Playmates

[wellygoggles]

Each day 8 month old Fergus and I go to either the park or beach with my friend and her 2 year old minature Schnauzer, Zoe. Once at the park or beach we unleash the dogs and they have a rare old time wrestling and running. Fergus seems to bite Zoe a lot, but she never complains so I presume he isn't hurting her.

I recently introduced a frizbee into their playtime as Fergus has no interest in balls. He doesn't seem to see the frizbee once it leaves my hand and looks around all confused, whereas Zoe watches where it is heading from the moment it leaves my hand and is always the first to get to it and bring it back to me.

Yesterday a new playmate arrived on the scene - Juliette, the greyhound and poor old Zoe was cast aside in Fergus' keenness to keep up with the greyhound. I've never seen him run so fast!

I've never laughed so much for a long time and look forward eagerly to our walks. Thank you Fergus!

[hallswel]

Try throwing the frisbee at eye level first so that he sees where it will go. If you taught him the watch command have him watch you and hold the frisbee in front of you face and tell him watch frisbee then throw it and make sure it goes low. All I have to say now is watch the frisbee and Rebel will look at me to see in what direction I intend to throw it and he watches it up high, down low and chases it across the yard

[TheScotts]

I'm insanely jealous that:

you live in NZ

your young pup can be let loose and does not disappear

you have a safe beach for him to play on

I just know my young hooligans would run off and get lost! well, maybe next year after some more trainng! But we have leash laws, harumph!

sigh

[wellygoggles]

Well I'm a novice frizbee player Liz as they weren't in vogue in the UK where I grew up. Today I ended up taking my socks & shoes off and wading out into the surf to retrieve the damn thing because Fergus and Zoe completely ignored it and I was determined not to lose the $7 it had cost me!

An older dog that will return when called is the trick Diana - that way the pup's interest is kept by playing & running with them - then I just leap on Fergus and hook him back on to his lead as he still won't come to me when called, not even with food bribes OOPS I mean incentives!

When summer daylight saving kicks in next month dogs won't be allowed on the beach between 10am and 6pm. It's a pretty quiet beach at the moment as it's only Spring and the children and still in school.

We're lucky to have an oasis of a park fully fenced and its ok to unleash your dogs as long as they don't annoy people and you pick up their waste. Again, it's a quiet time of the year, but I would hate to let Fergus loose if families were having picnics! He'd pinch everyones sandwiches!

[kayharley]

You are brave....If I ever let any of mine loose for even a second, they would be gone!

[Eliz222]

Mine would be gone too.....in about 2 seconds!

[wellygoggles]

Does this mean Fergus' behaviour isn't as bad as I think it is?