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A couch potato adopted an active breed dog from a shelter, without understanding just how active the breed is. The dog is more than the person can handle, and the person is totally stressed out by the dog.
Couch potato has made very little headway in the training of the dog and needs guidance. Because the dog is so active, it cannot attend group training classes. Private trainers are out of the budget.
Rescue groups are unable to take the dog. The local shelter is not a no-kill shelter.
What would you do if you were the couch potato?
A couch potato adopted an active breed dog from a shelter, without understanding just how active the breed is. The dog is more than the person can handle, and the person is totally stressed out by the dog.
Couch potato has made very little headway in the training of the dog and needs guidance. Because the dog is so active, it cannot attend group training classes. Private trainers are out of the budget.
Rescue groups are unable to take the dog. The local shelter is not a no-kill shelter. What would you do if you were the couch potato?
Become like a French Fry and get active with the dog!
Some thoughts:
- Become more active yourself
- Go to dog parks so that the dog can burn off energy
- Doggie day care
- Give the dog a job, even backpack to wear, while you are going for walks
Yep Get OFF the Couch! Unless you have current health problems. BUT IF you Don't & wont move off that couch you will! Sounds to me the dog trying to tell you something
Yep Get OFF the Couch! Unless you have current health problems. BUT IF you Don't & wont move off that couch you will! Sounds to me the dog trying to tell you something
Exactly. Dog or no dog, every couch potato can use more activity in his/her life.
1: even the most active dog can go to a group training class, as long as the human handler is strong enough and willing enough to WORK with the dog in the class and the dog is not other dog aggressive, "too active for a group class" is an excuse to not try...
2: get off the couch...and active dog needs excersize...an inactive person NEEDS excersize...a simple walk around the block to start is better than nothing...
3: give the dog a JOB...backpacks are great, but any job will work, teach him to bring couch potatoes soda even...anything to keep the MIND busy!
4: doggy daycare...again assuming the dog I not dog aggressive get him to doggy daycare a couple times a week...he needs mental stimulation...
5: if couch potatoe is truly unwilling to get that butt in gear, please return the dog to the place it wa adopted from or otherwise find him a new home.
Run or bike with it one of those hours you watch TV.
Happier dog, happier you.
I agree with Stan. While I have never been a couch potato I have had a very very active dog. Border collie X cattle dog mix, she was non stop energy from puppy hood until I had to put her down at 14.5 yrs.
I joked about her being my physical trainer but the reality is that is what she really was and together we had a blast. She was very active and was even a dog reactive dog yet she took not only group obedience classes but agility classes and did great in both so I do not understand you saying the dog is too active for group classes?
I found my secrets for dealing with her were to challenge her mentally as well as physically. Give her lots of interactive toys , her favorite being a puzzle ball which she could entertain her self with and she loved large card board boxes which I would bring home from work and she would play with for hours .She would put her toys in them then toss the box around so they all flew out or knock the box around so they fell out and repeat it over and over and over. And when she was young to enforce a time out in her crate, she could chew a bone or work a food stuffed kong while in the crate but she had to stay in the crate for about an hour each day so that she learned to relax and enjoy a time out. At first I had to close the door as a puppy she would not stay in it but after she learned the stay command and understood that meant she stay put until I gave her a release word (" free") we would come home from an adventure and I would tell her to go to her crate and when she did I would tell her to stay and she would until I told her" free" That way I could get some house work done with out her right behind me dropping balls in an attempt to get me to play.
We did spend hours each day walking and playing and that kept me in good shape and allowed me to meet lots of people .In the early days I did wonder if I had made a mistake as she was difficult in a bratty way and I would take the puppy on a 6 mile morning walk along the waterfront and she would be pooped out but in the 10 minutes it took to drive home she would rest and when we got home pop out of my car looking at me like what's next boss? Who ever said puppies sleep a lot never met her! Despite those early feelings she became my once in a life time dog and I am so happy to have shared 14.5 yrs with her and miss her and her never ending energy. So yeah the dog getting its owner off the couch is a good thing as it gets you out there interacting with the real world instead of sleeping or watching TV or playing on the internet and that will improve your health.
My roommate is physically handicapped and yet still manages to keep a cattle dog and a border collie occupied. I'm a couch potato and my Catahoula is basically a nonstop dog. I still manage to keep him happy with regular trips to the dog park, play sessions, activities and training. And I never break a sweat.
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And when she was young to enforce a time out in her crate, she could chew a bone or work a food stuffed kong while in the crate but she had to stay in the crate for about an hour each day so that she learned to relax and enjoy a time out. At first I had to close the door as a puppy she would not stay in it but after she learned the stay command and understood that meant she stay put until I gave her a release word (" free") we would come home from an adventure and I would tell her to go to her crate and when she did I would tell her to stay and she would until I told her" free" That way I could get some house work done with out her right behind me dropping balls in an attempt to get me to play. 
