Post-op: dog refusing to read (and obey) instructions!

[Theoscargoesto]

Hi all. My 14 month cockapoo was spayed yesterday (laparoscopic). She has special food for a day or two, and some pain relief. She's allowed into the garden but only on a lead: she's to be kept quiet for 2 days (at least) until first post-op check up tomorrow. She's 2 small incisions on her tummy, which are barely visible, and no external stitches.

Unbelievably, she seems fine. I'm not allowing her to jump onto anything, carrying her up/down stairs, but she;s refusing to read the instructions and wanting to leap about as usual, seems in no discomfort at all (and certainly no pain).

Any ideas for amusing her for the next few days/week? I thought about teaching her some tricks........ Anyone any experience/ideas?

She probably feels fine, she is on painkillers.
It is hard to keep the amused and off the furniture but brain games help. You tube is full of enrichment ideas for bored dogs.
My boy managed to impale himself in the garden 5 days ago. Emergency vet, general anaesthetic and lots of stitches later and he is supposed to do nothing for 10 days 🙄.i have taken him to work with me all week which requires a lot of brain work on his part (he is an anxious little chap) by the end of the day he is so tired he can’t be arsed to try to get on the furniture 🤣

Good luck the worst bit is when they feel fine and have to be restricted.

Do not let her kid you that she is totally ok she needs to heal (whatever she thinks stern look at the cockapoo)

Make her work for her food - so scatter fed in a restricted area if kibble fed, on grass can slow her down quite a bit.

Freeze her second meal in a kong and again give this in a restricted area - you don't want her picking it up and throwing it down the stairs!

Scent work is great so again in a restricted area hide food in boxes and let her sniff it out. You can also use flower pots - dont put the food into every pot make her sniff it out.

Trick wise if you dog can do the following they are great foundations for many tricks.

Get her to hold something in her mouth
Get her to target with her nose on your hand
Get her to target with each foot - front and back
Get her to tug (gently!)
Get her to push with her nose

She may get tired from going out and about so maybe into town just to the cafe or pub meal in the evening - watching all that is going on around her can be enough to tire her out. Shame you may need to eat out for 10 days

Thanks both for your sympathy and ideas. I really like the sound of some of those tricks, @stanley!

She’s back for first post-op check up today so maybe if the vet lectures her that will help, she’s certainly not listening to me!!