What to do with a dog on the DL?

[Thurston Fluff]

My 4 year old Border Collie injured her hind leg this weekend playing frisbee. She's limping but isn't in so much pain as to prevent her from wanting to play. She's the type of dog that doesn't understand why a little pain is a problem since she has three perfectly healthy legs left.

I'm taking her to the vet tommorrow to see if anything is really wrong or if it's just a strain. Regardless she's out of action for a while. She doesn't handle idle very well at all. This is the third day since the injury and she's bouncing off the walls. Actually she's taken to the back porch whinning and generally making a nusance of herself. I picked up all the toys so she can't be tempted but yesterday she dropped a rubber band at my feet and took her customary five foot retreat waiting for me to throw it. I walk away and she picks it up and follows me until I stop then drops it and that goes on forever. So I'm trying to figure out things to do with her that occupy her mind without the physical excertion. I've tried putting peanut butter in the bottom of a plastic bottle, do the usual training with treats ect but she requires two or so hours daily of brain and body work. I'm running out of ideas and need some help. What kind of passive games do others do that dogs seem to enjoy?

[trwi7]

You could teach her how to shake hands. Does she not know how to get the peanut butter out of the bottle? Because that's a good idea. I'd just pay a lot of attention to her and petting her so she doesn't feel like she has to run around to keep herself occupied. Just sit on the floor with her and pet her, try to teach her new tricks that don't involve her moving etc.

[Thurston Fluff]

If you put the peanut butter far enough down that they can't reash it with thier tongue they have to work out how to get it usually by chewing it for a while. If you do it make sure you keep an eye on it show your dog doesn't shred it and eat the plastic.

She shakes hands, sits, stay, roll over, along with some other funny tricks that are PG-13 rated. I'm working on her to pick up socks and put them in the hamper now. It'll be cool when she learns it. Her command word in "do the laundry." I think it'd be funny when people come over and you tell her to do the laundry and she looks for socks to put in the wash.

Problem is she's very bright and while she pick things up quickly she also gets bored if the tasks are too simple. I can keep her interested for about an hour but as time goes on the need for physical work gets worse. All the things you mentioned are good ideas. Unfortunately I'm not sure she views humans as anything more than some sort of throwing machine she needs to figure out how turn on.

[TooLiveBrew]

Unfortunately I'm not sure she views humans as anything more than some sort of throwing machine she needs to figure out how turn on.

 

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That's not all I am? Brain mellllltttiiinnnggg....

[1992casey]

Doggie downers?

[Thurston Fluff]

Hmmm turn my dog into a junkie. Not a bad thought. I can see her know working the corner for enough money to see her "vet". In the end she'll be seeing the same dentist as certain athletes.

Seriously though not a bad tought casey. I'll ask the vet when I see him today if that's an option.

[SenatorShriv]

After my dog's leg surgery my vet recommended some over the counter meds to help keep her from trying to run around on it. A half of a benadryl will usually knock my black lab out for a while.

[Thurston Fluff]

Just got her checked out and she's got a strained ACL. He thinks it could be partially torn but it's moving easily with no clicking or grinding so it probably isn't a full tear that would require surgery. Two weeks of anti-inflamitory meds and no work and she should be ok. Thanks for the Doggie Downer thought casey. I asked and he thought it's be a good idea as well. So Gladys get's two weeks of being a hippie dog and she should be back to her normal workaholic self. Now all I have to do is figure out what to do with myself in that time. He didn't give me anything for my downtime.

[TooLiveBrew]

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Groovy maannnn...