exercise your Boxer in the winter?

[Shane72]

My girls have been a little nutso lately as well. The laser pointer gets a LOT more action in the wintertime. If I stand right at the top of the stairs the laser will reach all the way down the hall, down the stairs, and even into the living room a bit too. That wears Caney out for a little while at least, especially the stairs And as soon as it gets dark she LOVES chasing it around the backyard, full speed. I've gotten really good at keeping it just far enough in front of her so that she really has to run after it, but won't lose sight of it either :D

I do this with Rocky as well. Not a lot of room in the house but in the back yard I'll have him doing 100 mph laps with the dot right in front of him. He'll run until he's exhausted. The cold doesn't seem to bother Rocky at all, though here in southern VA, we think anything below 30F is freezing cold and below 20 is just ridiculous. I have to make Rocky come in because I can't take it any more

 

[xmastime]

Doggie day care has been a total saver - Maximus goes Tuesday's and Thursday's and it totally poops him out! He can't even lift his head after ! It's great though b/c now we can actually leave him out of the crate for the other days during the week b/c he is not crazy restless (this is w/ still getting a good brisk walk those days before i got to work - just bundle us both up and throw a little jogging in b/w to warm up.. =) ...and then dogwalker comes for an hour midday does the same) I also find mind games are great - like we use the frisbee - make him stay/wait/ and he totally focuses and waits to try to catch it! It gets him real tired and he loves it!

 

[joeys mom]

I use the laser ALOT right now! Joey will run after that darn red dot all night long and when I turn it off he will still run around looking for it for a good 15-20 min.
We also work on our tricks more and that helps too.

 

[LucNesbitt]

The laser pointer's a lifesaver for me right now ... that and a rainbow colored feather duster. Moab can't get enough of either and since not only is it cold, but I'm 7 1/2 months pregnant, he's not getting a lot of exercise right now. I used to take him for walks all the time, but once I started getting bigger, he just walks too fast for me and my belly to keep up!

He'll chase the laser, or just stare at the dot, for as long as I'll let him and he loves to play with the feather duster. I just stand there and wave it around him body, over his head or pace back and forth with it and he'll spin, jump, lunge etc. to get to it. It wears him out pretty quick, particularly on days when I feel like going outside with it and he can run all over the backyard to get it.

 

[Box Boys]

My 16 yo son has a laser pointer and Buster goes crazy with it! Buster got a lot of energy out today in the back yard (it warmed to about 35-38F), a lot of the snow we had melted into a muddy mess. I had just mopped the hardwood floors in the kitchen, when Buster decided he wanted in. Well...he had been happily digging. You should have seen him. Mud was half way up each of his legs and his face was completely muddy. He just had that happy boxer look to him. That is...until I got a large container filled with water to wash his legs off. He didn't like that...until I was done. Of course...then I mopped the floor again. We're also playing more inside...a lot of throwing his balls and toys and he chases them and brings them back and we do it again and again and again.
That, and working on some tricks...althought that seems to work him up.

 

[Chewbacca]

We are going thru the same thing right now, our walks are only up and down the block, but then we play games like chase and tug. I also like to do training sessions, my fave right now is hide and seek, it also helps with the "come" and "stay" command.
I'll have Chewie stay while I hide in the house, then I yell "come" and when he does find me, he sits and received his treat. He loves it!

 

[Box Boys]

I love the hide and seek game...how fun! I want to try that soon.

I've been working on Buster's tricks too. Now that he's mastered roll over I'm working on play dead.

 

[sashamom]

I have to admit we don't have snow here but we have to 'run' ours outside several times a day or its chaos in our house. We generally turn them loose with one cuz outside and they run laps around our house for 5 solid minutes and then they are absolutely panting and exhausted.
I agree with you, if it is bad weather which for us is rainstorms, and they cannot go outside, there is to much energy to be spent and they are super naughty!
By the way, ours will play for hours with the cuz inside the house as well!
Good luck