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3 Vet-Approved Playtime Activities for your IVDD Dog

by Cory Brannon July 08, 2016

IVDD is brutal. It’s such a shame when a previously active pup is reduced to crate rest and crucial care. But IVDD is not a death sentence—in fact, there are actually some fun approved activities you can do with your IVDD dog to make playtime more fun for both of you. Just make sure your pup is past the crate rest period before you begin, and always clear everything with your vet first. Every doggy is different, and the recovery process is different for all.

Of course, a dog back brace like the L’il Back Bracer will help keep your dog comfortable during playtime. It’s not meant to be a substitute for crate rest, but it will certainly help with his pain management.

Here are some vet-approved activities for playtime with your IVDD dog:

1. Ease back into walking.

Take it slowly, but do encourage short walks with your dog to help build those muscles back up. You’ll have to keep them brief at first while he builds up his stamina, but we suggest going a different route every day if you can to keep things interesting. Keep in mind that his first few “walks” might be in-house, walking up and down your hallways.

2. Take her for a drive.

When your dog is just coming off of crate rest, which is typically 6-8 weeks in length, she’ll be more than ready to see some new sights. If you can secure her, take her on a short drive. Going through the bank drive thru or the coffee shop line will be the highlight of the dog’s day.

3. Have a scavenger hunt.

Crate your pup and hide a few small pieces of kibble around the room where he can see. Once he’s released, he can “hunt” for the food. As he heals, you can make the game more and more challenging to play.

As your dog begins to heal, you’ll find that playtime will get easier and easier. Just avoid things like jumping, rough play and games of tug-o-war that can hurt her back until you get a clean bill of health and permission to do so from the vet. The IVDD recovery process might seem long, but it will be so worth it when your pup is able to join you on adventures (even mild ones) once again.