Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tennis Anyone?
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tennis Anyone?
During the winter months, when it gets dark so terribly early, we sometimes take the pugs to the tennis courts and let them run around. I know this a clear violation of the rules posted outside the court, but we make sure the pugs are on their best behavior and make sure we leave the courts in no worse shape then when we arrived (and of course we never take them there when anyone is playing tennis).
The boys have been going to the tennis courts ever since they were pups. When we lived in Maryland, we did not have a fenced yard and the tennis courts in our neighborhood were never used by anyone. So we started taking the pugs there to do some training. Since the courts are fenced, we could let the boys off their leash and we would practice their come and stay commands. When working on the come command, each one of use would stand at one end of the court and we would call the boys back and forth. Not only did it help them learn the command, but it also helped them burn off some of that puppy energy. For stay, we would tell the boys to stay at one point on the court and then walk around until we let them break their stay.
Now we pretty much just use the tennis courts for the pugs to run around. They like to play chase around the net. It is really just a bigger version of the game of chase they play around the sofa at home!
12 Comments
I used to take Ellie to our multi-sport court at the bottom of the hill - it’s used for five-a-side, tennis, basketball etc. I was training her to follow me and not the other way around (she was only six months old!) now she is fab and walks off her lead (only in the morning when there is no traffic). We go twice a week to dog training - once for obedience and the other for socialising and agility. She is just amazing and flies around the course, very proud mum I am!
*giggle* I think you should take the gang there when people are playing…what better ball boys and girls could one ask for?!?! Looks like fun for all! Happy Thursday OBP world…Thank you for my morning smile!
I was sitting here thinking…great idea, we have tennis courts up the street….then I remembered….we live in upstate ny…the tennis courts are CLOSED….hahahaha
Glad your gang can enjoy. Have you ever been yelled at????
mmm… how interesting. I never would have thought to take them to the tennis courts. I will have to see how often they are used.
Punchy - No one has ever said anything - yet at least. We typically go during off hours and the courts are set back off the road, so I don’t think many people even notice we are there.
What great fun for the puggies. It is a fantastic idea to let them play chase around the nets, good exercise. Go puggies, go.
Wheres the ball? I thought we were playing tennis! What a great idea to use the courts! We don’t have any courts around but there are some dog parks and we just learned about a pug-fest at one of the parks near us where over 150 pugs get together! Imagine so many puggies in one place!! Will have to wait till spring-oh well-Happy Thursday to all!!
I wish we had an indoor area to walk in because it is so snowy here in Oregon. The tennis courts are a great idea, fenced and safe. Good for you and the gang! Thanks for the great idea, we will try this when we see bare pavement again… oh say in April!
What a great idea! Since I can’t always get out to the dogpark in my area, tennis courts would be the best thing for Tina and Hooie!
We’ve driven to a community college not too far away and been able to go into a completely enclosed softball field and let Bennie run free. He loves it and so do we.
Now I’m going to be on the lookout for tennis courts.
Fabulous idea!
Is it just me or do pugs take longer to train? C.J. and Toeby look at me like I’m crazy when I’m trying to get them to mind!
And I, too, thank you for a wonderful, pug-luvvin’ place to start my day!
I have used tennis courts before but the ones by my old place weren’t the nicest. I used to take Indy to the baseball fields since she was way to small to let her roam the dog park.
And yea.. where is the tennis ball for them to play with? lol