what I'm up against

When I checked the temperature this morning it was -8.* It's cold, is what I'm saying. The kind of cold where you feel like you've been beaten with a sock full of nickels after a minute outside. 

It's supposed to be cold in January in Southern Tier New York. I'm not complaining about it, not really. This is what we must endure so that we have glorious summers and falls. So be it.

Negative 8 is even too cold for the puppy. This outdoors-loving dog can manage about five minutes before she makes a run back for the door. And even that's OK, really, because I don't want to be out there anyway.**

But she's still a puppy. There's all of this excess energy that needs to be burned off somehow. Over the last few days, we've played about 9,000 games of indoor fetch, she's gnawed a hole in the carpet,*** and eaten a latex balloon (uninflated).**** I chase her up and down the stairs as much as I can. And we do this:

If you need me, you know what I'll be doing, which isn't what I need to be doing, just what I have to do to keep the puppy from destroying the house. Spare a thought for me.

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* Fahrenheit. It translates to -22 Celsius. Which is still really freaking cold.

** I also seem to be sort of sick, the sort of ill where I feel just fine for a bit, then like I'm dying from the aches and drippy head, then just fine again. I'm taking this is a sign that I'm fighting it off. No one tell me differently.

*** The carpet is a goner anyway and will be replaced once there is a dog in the house, not a puppy. 

**** Long story but the end result is that I was outside for a half-hour with Lucy waiting for her to throw up. 

Comments

[Anna]

If the dog will come for a treat, you could play hide and seek--people hide in different parts of the house and call the dog. We always make sure one person hides upstairs and the other downstairs so there's lots of stair running. Games that don't involve you are good too--frozen kong, treat dispensing toys. Since I am hacking up a lung, I've been taking the dog to day care. Which is the best money you'll spend on a puppy. Just think how much you saved since the dog didn't have to go to the emergency vet for the balloon. (Glad that came out ok.) Not sure if you have those around.

[kmkat]

Younger Son and GF took their dog to doggie day care today b/c he hadn't been getting the long walks and play dates at the dog part in the extreme cold weather. There is a webcam so they (and I!) can watch the dog.

[bullwinkle]

Otoh, while it is chilly here - it is not enough to keep the giant puppy inside but just enough to make him damn tired at the end of the day.

I think it's the novelty of it all - the chill, the frozen creeks, the snow.

[Jen]

Tug is one of Elka's favorite games!

She also knows a couple of her toys by name, most notably Gumby (we're on Gumby #5 now). We play "Find Gumby!", wherein I have her wait in the kitchen, hide Gumby elsewhere out of her sight, and then release her to find him. When she does, we play tug a bit to celebrate, rinse, repeat.

And remember, burning mental energy can be as good for a dog as physical energy! So, hide and seek as somebody else mentioned, finding toys, puzzle feedy toys, trick training, etc. are all your friends.

[Heidi]

With Sasha (as a puppy and even now when she gets into one of her crazy-dog moods), we run her up and down the stairs. She knows "upstairs" and "downstairs" and will eagerly sprint them with encouragement. Ten minutes later, she's treated and tired and we can watch a movie.