Fall is in full swing here in Louisville, Kentucky, and I’m using it as a chance to explore new ways to entertain my 6-year-old beagle, Daisy. Truth be told she’s fairly easy to please, but I still try to find ways to keep her mind and body active. She does have some physical limitations that I have to account for, but for the most part we can do anything I dream up. Here are some of the fun activities I have planned for my dog this fall.
Hiking
Hiking is fun any time of the year, but the weather is generally more enjoyable in the fall. This year I plan to take Daisy to a couple local parks that we haven’t visited before. Since leaves will be covering the ground and the fields are full of tall grasses, she will be able to put her great sense of smell to the test. Whether you and your dog are old hiking pros or just beginners you should try a new place this fall. Just remember that according to bayeradvanced.com fleas and ticks are still active during the fall, so you should be sure to safeguard yourself and your dog against them.
Leaf cleanup
This will be our first fall in our new home, so this will be the first year we have a yard with leaves to play in. I admit raking leaves and then letting the dog spread them around again seems very counterproductive, but I know she will love it. There are a couple of ways to use leaf piles as entertainment including hiding treats in the piles and letting the dog seek them out or tossing a ball into them and letting the dog play fetch. Since Daisy is on a strict diet I plan to use the ball method, but I’m confident she will love it just the same.
Daisy is a hunting hound so she has the instincts to chase things and bubbles are a great way to channel that urge. Until now I’ve avoided this activity because I didn’t want her ingesting the soapy like liquids that traditional bubbles are made of; however, there are now bubbles on the market made especially for pets, and they are even scented to help attract your dog’s attention. In our area fall is the perfect time of year for this because the weather is nice during the day and there is usually a light breeze that will help spread the bubbles around.
