Beating the Boredom – Eily Style

By: Eily Rose O’Brien

Henlo doggos. I have control of the word making thingy again. I’m sure you’ve all noticed your people home more and they seem more scareded than usual too. Ember, Wynter and I feel a little ripped off cause Mom still leaves for the place that she says pays for our kibble every day. Anyways, I thought I would share some ideas for keeping your hooman from getting bored while they are “core-enteend”. Specially since we can’t go out and play in the mud!

The In and Out Game

This always gets my mom really excited. If you have other doggos it makes the game even more fun. Start by telling your hooman you need out. I bark loudly and stare at my mom until she takes me. Go outside and sniff, play with sticks – sticks are the best- bark at nothing. Do not potty, even when your hooman tells you to. Go back inside. Then play with a toy or lay down until your hooman seems relaxed again. Now, demand to go out. This time potty just a little so your hooman rewards you. Now repeat multiple times. Ember, Wynter and I like to take turns!

The World Revolves Around You

And don’t let your hooman forget it! Hoomans should never be out of your reach. Make sure you are always touching your hooman. Also, they should be petting you lots. Belly rubs and ear rubs are preferred. Distractions like the word making thingy and the mini magic box – that Mom sometimes talks to – should not be get in the way of your pets. Knock them out of your hooman’s hands or simply sit on the word making thingy.

My favorite way to get attention is to sit on my hooman. If that does not work then I use the Paw! Sit next to your hooman and gently place your paw on them. Keep patting them with your paw until you get your pets. The best place to pat your hooman is in the face. That always gets loud words from my mom.

The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil

For real, the squeaky toy gets you pets or fetches. This game is super fun because you can play with toys while also keeping your hooman entertained. First, find the noisiest toy you can. Next, squeak your toy over and over and over and over and…. Sorry, got carried away.

There are several methods for being the mostest entertaining and funny. Run through the room squeaking. Sit in front of the picture box, right in the middle of it, when your hooman is watching the moving pictures. They will usually get up to move you and you gets pets too.

If your hooman is being especially silly and not watching your squeaking, the best way to get attention is to get very close to your hooman and squeak right in their face. Over and over and over and… you get the point.

I’m A Goat

This is a game the silly puppy, Wynter likes to play. She’s only eight months old so most of us are probably above this but it does keep Mom quite entertained. The goal is to climb as many stuffs as possible.

Wynter started with the big soft sitting places but that was too easy and soon she was standing on the tables next to the soft sitting places. Once she realized she got moved off those really easy, she moved to harder stuffs.

The hard sitting places in the food room were fun climb and sit in like a hooman. She likes to pretend she is a hooman sitting at the food table. Sometimes she gets really crazy and climbs onto the food table and that always gets Mom running and talking loud!

A Thief in the Night

Or in the light, or whenever. Ember and Wynter and I love this game. Basically you take whatever you want and see how long it takes the hooman to know you have stuffs you shouldn’t.

Ember likes to take toys. The broken ones with the insides out. Mom puts them up high so we can’t keep pulling out the insides. Ember will jump up and grab them and continue to pull out the insides. Sometimes Ember even finds toys we’ve never seen before and then we take the insides out.

I like food. If you haven’t read my “5 Tips to Improve your Counter Surfing” you should. Most recently I stole a piece of bread when Mom was trying to make our p-nut butter sammiches for pills. The gray haired hooman always leaves bread on the table for me to steal. He’s my favorite.! The trick is to always watch.

Wynter likes to steal paper to rip up. Thick paper, thin paper, Wynter likes it all. But she will steal anything to keep our hoomans entertained. Mom got really loud when Wynter stole a bottle of smelly water and dumped it on the couch. She was also amused when Wynter took a can of what Mom called chikin noodl soop.

Uh oh, I got the NO. Time to go. Hope this helps keep your hooman from getting bored. After all, it’s our job to keep them going.

Dr. O’Brien here. Yes, Eily has insisted on sharing her special variety of wisdom again. I must admit, my dogs actually play all of these “games”. I definitely have my hands full with this crew.

In case you’re wondering, the “smelly water” Eily referred to was a bottle of white vinegar. I can’t make this stuff up! Those of you who have or have had a puppy know that you can’t take your eyes off them for a second.

I hope everyone is doing well on lock down at home. We at Capitol Illini are still here to help your furry family members. If your pet is feeling under the weather please call our Springfield location at (217) 546-1541.

I will be posting an actual blog post on ways to play with your dogs indoors so keep checking in! As always, feel free to let us know how your pets “Beat the Boredom!”