# Recommended toys for an Aussie puppy?



## Aussie27 (Sep 25, 2010)

Okay, so I'm not new to dog ownership, persay, but this will be my first time raising/training a puppy and I want her to have the best of everything. Our family dog, Moses, was bought when I was 5 so I don't really remember all the puppy stuff. I just know he had plush toys, and chew toys. 

So, I'm looking for toy ideas. I also would like a couple of toys that provide mental stimulation, seeing as Aussies are a very active breed, both mentally and physically. Also, what are some good games you can play? I'm planning on working on agility foundations, like hind end awareness, so I would like ideas revolving around that... and just fun games. 

Also, how do you teach a puppy how to fetch? Moses never learned, so I'm really looking forward to long games of fetch when the puppy gets older.


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## DJEtzel (Dec 28, 2009)

Kongs, rope toys, tug balls, tug-a-jugs, stuffed animals, etc. are all good toys to have. Kongs can be life savers. Chuck its are nice too along with all of their line. (I personally LOVE their bumper)

You can play find it games, recall games, crate games... you can make a game out of just about anything. Most training turns into a game around here anyway. "Let's see how quick I can offer all of the tricks I know before mom gives me a jackpot!"

Frag picked up fetch pretty easily. Throw the ball, call the dog back, and lure it with treats that it can easily see (like sliced cheese) is how we did it. Now Frag darts back to us whenever he retrieves from the water or ground and waits for a drop it command.


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## luv2byte (Oct 21, 2009)

Frisbees, balls, buster cubes, monster mouths, kongs, rubber chicken (sorry, our aussie has 5, they are his fave)....lots of bully sticks.


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Suggestions are to have lots of toys, but to use only 3 - 5 at a time and trade them out every few weeks.

Also, train him to play fetch and to distinguish objects (and colors !) as fun games and he will love to fetch as an adult. Dogs are red/green blind, but can see yellow and blue, and perhaps more shades of gray than we can.

Use DJetzel's method... recognize that going after the ball is easy, bringing it back may not be as easy... and the goal of Fetch for your dog may be to tease you into chasing him. The fastest way that I've seen to stop that is when he brings the ball but tries to get you to chase, mark the event with a verbal cue (I use a yelp, just like when I taught Bite Inhibition), and then end the game by leaving the area. The pup quickly learns that asking for chase is not good. 

However, you may also want to put "chase" on cue, as a type of reward. Many dogs love to be chased. I taught my dog to fetch sticks, rubber bones, and fresh tennis balls by name, teaching each one individually - similar to DJetzel's method. When we finished, I tossed an old beat-up tennis ball to my dog and chased him. I kept rigid rules, no chasing for any other item... but if I was in the mood and he picked up the old tennis ball, then I would chase him... And, when either of us tired, the game stopped. But make the rules, stick by them rigidly, and he will learn them.


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