Ideas for toys/stimulation for beating depression in ill dog

As most of you know Ben is quite ill at the minute and is confined to a cage at the vet hospital, even within the cage he has no use of his back legs, the vet has suggested if we visit to bring anything we think may help if we go to visit.

Ben is usually a very active dog and his favourite things are his kong and ball, but I am not sure either would be good as if they rolled away this might cause him frustration and possible damage if he tried to get them.

I am going to take a few worn t-shirts so he always has something with our smells on it.

He loves chewing things and especially things with a flavour but has really strong jaws eg he can destroy the black kongs(not in a day but within a month of daily use they start to have tiny splits in them)

He doesnt like anything soft like teddies etc as he, in true terrier style, has to kill them!

So come on guys any ideas for boredom breakers stress relievers etc. All ideas welcome.

Thanks

Would he be allowed a marrowbone or something like that or would it make him ill?

I think the t-shirts is a good idea so he'll have something that smells of home.

I think he probably would be as the vet has said we can take a donner kebab (Bens fav thanks to his Auntie Shona) I think they just want to make sure he is eating whateverit is - thats the impression I get. - Thank you for your ideas.

Was contemplating asking if we could take the cat as the y sleep together when he is at home. Might get her to lie on an old fleece today and take that too.

I think I'd still be tempted to take a kong. I'm pretty sure you have said that there are staff around all the time, I'm sure they would check in ocassionally to see that it hadn't rolled too far away from him (or to take it out if he'd given it too much of a hammering). + with a kong, if you put a blanket down first, it is less likely to go too far unless he really decides to throw it.

Otherwise, the things I did for Hoki all need supervision - I bought a stack of cheap soft toys specifically so that she could rip the guts out of them I then did things like putting her ball in a pillow case so she had to work out how to get it out. and of course tricks that can be done lying down - like she learnt to cross her paws and we did lots of work on leave (with treats on each front paw etc).

Hi Lynne I would certainly recommend the everlasting treat ball (first mentioned here by Borderdawn) It has chicken flavoured discs which take a while to 'lick ' out .

There are some other interesting and imaginative toys on the site...

Could you put some stuff in a kong (with a rope/string in the smaller hole end, and then tie it to his collar somehow, so it can only go as far as the length of the string away) and freeze it so he has to work.

Either that, or if he likes getting something out of his kong, maybe buy a cheap vinyl sort of bone shape toy (that couldn't roll away) and put a hole in it yourself, and fill that, then get him to get stuff out of that.

How about those stuffed sterilised bones as well? Would he be good at doing some of those new puzzle games for dogs, whose name escapes me at the moment!
Becky

ETA try here http://www.companyofanimals.co.uk/ni...osson-toys.php

Thanks for the ideas guys. The ever lasting treat ball looks great and Jesterjen I love the idea of tying the kong to his collar as long as it was short enough so he couldnt get tangled. Not sure if his collar will be on in the age but just about to phone OH who should be visiting him at the mo.

Thanks guys for your suggestions. xx

Nina Ottosson? I had never heard of them till todays searching. Some of thenm look quite good am going to have a look at them as he is a bright dog and likes to hunt for his kong or ball so these toys might be a good idea - thank you

That's the one there is a link now on my other post of all her toys if that helps!
Becky