[PyrNet-L] CHAT, CARE: Fun activities for Pyrs

[MagEBroD@aol.com]

Liz,
   Wanted to write, but kinda pressed for time right now. Your 7 mos. old pyr
pup Monty sounds a lot like Albert our 9.5 mos. old pyr. He too loves snow and
sand! Loves to jump and play. Loves to hike. I'm waiting until he is full-
grown to try carting and skijooring (skiing - like cross-coutry with pyr
pulling you) as they shouldn't pull a load until then. Actually if you get a
cart that's not too heavy and rolls easily it would be OK to pull empty one
sooner. I'm proofreading a book on carting written by a grandma who has a pyr
and she makes carts and shows you how to make your own, based on good designs.
There are also photos of her pyr Kitten carting all throughout it! It's only
$5 and the reproduced photos aren't the best quality, but all in all a good
book for the do-it-yourself-er. Her pyr Kitten does carting at parades and
childrens' birthday parties!!  If you are interested, let me know!  I'll send
you an order form for the book.
   Carting sounds great! Plan on trying it. Now  taking him to watch parades
to get him used to all the weird noises and sights (marching bands, horns and
sirens blaring, weird cars that jump and dance around, horses, clowns and
people in various animal suits and costumes, etc. etc.) The more they are
exposed to these things, the more used to them they become.
   When you take him on hikes, do you use a backpack for him? Albert loves his
hikes with his backpack! Started out with empty pack and just put wadded-up
newspaper or paper bags in it to add bulk without weight. The first time he
tried to brush it off for 2 minutes, then stopped and was an angel. Now he
associates it with hikes and fun outings and gets excited whenever he sees it!
Now we pack it light - with 2  20 oz. bottles of water, collapsible dish,
dogfood, ice cubes, clean-up kit for dogs, few first aid things, and maybe a
treat for the humans, too like cookies or chex mix or granola bars, and his
frisbee. He loves hiking! 
   You might also try agility training! Want to do that for Albert. We are
experimenting with making some of our own equipment now for jumps, things to
run around, boards to walk on,  etc. Check out your local Wal-Mart or K-Mart
or hardware stores for ideas. I've found a lot of stuff in children's toy
section (Hula hoops, balls, etc.) & gardening sections (plant pots and window
boxes and stake things with place to string stuff at top) . Of course first
time we set up an agility course he thought all those plant pots and window
boxes were for him to chew, not go over or around!! A lot of praise and treats
help here!  Maybe an old tire or tires could be used, too. Maybe a game of
soccer, or basketball where you use kids hoop or make one out of old tire or
large container. He gets treat for sinking a basket with ball. Albert loves
snow soccer, too, where the ball is a big snowball!! Our area for agility he
only uses when on a long 35-40 foot lead, so we can put some things there that
we wouldn't want him to chew. I'm wanting to think of some things to put in
his pen that he could play with when we are not home, but need to REALLY think
SAFETY even more then and also make sure he couldn't use it to escape pen by
climbing up on something.
   Well, I hope you get this OK. It's fun finding more things you can do with
them!!  Enjoy watching them have fun!!

:)  &  :)```   (me grinning & Albert grinning & drooling!)

Janice Vocke
MagEBroD@aol.com
Shelton, WA.