We got a number of good questions we didn’t have time to get to live, so I’ll be answering them all here… starting with this one:

Q. Any tips for getting the attention of really active pets?

Short answer:
Tire them out first! Tired dogs are happy — and easy — dogs. Or use their energy, and take some fun action shots (as I did with Carmel, above).

Longer answer:
This is the usual answer for just about anything you want to do with really active pets, whether it’s training, having guests over (remember those days?), or taking them for a walk without starting out overly amped up. The first step is to get some of their physical and mental energy out.

I’ll focus on dogs here, but if you have really active cats, engage them however you normally would… get them to run around chasing a laser pointer or feather toy, or break out the fuzzy mouse toy or ping pong ball if they like to fetch at all (a ping pong ball in a small room or even a bathtub can keep things more contained), and so on. There are also interactive puzzle toys for mental stimulation, somewhat similar to the dog puzzle toys mentioned below, but geared for cats’ drives. Or as a last resort, put up some brand new expensive curtains and leave the room for ten minutes.

For dogs: run them around if you have a yard or any space. Play intensely with them, be it chase or fetch or whatever they enjoy. Take them for a long walk.

Also remember that mental stimulation can be as effective as physical stimulation, so break out a puzzle toy they like*… or simply play 5-10 minutes of “hide and seek” around your place, by hiding either treats or toys, or yourself. (If you haven’t done this before, a prerequisite is training them to “stay” and “break” [or whatever uncommon word you use] on command, which is important for them to know in any case.)

Now, you don’t want your pups so worn out that they have the opposite issue: too sleepy to focus on you. You just want that high-energy edge eased off.

Or you could just start out taking some action shots. As I discussed in the webinar, fast shutter speeds will freeze the action, which is usually the effect you want. Though sometimes the blur from a slower shutter speed can give just the effect you’re looking for. If an animal is running past you and you try to pan with it while shooting at a slow shutter speed, you’ll get them mostly in focus but the background blurred. Always a fun effect. I’ll share the webinar images on shutter speed again in a subsequent post, for easier reference.

Hope this helps!

*A note on puzzle toys:

If you don’t have these already, it’s worth getting or making some — regardless of whether you’re shooting photos. Any toy that your dog has to figure out or do a little work to get concealed treats out of can provide them great mental stimulation.

You can use something as simple as a cardboard box you were gonna toss in the recycling bin anyhow (appropriately sized to your dog), which they can rip apart. Or a basic toy that’s designed to be filled with treats that are dispensed from a hole when your beastie knocks it around.

On the more challenging end of the spectrum are puzzle toys, which have various types of compartments your dog has to figure out how to open. These range widely in difficulty levels. Outward Hound and a few other companies make a bunch of clever ones. It’s wonderful watching your dog finally “get it” after struggling briefly. You can help them along at first so they don’t get too frustrated. It should be just challenging enough to stimulate their noggin, but not so hard they get frustrated, bored, or destructive. Always monitor while in use, and remove as soon as they’re done — most of these have small plastic parts some dogs will chew unattended.

Start easy. Say, with a small box, or one of the balls with a big enough hole that kibble or small treats fall out easily. Then work up in line with your dog’s level of interest.

This sort of mental stimulation can be just as rewarding and tiring as running around. It’s of course not a substitute for physical exercise and walks in particular (which are essential not only for your dog’s overall health but also because most dogs thrive on getting out and taking in new smells and sights daily), but it can be similarly important.

Here are some puzzle toys that my dogs and I love, more or less in order from easier to more challenging. Many others are great too. Even though these are Amazon links, please call the Pasadena Humane Society’s Shelter Shop first, since they often have many of these in stock, and your purchases help the shelter. During this shutdown period, they’re taking phone orders for curbside pickup: 626-792-7151 ext. 125.

1. KONG Wobbler Treat Dispensing Dog Toy — Hard plastic that’s pretty tough for most chewers. The shape prevents it from rolling too far at once. East to fill and clean. Comes in small or large size (link is for large).

2. OurPets Buster Food Cube Interactive Dog Toy — Also hard plastic that’s pretty tough for most chewers, and a difficult shape to chew. Won’t roll far. This one has hidden compartments inside almost like a maze that treats have to travel through to get out, so your dog really has to knock it around. You can load a bunch just in the dispenser shaft to make them easier to get, so your dog gets hooked on trying harder afterward. Takes a bit of finger dexterity to open and close for filling, but you get used to it. Comes in mini and large (link is for large).

3. Pet Zone IQ Adjustable Dog Treat Ball — This one lets you choose from 4 levels of difficulty, by inserting or removing additional barriers inside. The holes are fairly small, so you’ll need to use pretty small training treats or kibble. (I find Zuke’s Mini Naturals training treats and Charlee Bear small treats are good choices.) Being a hard plastic ball, it will roll far and everywhere. Comes in 3” or 4” diameter (link is for 4”).

4. Outward Hound Dog Smart Beginner Dog Puzzle Toy — A good starter puzzle toy. The simplest.

5. Outward Hound Ottosson Puzzle Brick Dog Toy — Adds multiple steps required before all treats can be found. You can also leave some parts out at first to make it easier.

6. Aikiou Interactive Dog Bowl — A terrific beginner-to-intermediate puzzler from Aikio (pronounced “IQ”) that’s also one of the more durable. Comes in several colors, just search for it or check with the PHS Shelter Shop.

7. Outward Hound Dog Twister Advanced Dog Puzzle Toy — One of the more difficult puzzles, as each compartment has a lock mechanism and then the lids have be pushed over. You can start with them all unlocked, but dogs inadvertently lock them anyway as they’re figuring it out.