's ever possible for her to stay home, just half the day, that would be fantastic. Kiddie pool is totally worth a try! Thanks everybody!


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## HarleyTheGSD (Feb 13, 2012)

At country stores, you can get very large ball toys made for horses and dogs. You can also buy or make a small children's playground with slides, ladders, ropes, and whatever else you might want to add. My boy _loves_ playgrounds.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

carrieincolorado said:


> Thank you everyone for your replies.. the biggest reason I want the yard is to play while I am home without worrying she will chase the cat onto the neighbors porch or run into the road. (I live in town, sadly) BUT.. if it's ever possible for her to stay home, just half the day, that would be fantastic. Kiddie pool is totally worth a try! Thanks everybody!


Is the yard not fenced?


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

Galathiel said:


> Is the yard not fenced?


 No, the OP said they were fencing it in themselves so they can leave their pup out there without worrying and just wanted to know what kinds of thing they can leave out there with the dog to entertain it.


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## FuzzButtMum (Mar 17, 2014)

Depending how big the fenced area is, I think an agility course would be fab! 
Of course, you would have to show your dog how to do it, and supervise him most of the time.

If you want him to entertain himself, maybe a few balls, tunnel.....one of my old dogs used to LOVE playing with an erect swingball set....he would eventually get the pole out of the ground and do a little parade around the garden whilst still dragging the ball and pole behind him! He was in his element for ages with that thing! I swear he liked that more than his toys that we bought him :| typical!


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## ChetsDad (Nov 9, 2013)

A Jolly Ball! About the size of a soccer ball, but a harder plastic, pretty much indestructible. Our 7 month old is obsessed with it and will push/chase/herd it for hours if I let him.


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## wyoung2153 (Feb 28, 2010)

Looking at getting the Jolly ball for a Horse.. Think Titan could entertain himself with that outside


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I have a deflated (used to be inflated) basketball and soccer ball he likes to play with. Also a chuck it ring that we can also tug. He also has a Jolly Egg that he really likes but I wouldn't recommend it unsupervised as he has taken to trying to try to scrape it with his teeth and it could be bad for them. I don't leave him outside unattended and won't until his secure kennel is up.


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## SuperG (May 11, 2013)

When the fish aren't biting at the lake....tie on a dog toy..rubber tug toy, ring etc...something of substance. Cast it out into the yard and use an erratic retrieve...shouldn't take but a few seconds and Rover will hit it like Shamu the killer whale going through a herd of fur seals. I have found that there is no need to set the "hook" as the GSD stays latched on all by themselves. It will require quite a bit of skill to land a GSD as their pulling power and "top yard" antics are equal to a 100 lb tarpon. You might want to use some fairly high pound test line or a loosened drag setting or your reel. I'm a catch and release GSD fisherman....let 'em go to fight another day. 

SuperG


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## scottkeen (Feb 20, 2014)

My 90-lb GSD Ruger *loves* his Jolly Ball. It holds up to his gnawing and chewing. Tennis balls last one throw then he pops them. Rope tug toys are bit in half in minutes (don't ask me how). But the Jolly Ball holds up! Even with deep punctures, it still bounces and floats in the ocean. One of mine and Ruger's favorite things to do is throw the Jolly Ball in the ocean and then we both swim for it and see who can get it first. I play dirty (put his head under water), so I usually win.

Here's a video of us playing toss with the Jolly Ball in my side yard. We had been doing this for hours already, so long that I'm sitting down in a patio chair throwing it.

German Shepherd Dog Playing with Jolly Ball - YouTube


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## carrieincolorado (Jan 18, 2014)

Thanks everyone! great ideas! I will look for a Jolly ball.. 

I am still working on the fence, it's taking me forever. I am building a split rail (3 rail) with wire mesh, fencing only about .20 acres. (about 240 linear feet of fencing) and I am also burying 12 inches of wire in case she tries to dig under. I intend to introduce being alone in the yard VERY slowly.. starting with 5 minutes and working up from there. I can't see being able to have her at work with me waiting in the car over the summer so I really need to figure something else out.


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