Activities For Springer Pits
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Introduction
An English Springer Spaniel and an American Pit Bull Terrier is quite the mix of dog. Springer Pits are built solid and while they are only considered to be a medium sized breed, they have big energy! These dogs are easily excited and also incredibly smart. So what is an owner of a Springer Pit to do with such an intelligent active dog? Well, these activities are the perfect place to start to keep your Springer Pit happy!
Flyball
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Sunny Day
Moderate
Hard
30 min
Items needed
Flyball Box
Hurdles
Tennis Balls
Activity description
The first activity that you should try with your Springer Pit is to play flyball with them. Flyball is actually considered to be a highly competitive sport in the dog world, with many pups and owners practicing day and night to become the fastest flyball team around. While you can choose to become competitive in flyball or just play for fun, this is the perfect game for your Springer Pit. They will get a great deal of exercise and also be required to listen to commands, learning how to follow the course in a quick and precise way. The energy and the intelligence of a Springer Pit make them the perfect breed for this game.
Step
1
Find a course
Find a flyball club nearby that you can join with your pup. A flyball club will already have all the equipment you need to begin your training and also have instructors that can help teach your dog how to play. If there are no flyball places nearby, find a few hurdles and a flyball box you can use to train your Springer Pit at home.
Step
2
Over the hurdles
Teach your Springer Pit to jump hurdles by coaxing them over each one, using a treat as a lure. This won’t likely take long as your dog will be happy to leap right over any hurdle for their reward! Once they have learned to run over several successive hurdles, try raising the jumps higher or adding more hurdles to the path.
Step
3
Race to the box
Show your dog how to use a flyball box which is set up to throw a tennis ball when pounced on by your dog's paws. Your Springer PIt should catch the tennis ball and run back over the hurdles to the finish line, ball in their mouth! Once your dog has gotten the hang of the flyball course and game, keep practicing to make them faster and stronger. This is sure to be a game you and your dog play frequently!
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Training
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Any Day
Free
Easy
20 min
Items needed
Treats
Activity description
It is very important to train your Springer Pit properly especially since they are very high energy. You want to be able to reel that energy in when needed and not let your dog just run around with their own agenda! While you may already know the importance of teaching your pup to come when called, to sit and stay and to be responsive to their name, you may not realize that teaching your dog to do tricks is just as important as learning the basics. When your Springer Pit learns harder tricks, they use their brain and their body which is necessary for such an active breed. Here are a few fun tricks that are a challenge for your active dog to learn.
Step
1
Stand and dance
Try teaching your dog to stand up on their hind legs by holding a treat up high over their head. Your Springer Pit may try just to jump for the treat at first but then will balance and take a few steps in order to get the treat. Once your Springer Pit can stand, you can turn this into “dancing” as well!
Step
2
Spin
If your Springer Pit masters standing and dancing, see if you can teach them to spin in a circle while on their back legs. This is a great exercise for your dog that requires balance and muscle! How many times can your Springer Pit spin? Practice often and try to beat their record.
Step
3
Useful fetch
Training your Springer Pit to fetch your shoes or even the morning paper seems novel but is actually useful for you and beneficial to them as well. By having a job to do each day, your Springer Pit will have a feeling of purpose which greatly helps them behave better and be a more relaxed dog.
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Tracking
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Any Day
Cheap
Easy
15 min
Items needed
Toys
Balls
Treats
Activity description
Springer Pits are fantastic at tracking scents thanks to the English Springer Spaniel side of them. The Pit Bull side will also appreciate a good tracking game, especially one that is high energy. Begin by trying a few indoor tracking games where it may be easier for your pup to sniff out what they are looking for thanks to familiar scents. Once you move the games outside, your Springer Pit will be challenged even more thanks to all the new, constantly changing outdoor smells. However, the goal is to give your dog a good challenge and keep them excited, active and busy!
Step
1
Treat search
Have your pup sit in one room and show them a handful of their favorite treats. Make your pup stay while you go hide the treats. Upon your release, your dog will have to search high and low to find their prize! If your Springer Pit finds the treats right away, look for a harder hiding spot next time!
Step
2
Below ground
Bring your dog outside and bury their favorite toy in a shallow hole and then tell your Springer Pit to find the missing toy. This may be tricky, especially the first few times you play as your dog may not expect their toy to be underground. However, don’t give the location away! Your dog’s nose is powerful and their desire for their toy will lead them to the hiding spot!
Step
3
Which ball
An easy game to play when you are just hanging out with your pup is to play a scent game called "which ball". Grab a brand new ball and place it in one location and an older dog ball with your scent and your pup's scent in a separate location. Tell your Springer Pit to find “their ball” and see if they come back with the right one.
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More Fun Ideas...
Walks
It may sound simple but it is essential that a Springer Pit get multiple walks a day. Aim to bring your pup out on the leash two to three times a day. This will make them happier and more well behaved!
Tug
A great energy outlet for a Springer Pit is a simple game of tug. These dogs are powerful so hold on to that rope tightly!
Conclusion
If you are an active person or have an active family, then a Springer Pit is the right dog for you. There are so many fun things you can do with your dog to help them get some exercise every day while having fun. These games are perfect since they keep in mind what your dog genetically likes to do. Don’t be afraid to try new games too! You never know what could be your pup's favorite activity until you give some games a try.