Top Activities For Lab-Pointers

Introduction

A cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Pointer, this breed is sometimes referred to as a Pointador. However, no matter what the name, this breed is loyal but also full of energy. If you are the owner of a Lab-Pointer, you are already well aware of this! So what type of activities are good for such a high energy breed? Well, there are plenty of games! The fact that Lab-Pointers are also very intelligent and easy to train makes them the perfect candidate for lots of fun activities.

Hunting Games

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Cheap

Normal

30 min

Items needed

Treats

Ball

Activity description

Lab-Pointers were bred originally for companionship but also for hunting. These pups have a keen sense of smell and a desire to track which means that games which revolve around hunting are perfect for this breed. Not only should you provide your pup with lots of toys to keep them busy (squeaky toys tend to be this breed's favorite) but you should also set up games and activities regularly to help your dog ease their natural prey drive. Luckily, a few very fun hunting activities are right here for you! Your Lab-Pointer will be "hunting" in no time!

Step

1

Play ball

The most basic hunting game you can play with your pup is fetch. While you may not have thought of fetch as a hunting game, it definitely is! Your Lab-Pointer has to chase, catch and retrieve just as they would on any hunt. Your dog will adore a good game of fetch to get out some energy and also to use their hunting instinct.

Step

2

Treasure hunt

Hide a few of your dog's favorite treats outside in your yard for a fun treasure hunt. Begin by having your dog sit and see the treats. Then, hide them while your dog is distracted. Encourage your pup to search for the treats, using their super sense of smell to uncover the prize.

Step

3

Join a club

There are plenty of real dog hunting clubs that you may be able to join. These clubs range from those that set up pretend hunts for the dogs using decoy animals to clubs that actually go hunting with the dogs. Choose which club is best for you and your Lab-Pointer.

Agility Training

Popular

0 Votes

Any Day

Moderate

Hard

1 - 2 hrs

Items needed

Agility Equipment

Treats

Activity description

A Lab-Pointer is not only a very intelligent breed but they also need a lot of exercise and are very trainable. All of these traits combine to be perfect for dog agility courses. While there are many ways to go about enlisting your pup to run agility courses (from casually playing in your yard to joining a dog agility competition group), your Lab-Pointer is going to adore any course you set up. What is so great about agility courses is that you can change them to suit your needs, making them easy or very difficult. Then you can switch them to make a new course and train your pup again! The fun is endless.

Step

1

Course equipment

Look for agility course equipment to purchase for your pup. You can choose from the most basic packages which include the basics like a ramp and a tunnel, to the most expensive, full course packages. If you are looking to save money, search how to set up an agility course with things you already have at home and go from there. An agility course can be made out of practically anything!

Step

2

One skill at a time

Once your course is set up, begin by having your dog learn each skill individually. For example, if there is a tunnel in the routine of your agility course, teach your dog how to run through the tunnel first before introducing it as part of the course sequence. Once your dog masters each skill, you can easily train them to go from one to the next in order.

Step

3

Practice makes perfect

Practice the agility course with your dog frequently. You may even want to enroll your Lab-Pointer in a local competition once they start to get very fast at the course. As mentioned before, switch the course frequently to help keep your dog interested and excited about playing agility training.

Treibball

Popular

0 Votes

Sunny Day

Moderate

Hard

1 - 2 hrs

Items needed

Treats

Soccer Goal

Large Exercise Balls

Activity description

If you have never heard of the game called treibball, get ready to learn a fun and exciting activity you can do with your Lab-Pointer. Treibball is actually a competitive dog game that can get pretty serious, however, you can totally opt to keep it just seriously fun! This game incorporates a lot of herding skills along with the ability to listen to commands. Your Lab-Pointer will be a great treibball player as they are easy to train and have the energy needed to run around the treibball course! Get those treats ready; this game takes a little bit of patience and guidance to learn.

Step

1

Course set up

Grab some treibball equipment to set up a course yourself or look for a local treiball league that may have equipment set up you can try out. Set up the course by lining up eight large exercise balls in a triangle shape (similar to billiards) and set a soccer goal at the other end of the playing field.

Step

2

Herd and play

The idea is for your dog to 'herd' the balls into the soccer goal. Of course, when your pup bumps a ball other than the one they are herding, they will have to work to get it back in line with the others! Use basic commands and lots of treats to help guide your dog.

Step

3

Practice again

Of course, practice makes perfect and you and your Lab-Pointer should practice treibball as frequently as possible. Not only is your dog getting out some pent up energy but they are also doing something mentally stimulating. Once your dog gets skilled at putting the balls in the goal, time them to see if they can get even faster!

More Fun Ideas...

Backyard Time

Time off the leash in a fenced in area is invaluable to Lab-Pointers - these dogs need to run! If you don't have a backyard where your pup can run freely, look for a local dog park or ask a friend if you can use their yard.

New Tricks

Lab-Pointers are known to be intelligent so why not put those brains to good use and teach them some new tricks? Jump through a hoop, dive into the water from a diving board or army crawl across the floor are all fun tricks to try.

Conclusion

Lab-Pointers are a great family breed of dog. They need a lot of exercise so keep that in mind before you sign up to adopt one of these dogs. However, with the proper activities and days filled with interesting games, your Lab-Pointer will be one of the best pets you ever had. When the day is done, get ready to cuddle your Lab-Pointer - they may be high energy but they are also affectionate!