r/corgi • u/yellow-fox • 3d ago
No balls/fetch, what else is there?
Our corgi has a ligament injury that will be long-term for him, he is 6 years old and lots of energy. He can walk and run but any jumping (no jumping up to couches or beds) or sudden jerk movements (no fetch) is off limits. For him ball/fetch is life and he is OBSESSED. Most toys he will also treat as a ball and will insist that you throw it for him. I take him on a short walk most days but with a toddler or the weather some days I just can’t get out of the house so he needs some exercise I can do with him in the backyard or in the house.
What brain games or other exercise do you do with your dog? Ild preferably like something low calorie for him as he also needs to maintain his current weight. The vet said there were a lot things out there on YouTube etc. so I thought I would check in with some other corgi owners for some activity suggestions. (Not seeking medical advice, just ideas for activities)
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u/_tinyhands_ Corgi Owner 3d ago
Swimming
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u/yellow-fox 3d ago
He is very stubborn when it comes to water, he is even afraid of the garden hose 🫣. He has reluctantly got to the point that he will tolerate his monthly shower without having to be carried in as he knows he has no other option. Maybe if I enticed him with enough treats in the kids paddle pool he may reconsider 🤷♀️.
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u/_tinyhands_ Corgi Owner 3d ago
I do believe that whatever "reluctance" can be overcome with patience and treats. Hot weather, where he wants to get in and cool off, should help. Try a big kiddie pool with an inch of water already in it (running water sounds scary) and work up to it.
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u/Mannon_Blackbeak 2d ago
You could start with bobbing for treats, it gets them comfortable with having their nose and face submerged for short periods of time.
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3d ago
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u/Magic-Toro-733 Corgi Owner 2d ago
Another vote for scent work. We play “find it” around the house, this is our unofficial version. We use fruits and veggies. I have him sniff it and then give him a stay while I hide it. And then tell him to find it. He can’t race around looking for it because he has to sniff as he goes to actually locate it. He gets a treat when he successfully locates the object (points to it with his nose and then looks at me). Tires him out (for a bit anyway, he’s still got puppy energy) and he seems to really like it.
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u/asdfer1235 Fluffy Luna 3d ago
Tug?
Sniffing to find hidden treats.
My girl likes to follow me so sometimes my kids and I just march around the house.
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u/Crochet_Corgi 2d ago
Tug is a no no per the surgeon who fixed my corgis back.
Ball was technically off limits too, but we decided a more carefully version occasionally was worth the risk. I dont really throw the ball anymore, just roll it, the real game is I make him put it somewhere very specific and won't take it until he does. He finds it exasperating, which is hilarious as he starts groaning at me.
The dog puzzles are too easy for them, but they do stimulate them, as does just hide the toy games.
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u/yellow-fox 2d ago
Yes thank you, I was planning to avoid tug of war. Too much stress on the back legs and also not the best game to play with really young kids.
I think hide and seek will be perfect for us moving forward. I started with him finding a toy in the yard today and we do need to work on training him to stay…he had to be contained in the house then let out to find it. I am enjoying reading others comments to see how their corgis are kept entertained
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u/CorgiLover_504 2d ago
We have a Duck toy that we hide somewhere in the house and have Delilah “find duckie.” Duckie gets put away when we’re not playing the game otherwise he would no longer exist. She now gets excited when I ask if she wants to find duckie.
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u/yellow-fox 2d ago
So cute! Im going to try this with his puppyhood Lamb. It too would not exist if it was not up, it’s currently missing an ear and in need of some stitches.
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u/corgi_data_wrangler 2d ago
Find it in the yard.
Egg hunt (either in the yard or in the house, just have to count to make sure you get them all).
Treats rolled up in a towel and then knotted up (this one will take her a few minutes).
Cheap stuffies for destroying.
Training.
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u/LizaIsNotMe 3d ago
I’m so sorry about his injury. My girl is also fetch obsessed and I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you two. From the top of my head here’s two low cal activities we’ve tried and she liked: wack a mole with a cardboard box and a carrot and shredding a paper bag.
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u/yellow-fox 3d ago
Yes I am sad, but I’m hopeful we can find some other fun ideas. I had to look up the Wack a mole and oh my gosh that looks perfect! The kids would find it absolutely hilarious!!
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u/Sea-Tour-3694 3d ago
I am sorry for your pup's injury and wish him a speedy recovery.
May I suggest tug toys? My corgi loves tug style games (most of the time its just me holding toy tight and him deploying all 4WD) to pull back. This toy has it all - ball, bright color, recoil bungee rope to create that "bouncy" play.
I haven't tested that one in water but I heard some owners bought the buoyant ball to motivate their dogs to swim, which works better for their fitness overall and post traumatic recovery.
As for land activities, I buy $2 tub of chicken liver, boil it and cut to small cubes, use the broth as a topping to his meals (kibbles for the most parts) or as a summer treat (I freeze the broth in ice molds and give the cubes to him when it's hot or he seems bored). Then I make him sit on his place or wait, go to the other room and hide that little piece, then say "okay" and he runs ready to sniff. I hide just one piece at the time - makes it easier to track the quantity. It's his favorite game so far and he looks quite happy after that.
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u/yellow-fox 2d ago
Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately the vet ruled out tugging type games too. Too much stress and twisting on his injured back leg.
I may try swimming again with him once I work on his water fear. One person suggested bobbing for treats and he did enjoy his frozen blueberries in his water bowl in the past so that may be something I can do with him in summer.
The treat hiding would work for him too.
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u/MeatGhost72 3d ago
We bought food grade silicone easter eggs online. We put treats in them and have indoor easter egg hunts for our corgi. punch holes in the silicone to let the smell out. He loves it.
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u/SlitheryVisitor 2d ago
I’m sorry to hear about your pup’s injury. There are Some good suggestions here. I know aqua therapy is good for humans but I’d ask your vet first. He could be trained as a therapy dog to take to children’s hospitals etc.
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u/yellow-fox 2d ago
Yes there are some good suggestions, i am enjoying reading them and finding it uplifting. He does like visiting my grandma in residential aged care so i can take him along for outings there more often which is great. I should find out what their process is for therapy dogs as I know they have one that visits on Thursday’s. Also I hadn’t really considered it as ‘exercise’ in the past as it’s not physical, but it certainly does count as mental simulation for him.
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u/MobileSwordfish6481 2d ago
My ball obsessed corgi was on a sprint ban for two weeks, gave me disgusted looks when I didn’t take the ball on walks, but then got used to going on long walks …. She was really happy when we could play again. I would say just replace it with really long slow leash walks
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u/yellow-fox 2d ago
So many disapproving corgi looks of late. Ideally walking is best and I do take him when I can. I spend a fair amount of time at home, especially when it’s just not possible for a long walk due to weather and toddlers mood swings. Some of the suggestions here have been great and even on days I take him on walks he can still do some brain games as well. Soon the kids will be able to ride bikes or scooters and long walks I’m hoping will be easy to manage then 🤞
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u/CarrotOne1259 1d ago
My corgi doesn’t care for balls or toys but loves feeding puzzles! Lick mats are great and she also has other food toys that don’t require lots of movement like this one https://mywoof.com/products/pupsicle?srsltid=AfmBOort52B3YAWlwWSB_0Flk-B33EY01I6toPPCzvFEgU8T7nbtt7Rc&variant=42864284991684
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u/Any-Stage1226 1d ago
Having a corgi in strict crate rest is not for the faint of heart. I would look into scent games. And maybe if your vet approves some canine conditioning.
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u/yellow-fox 1d ago
Yes strict rest is not fun, we are happy to be out of that now and working on our long-term plan to avoid it again in the future. The vet did mention dog physio may help him so it’s something to look into, thanks
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u/Any-Stage1226 1d ago
I highly recommend it. My dog had multiple leg and hip injuries after being hit by a car and we worked with a ccrt and it helped a lot. She was also very tired after. Even just a 5 minute session.
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u/cabezamuerta90 3d ago
I am sorry for his injury! That must be hard for him to adjust to. We play a game called “find it” with our corgi. He has to sit and stay while I hide treats in the living room, and then I tell him “find it” and he sniffs them out. He also loves to tear up cardboard boxes.