Jesus wept! Please help, rescue dog needing entertained

[Marleyisme]

Good Morning, so I have a rescue sprocker. Had her since 10 weeks (born in the rescue). She is 4. Tiny, trained and generally a delight.

I now help out a small rescue and last week went to pick up and foster another sprocker, from the family he lived with. We were told he was 5 months (he is actually 7), they said they had him from birth (his chip says I am his 4th home), we were told his name was one name, then told it's actually another. You get the gist. Anyway we were also told he was vaccinated. He only had one set as a puppy, so needs to start again. He is booked in next week.

Now he is a delight too. So loving just wants to be cuddled and stroked, absolutely adores me. He appears to be crate trained as he got in the other dogs and closed the door on himself. he did calm ( a bit) after we got him a crate and he had that available. He doesnt chew, doesnt bother with the tree, steal things he shouldnt.

But my god, he is massive, untrained, springy (totally normal) and cant go for walks.

We have a plethora of toys. Kongs, soft toys, toys he has to work at to get the treats out of.

We are running our of ideas to keep him entertained. He obviously needs physical exercise. He was much calmer the day I took him to the vets, being out and about burnt some energy off. I spend a few hours training him in the house and he is very clever.

Please has anyone got any other ideas? The people who run the rescue are great. The woman that runs the rescue is going to take him 2 days during the week this week as she has a few dogs and all are vaccinated. So that will help, but we are all running out of ideas.

To be clear, he is staying. I adore him already. This isnt a post saying if he doesnt calm soon he will have to go. I am adopting him. I just want him to be happier and burn some energy off, until I can get him out walking. He is even exhausting the other sprocker who, I am sure, just wants him to sit down occassionally

This is my lovely boy

We also threw a ball from the top of the stairs for him to bring back. We got desperate! Lol

You will be even more desperate if you realise that you have harmed your dog's joints. I hope for the dog's sake that you haven't. FFS.

@koshcat really? He was running around the house and up and down the stairs anyway? I've never ever been told that dogs shouldn't use the stairs? Genuine question. Why is it bad?

I was going to suggest scatter feeding/ scent work. Get some old cardboard boxes with scrunch up paper inside. Hide food amongst the paper for him to find.
Have a look on 'Absolute Dogs' Facebook page. They recommend training your dog to be able to switch off and boundary games. It takes time but it really helps.

Apologies if already mentioned (skipped through the thread)
I found that lead and close heel work absolutely wore out a young collie I had

@chancey1982 - it's not that dogs shouldn't use the stairs, it's that they shouldn't be encouraged to charge up and down them at full pelt, especially when young as it can do serious damage to their joints.

@Adeline thankyou x

Sorry but I don't understand why he can't be walked??? You say in OP he has had his puppy vaccinations so there is no reason he can't go out. At 7 months he will be covered by them still. I'm always a bit suspicious of all these vaccinations we pump into our animals with limited scientific evidence that's not biased by the vaccine companies...

Its so good you are persevering, I see so many people who get dogs and don't realise the work load.
Crate is good and once you get the crate, play sleep routine you will be fine.
Kongs are good but we have found an alternative only seen this once a hardish rubber hollow ball with a split in it, a lot more difficult to remove treats especially carrot. Aldi recently had some brightly coloured kong type things which is working well for our dog.
We bought one with very short legs so she gets worn out easier.

Just walk him op