Poorly DS plus DH away until Thursday evening. Heeeeeelp!

[ChickensHaveNoEyebrows]

I won't be able to walk Jas at all tomorrow. No one to babysit poorly DS(9) and no one to walk the dog for me. I will spend some time lobbing a tennis ball around the garden, but can anyone give me some ideas to wear out a very energetic spaniel who is used to at least 1.5 hours off lead exercise a day?

Can you get hold of a really good meaty bone? That would work for us.

No I'm going to be housebound tomorrow for certain. If I can't get out Thursday morning, DH will be able to get him out Thursday night. But tomorrow I'm screwed. I know that if I don't wear him out, he'll be pacing and stressy.

If you have access to a car could your son not it in the car for a bit whilst you take the go to the park/ beach so you can see both the car and the dog? IYSWIM

I had this last week. Husband away, and 3 kids taking turns being ill

It wasnt actually as bad as i thought. I fed him by scattering food around the house to kill time and i cobbled together food type chews to keep him occupied. I couldnt get out to shop so random things like frozen yoghurts and carrots dipped in cream cheese.

I forced whichever child wasnt ill at the time to kick a football about in the garden and we did some training.

Ours is an 18 month springer and I only managed 1 actual walk in 3 days but we all survived

No car, I don't drive. Ok. I think I'll go for ball games and maybe the 100 things to do with a box thingy. And hope we all survive

Have you got any dog walking friends to take him out with their dogs? Or a helpful teenager near you that you could pay to walk him?

No, sadly. I might be able to take him on a trot around the block later if I dose DS up, but it won't be the run he's used to.

just take hima couple of shorter walks, it will be fine it's temporary

Training. Training and more training. And did I mention training? Or puppy push ups (sit, down, stand, sit, down, stand, for as long as he will)

Devil Dog hardly got walked at all while he was away with me but every night he got back to the hotel room, went to his bed and refused to come out, I think he was worried I would train him again

There was one night where he wanted a short walk, but to be fair to him he had been crated for almost three hours while I was in the pub [ashamed] even then a quick 15 minute walk to stretch his legs was all he needed.

Teach him how to find stuff. I can keep mine busy and active for ages by hiding her toys, she will then go and find said toys.

Get a muffin tin, put some treats in a couple of the muffin openings, cover each hole with a muffin case, Jas can then find the treats. (to be honest if Jas is anything like mine this doesnt last long!)

Put some treats into an empty cereal box, do the box up, let dog find treats.#

If all that fails put tv on for dog :)

I had a brilliant idea. I threw the ball for 20 minutes, then decided to put his breakfast kibble in to several different box containers, so he'd have to work out how to open them to get the food. Naturally, he looked at this set up and then just chewed his way through my lovingly prepared activity. He keeps eyeing the xmas tree, then looking at me. I think it's a threat.

get an empty water bottle, put a few bits of his kibble in it. Keeps our springer busy and active for a while.