What are good jobs to give an easily bored pointer puppy?

Question

She likes to find her own entertainment when left alone for even a second such as barking, stealing laundry, checking out the counter tops and creating chaos. Any tips? She usually has two long walks a day.

Answer 1

Some pets are like this. They just like to have their own fun. I have a cat like this. When she was a kitten we always thought this act would end when she grows up but it did not. She is 2 years old but still the same. No matter what toys we buy her she always finds naughty things more amusing.

Answer 2

Try a Kong toy. It is a hard rubber toy with a hole in it. You can stuff peanut butter, cheese, and treats in there and the dog has to really work to get it out. It's good for an hour or two. Also, you can freeze them.

Do you crate your puppy when you are not with it? You really should contain it so these problems don't occur.

Answer 3

Sounds like the mischevious pointer is getting enough exercize physically, but possibly not mentally. I tell my clients to work on things (especially for counter surfers) like "Leave It" command or working on longer "Stays."

Leave it - to teach, get a bit of cheese, hot dog, something totally yummy that the dog really goes for, and for counter surfers, I totally allow the people food for this one :) Get the pointer's leash out and put it on her collar (doesn't have to be the training collar). Make her sit, drop the (e.g.) cheese in front of her. As soon as she makes her move to go for it, make a correction by pulling on the leash (just a quick tug, release) and say "leave it." each time she goes for it. AFTER she's paying more attn to you than the cheese, you may release her with (e.g.) "Okay, clean it up" and allow her to clean up the cheese. Repeat 3x a day for a week (most dogs get it before that, but still...) and it's a good exercize for extending the time you say 'leave it' until the release 'okay clean it up' and you can extend the command to be ANY food items. For the counter surfers, I recommend also trying the leave it exercize for dropping or leaving treats on the counter, but only allow the dog to clean it up if it's on the floor.

For thieves, it's tougher, but the leave it command is extendable to anything you wish the dog to leave alone. As a reward, you could have a treat in your pocket to reward the dog with after she leaves the laundry alone.

I would also train her on a GOOD stay exercize. As a pointer, she KNOWS how to stay still, it's bred into her. Make her learn to sit stay and down stay, graduating from seconds, to minutes, to hours, in your sight, out of your sight, amid distractions, and anywhere you say "STAY" she stays. There are lots of books on how to teach a reliable stay, but I recommend trying to read them all and keep your main obedience goals in mind before trying any one particular method. I use William Koehler's stay exercize because my main goals are reliable OFF LEASH obedience with MY dogs. Every owners' goals are different. A long down stay that is not broken will result in a dog that will be more focused on staying where she is than wreaking havoc on your house, right?

hope it helps you!

Answer 4

Try adding a doggie back pack weighted with bottles of water for the walks to be more productive.

Answer 5

Don't forget mental exercise - I had one who if he had 15 miutes of obedience work a day was a very nice dog in the house. If he didn't get his "work" he was a royal pain in the keester.

If fomal OB has no appeal to you, there's legons of pet tricks like shake, wave, sneeze ......

Answer 6

You don't give jobs to a puppy, you give FUN. Fetch,chasing a ball,or frisbee. They need exercise,but not point of dropping. Make it FUN.

Answer 7

get her some toys and some raw hide chew bones that should keep her busy.

Answer 8

you should probably play tug-o-war with her in your room, bring her to the park, let her meet new dog friends, anything that you think will let it feel free.