Dog Activities Indoors
 

Hello - I am concerned about having my dog in the house during the hottest part of the day in the summer. I will probably go out and take part in activities in the Rec Centers, the pools, etc.
But are there are places to bring a dog in the heat of the day indoors for some play time?
Thank you! MarvinH

can't you leave the ac on for the dog.

Our cats just read your post and now they are annoyed that we don't take them some place more interesting when it's hot out on the lanai..

As far as I am aware every house in TV has A/C.

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Hi Jima64. Thanks for your reply. Yes, I intend to leave the A/C on. I am more concerned with leaving him for hours in the house with no activities to occupy him. I also intend to install a doggie door so he can go outside in the yard when the 'call of nature' comes by ;)
Thanks - MarvinH

I intend to leave the A/C on. I was talking about activities when he is alone. Thanks! MarvinH

Hi Gracie! Your cats can read??? That's amazing! :a040: But seriously, I assume they are house cats and they just stay inside most of the time?
Thanks! MarvinH

So the question remains: Are there places to bring your dog for some play time in the Villages? Do any of the Rec centers allow dogs inside? Thanks! MarvinH

Some just pee on the floor.....

I don't know of any places in the villages but I know there are some doggy day care with play groups right outside. May be very pricey. We will often go to the pet store when they have cabin fever. We also have a kiddy pool. They get tired in the heat quick and will sleep in doors for hours. If you have a small dog I would ask a neighbor to let him out once and awhile. Maybe trade for a handyman service. Small dogs have been known to fall prey to larger animals and birds when unattended.
Vet says dog shouldn't run or exert too much when it's over 85 degrees. We sometimes also pay a walker that lives in the neighborhood weather permitting.
Hope this helps

I've never seen dogs in any Rec Ctr.

Bad idea letting it go outside by itself (no fence, bad coyotes). Get it a big pen to stay in inside the ac.

When I had my dog, I planned to be out of the house no longer than 3 hrs. That is just the way it is when you have a little fur ball to care for. If you do need to be out all day, there are a lot of pet sitters who can come and play and spend time indoors with your dog.

Supervise the doggie door to make sure he knows to come in by himself. I worry about dogs outside too long in the summer heat!

Agree do not let you dog out at anytime without a leash on them and with you. Put down pee pee pads while you are out. You be surprised how long they can hold it. Besides most times they just sleep at least that is what mine does.

I would not install a doggie door for all the reasons stated above and because I would be afraid of other animals coming in that I do not welcome (snakes, geckos, snakes, oh yeah I said that already!)

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Have you arrived OP? Almost all of your posts that I recall are about the heat. This is it. We are about as hot as we can get.

You can take your dog to Walmart, Publix, and other stores, I believe. Most dogs love to ride in golf carts.

:laugh: !!

You might want to hire someone to come in to play with your dog for awhile and to take it out to potty. There are boarding facilities that do day care, but you would have to drive outside The Villages to go to them. We, personally, just always make a practice of not being gone more than 4 hours at a time. If your dog is destructive when left alone, you might want to confine the dog to a bathroom, the kitchen, or use an exercise pen to confine them. Put down pee pads. Some people like to give their dogs a toy called a Kong that you can fill with peanut butter. They say it keeps their dogs busy for a long time trying to get the peanut butter out.

Hi Gracie. No, I have not arrived yet in TV. My posts about the heat are because I'm trying to make a decision. :p

Thanks! MarvinH

I do not know about inside activities for dogs. But, I have pee pad trays for my Lexi. (She also uses them in Michigan so my 92-year-old mother does not have to take her for a walk.) In the evenings, we go for a walk or to the dog park. Lexi loves riding in the golf cart. She also has a cooling mat for the car/cart that I purchased in TV. I think it's called Cool Pup. Her bodyweight cools the mat and keep her cool. She loves it!

I assume if you plan to have a doggy door to the outside, that you are planning to buy
a courtyard villa with walls surrounding the back yard.
It's still not good to let a dog outside unsupervised, even a large dog.
Doggie Doo Run Run on CR 101 offers doggie day care.

Maybe the doggy will like a little kitty to play with.

Crosby looooooooves kitties! Girl Kitty in Indiana is one of his best friends.

that video is so cute!

To Barefoot - Yes, I am considering buying a courtyard villa. I will be careful if I get a doggy door. Thanks! Marvin

To Gracie - thanks for the video of the doogy and kittie friends. Very cute! MarvinH

There are nice dog parks in TV and Doggy Do Run Run outside. We have a 2 y/o lab that requires playtime and exercise, so we head out by 7 a.m. when the parks open and it is relatively cool. He romps, runs, and wrestles until his tongue is dragging. Recently, it has been too hot to return in the evening before closing, so we walk after the sun has set. He spreads out on the tile floor for hours after we come back in the morning and barely budges all day long. After our evening walk, he is equally content to veg all night.
There is NO way I would install a doggie door after seeing the size of the local spiders, black snakes, and hearing about palm (roof) rats etc. I'm still trying to find the giant spider in the garage that ran away AFTER I smashed him on my kitchen door with a shoe!

We go to Doggy Doo Run most days but if we are going to be gone all day, we take our dogs to the Luxury Pet Hotel which is off 301... they play outside for a while and then come back into air conditioned comfort. We have two very social Golden Retrievers and they love it there. Hope that helps.

Thanks also
 

We too enjoyed the pics.:pepper2:

When not playing Scrabble, my dogs love hide and seek. On that topic, any ideas on how to get the timer flipped for my girls? Considering digital.
HI GRACIE!!!

Is your dog crate trained? Crate training gives them a sense of safety and you don't have to worry about the possibility of them getting hurt or something getting broke.

At home we have an electronic dog door that closes tightly with a sliding plexiglass door. The door closes quickly and keeps out everything. That being said, since we're here right now with our two dogs and are experiencing the heat, we are not letting the dogs out any longer than for quick bathroom breaks. We take them to a dog park early in the morning, and they get a quick walk after the sun is less intense. I would worry about using a doggy door unsupervised if you have a dog that doesn't have the sense to come in out of the heat. We have one that stays out in Ohio when it's freezing cold. We have to bring him in and turn off the door during that type of weather. He loves it, but I know it's not good for him. He's an American Eskimo, btw.

We have a courtyard villa with a doggie door. I think your best solution is to get another dog.....I have two for that reason, they keep each other company.

Ooh that video is so precious. We always had dogs and cats and they always got along and played together

Doggie doors are great if you are at home but if you have a small animal best to be home to supervise. Large birds will prey on small animals. Beware

The Luxury Pet Hotel has outdoor group day care activities and the kennels are air conditioned for the dogs to cool off. Our boys love it there.