Hi everyone,

I haven't posted on here in a while, but I wanted to get your thoughts and suggestions on ways we can occupy our little six month old, Peanut.  She is in a crate during the morning until we come home to let her out over our lunch hour and then she is in the crate in the afternoon as well.  When we're home after work, we play with her and her toys (she has everything from squeaky animals to tennis balls to a laser pointer), we work with her on different training commads (she has mastered sit, shake, up, down, kennel up, and come here), and we take her for walks when the weather permits.  We also give her bully sticks which she loves and those take her a good hour or so to finish.  We understand that Peanut is very social and that she always like to play with us and be around us, but we were wondering if you all had any suggestions on toys or treats that we could give her that would occupy her and tire her out to allow us some time to relax?  Being that she is still so young, when she is not occupied, she tens to roam the house and that's not really a problem, but it becomes one when she happens to find something interesting to chew or jump up on.  You all have given us such great advice in the past so we're turning to you again.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Jay and Dana (and Peanut)

I purchased a treat ball about 6 months ago and Mollie LOVES it.  It keeps her occupied and also makes her work for her food which is great and stimulates her mind.  This is particularly handy when the weather is bad and she doesn't get enough exercise. 

I usually feed her dinner with it in the evenings.  She will even bring the ball to me for a "refill" when it is empty.  Below are a couple of links to the treat balls.  I purchased the top link which is the cheapest, as I didn't know if she would actually take to it or not.  I am thinking of purchasing a different design one as well. 

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3477417&lmdn=SHOP+FOR#RatingsDetail

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751743&keepsr=0&clickid=prod_cs

Yep--treat balls (hollow on the inside so you can stick a dog biscuit in it) or Kongs with treats or peanut butter, or mine LOVE to just play and chew on an empty plastic water bottles with the lid tightened back onto it.  They love the noise it makes---of course, if you dont want to listen to plastic popping you wont want to give that to her.  We always take the bottle away before it gets to the point that they start to actually chew it apart.

I know what you mean about the plastic water bottles.  I think Daisy would give a leg for a water bottle!  We bought some toys for the pups that looked like long animals, but had a plastic water bottle inside.  Daisy thought it was the best thing in the world.  When the bottle inside got to the point that it didn't make the "crunching" noise anymore, she would bring it to me as if to say, "Mom, you need to fix this."  I'd put a new bottle in it and away she'd go.

Now, even if the pups don't have those toys out to play with, as soon as you make any noise with a water bottle, she's right there to find out if she can play with it.  Zona's getting the idea that these are pretty fun toys, too.  It's the only thing that makes them come running faster than unwrapping cheese!