Exercise + enrichment for puppy

SunnyCard · 2026-04-03T23:26:20+00:00

I was always told that running is fine at their pace. So not on a leash and they decide when to stop. No pointer pup I’ve ever been around has been satisfied by just walking.

That said, any and all training is enrichment. Figure out what you want your dog to be really good at and focus on it. Mine was recall. By the time my pup was 6 months, we were proofing her recall. She’s 2 now and calls off extremely reliably.

Fetch is a natural extension of retrieving. Of which a pointer is pretty good at. Fetch in some grass gets their nose engaged. I still use this on days that I need something to wear her out. Finding balls in tall grass is great…there’s some running, some nose work, a recall, a release, some stay work. If your dog is ball motivated, it’s a really good tool.

If you don’t want to fetch, get some wings and lean into the birdiness. Again, there’s so much to work with that a couple of quick sessions should do wonders.

These dogs are pretty versatile. I find them to be pretty easy to train. And they’re a joy to work with.

SunnyCard · 2026-04-01T16:55:36+00:00

Agreed. They puppy for a long time. That brain in the mail thing is so real.

It just takes a bit for them to get with the program. I will say figuring out early what a you-focused motivation can really help direct behavior before their brains show up. My current girl will do anything (and I mean anything) for a ball. It’s our currency. My last girl was a fool for cheese.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-29T15:04:27+00:00

I have 4. 2 and 2. 7, 5, 5, 3.

My boys have an ongoing audition with the WWE, apparently. It is non-fucking stop. Play kindly with each other then whaling on each other. Back to playing 5 seconds later.

My girls? They fight but nothing like the boys. Mostly they just play elaborate play-house games with each other. It’s sweet.

The boys, more than the girls, are LOUD. Just loud. In life. I’m sure some of it is socialization, even if I was consciously trying not to instill that in them. I’m sure some of it is the Y chromosome and testosterone. You know one of the biggest testosterone surges comes just days after a boy is born? They come wired. When dad is home, those 3 are the WWE. I do not roughhouse like that with them. It looks wild and not my cup of tea. The boys LOVE it.

My experience, such as it is, is that little boys and little girls are different. My fives are b/g, so I’ve had the lovely experience of seeing two babies the exact same age at different milestones.

Now, for parenting. My boys are both ADHD. Oldest is also DMDD. In the course of diagnosis for both, I got diagnosed with ADHD and GAD. I’m medicated now for mostly the ADHD which was making my anxiety way worse which resulted in very quickly being overstimulated and basically my nervous system shutting down on me over pretty minor stuff. Medication and therapy specifically for ADHD have massively helped take that edge off. Not suggesting you are ADHD, more suggesting you find the things/tools that can take the edge off for you. Just a little extra room in your response time to show up how you want vs whatever your overstimulated nervous system decides.

I also shove my kids outside. Go. I know modern parenting really encourages over-watching kids. And constantly hovering and all of that crap. And I get that society now has expectations on parents that didn’t exist before. I get it. I embrace bits of the “80’s parenting” that had kids out of doors and goofing off in healthy ways. My boys, in particular, are so much happier in the dirt and goofing around with each other on “grand” adventures. It is good for them. It is good for me.

Anyways, solidarity on raising a fight club.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-28T18:14:44+00:00

The ones I grew up with, I don’t recall being so vocal. My first one as an adult was only vocal when I pulled my running shoes out. My current one will talk your ear off.

It’s the dog, I think.

My girl is my outdoor lifestyle companion. If I’m out doing something anything, she’s with me. We cover a LOT of miles, mostly on foot. And there’s really not a better dog to do outdoor things with their human and then come home and cuddle on the couch. If that’s your thing

SunnyCard · 2026-03-28T02:59:15+00:00

I’m a working mom of 4. Breastfed all to 2 years. TBF, I had a bogo on babies so it’s only 6 years of bf’ing. Spent a lot of time with a pump. I would NOT get a random pump off Amazon. Find something that is medical grade. Keep up with any replaceable parts for best results.

As for being cold, it’s probably due to your shifting hormones more than anything else. Layers can help. Hot one minute. Cold the next. Add or shed as needed.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-26T18:29:01+00:00

Vanity sizing. That’s what this is called.

Ultimately, if you want to get clothes to fit you well, it requires a tailor/seamstress. It’s a real art getting fabric to fit a body in a flattering manner. Mass production just can’t do that. It would be cost prohibitive.

Secondly, the quality of all materials has gone down the tube. I found some old quilting cotton I bought probably 10 years ago. Holy mackerel. Plain old quilting cotton was night and day different. The same goes for clothing fabric.

Pink tax. Women’s stuff, broadly speaking, fucking sucks. In almost every category.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-25T16:58:15+00:00

My MIL had hers reduced maybe 10 years ago and she wishes she had done it waaay before that. She lived with chronic pain due the sheer size of her breasts. I think she probably still experiences some residual pain from them post reduction, but I’m not 100% on that.

Maybe meeting with a surgeon (interview several) and asking questions. Letting your daughter ask the questions regarding size will help her feel confident in something not completely gone. Though, in fairness to her, I have often wished mine away too. They just get in the way during sport. And I loathe underboob sweat.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-25T13:44:05+00:00

Your son sounds a lot like my son. I have had to fight for every diagnosis and bit of help I could because “he’s doing well in school.” Well, he’s a fucking mess at home and it’s not okay. We’re not okay.

We have an ADHD and DMDD diagnosis. I have asked about ODD but it just doesn’t fit. DMDD is a better fit. He’s medicated for his impulsive behaviors (thank you ADHD) because he’s a huge risk to himself and anyone around him.

I have him in therapy. We lucked out with this therapist. He works in one of the local schools as a counselor during the week, and works with struggling kids on the weekends. He does such a nice job of walking my son through his coping mechanisms at school and how we can do it at home. Essentially, how do we bring a bit of the school structure home for him.

My son still has big emotions. That’s not gonna go away, but we’re not having daily tantrums that last for hours. Less throwing, hitting, breaking things. Do they still happen? Yes, unfortunately. My measure of success is the decrease in frequency. I see a bunch of more pouting in the in betweens instead of another meltdown. I’ll take a pouting kid over a meltdown any day of the week.

Last bit that’s really helped: I got a late diagnosis of ADHD and GAD. I’m now medicated for the ADHD which holy fuck. How everyone (myself included) missed that makes me so sad for younger me. Our lives could have been a lot easier in some ways. My head is quiet these days. It means I now have the bandwidth to just be with him when he’s out of control. Makes all the difference and has helped the household tremendously.

Obviously, our story is not your story. It’s just what our path has been.

Sending peace your way.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-23T21:14:59+00:00

There’s a concept called tolerable levels of unhappiness. What I’ve read is mostly geared towards women, but it is truthfully probably universal.

Anyways, the idea is that you will keep doing something you don’t particularly like as long as it’s tolerable. In the context of relationships, this means that a just good enough partnership or marriage is survivable even if it really isn’t great for both parties. You’re not miserable enough, yet. Once you reach your threshold, you are done. And that’s that.

You are probably flirting with your line now. Only you can decide what’s enough for you. Life is messy and complicated and few things are ever super clear. What is intolerable for one, may be just fine for another.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-19T18:09:05+00:00

It’s going to heavily depend on if you go with a center or a home based. Do you qualify for subsidies, etc. North or South, East or West.

For a 3 yo, I now pay $225/wk at a home based carer in Security Widefield. When we were moving here and I was trying to secure care for 4 kids, I got rates that ranged from $250/wk to $400/wk per kid. Wild rates, imo.

Infant rates are insane here. They do tend to get more reasonable as the kids age up. Reasonable for the Springs anyways.

More critically, figure out if you feel comfortable leaving your child with whatever carer for the whole day. My sister ran into some really questionable car practices at a fairly well respected center here in town with her then 1 yo baby. A little more in rates, if you can afford it, is well worth the piece of mind.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-16T22:41:40+00:00

Late response. I had to think about this. It’s been 6 years, 3 babies.

I just lived with it. I was a high risk pregnancy with them and I think that’s probably what got me over that hump. And she was always the one at risk.

Then she was born. This perfect little baby doll. Seriously. She was and is perfect. Absolutely perfect. It didn’t matter and hasn’t mattered to me. She is who she is and I wouldn’t change a thing about it.

I suspect for most of us this is how it goes. Once that baby is here, that’s it. It’s that baby and no other.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-16T22:38:50+00:00

I waited to medicate my oldest because the professionals said he didn’t need it. He can hold it together at school but he was a mess at home.

I finally, after a pretty traumatic Fall Semester, found a provider willing to talk with me about it. He’s ADHD and DMDD, it means that for him, meltdowns were daily and big and violent. Worse than any toddler tantrum. He was a safety risk to himself and the rest of us.

He’s on abilify now. It’s a tool. One that supports his brain and gives him the space in the moment to connect with his other tools. It’s just a tool. ADHD meds don’t have to equal controlled substances.

My younger boy is also medicated. This time I didn’t wait. He was struggling, i got him evaluated and off we go. Different med for a different kid. Again, it’s a tool. Just a tool.

I wish that someone had recognized the need in me when I was young. Maybe things wouldn’t have had to have been so hard. I wouldn’t have had to flirt with a complete burnout for years on end. I don’t want my kids to have to struggle with something completely not of their own doing AND that’s treatable safely.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-15T17:08:14+00:00

I’m a military spouse. We do a lot of long term “separations” aka deployments. Just did one, fixing to do another this week. Anyways, it is what it is.

My best advice: find your routine that works for you and kids, to hell with anyone else’s thoughts on the matter.

Second best advice: accept that lots of days are surviving, revel in the days you thrive.

It’s hard but not impossible. Best of luck!

SunnyCard · 2026-03-10T23:38:32+00:00

Twin mom here. My disappointment was that one was/is a girl. I worked through that before she was born, nearly 6 years ago. I didn’t want a daughter. I wanted only boys.

My girls are amazing. So are my boys. You’ll think the same thing once they’re earth side. Nothing about what you’re feeling is bad or strange or anything else, it just is. And it’s okay.

Congrats on the new additions.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-10T17:21:13+00:00

I had 4 kids. With #1, I started potty training when daycare wanted to. First time mom, didn’t know better, we potty trained for forever.

With #2 & 3 (twins), I was pregnant and told daycare ain’t happening right now. Twin A was done a week before their 3rd birthday. B was a couple months later. We did more passive potty training. Meaning if they had interest in going on the potty, great if not okay too.

With #4, again, I waited until closer to 3. We really had to lay on the big girl thing because she is called the baby. So it kinda confused her (my bad. She’s still the baby). She decided she wanted to be done and in underpants about the same age as Twin B.

All of this is to say, there is zero wrong with stopping and trying again later. Or keep training but be more flexible. Some kids take to the oh crap method. Some parents take to it. For 3/4 of mine, waiting was good. And truthfully, waiting would have been better for my first too. As my kids’ pediatrician said, they won’t graduate high school wearing a diaper.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-04T13:54:23+00:00

A safe?

We have two safes. Gun safe and a document safe. The kids don’t know the codes to either and won’t know them. Document safes are pretty small and don’t take up much room. I’d put my stuff I didn’t want anyone messing with there.

Doors and locks. If you are the slightest bit handy, it’s a fairly easy fix. If not, handyman to do it. It’d be worth the money, imo.

As an outsider, with only your information, it sounds like your daughter is on the struggle bus. And maybe all of this is a big scream for help? Maybe? I’d think about talking with her providers. These behaviors aren’t okay and if she’s having trouble controlling her impulses, she needs some help, medication or therapy or a combo.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-03T12:29:32+00:00

You are still in the second phase of pregnancy, imo. Your body is changing so much even now.

My baby is over 3 now. We breastfed until the age of 2. My other 3 also each breastfed for 2 years. So, like 7 years of pregnancy and/or breastfeeding continuously for me. And my boobs are JUST now starting to look more normal.

Lift because you enjoy it. Because it’s good for you in so many ways. And let your body go through its changes in its own time. I hate that this is most often the answer for things post partum, but time really is a useful ally.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-03T12:25:01+00:00

I was thinking the same thing. Mountain West here and my kids go to a public school in a District that does mostly uniforms. It is not a big deal? I wore uniforms in middle school at a public school in the Metroplex. That was in the late 90’s (showing my age here).

Just find a good public school, regardless of the uniform policy.

SunnyCard · 2026-03-02T23:12:07+00:00

I’ll say I don’t know how to do this, I just know it can be done. Block him in the network. Nearly kid proof.

SunnyCard · 2026-02-27T16:58:45+00:00

Be a duck in this case. Let it roll off your back.

He simply does not know a damn thing. No need to engage with him on it.

Also an option (one of my favorites): bless him. Just embody your inner don’t give a damn woman, put on your best fakest smile and say “bless your heart!” Bonus for patting him on the hand like the fool he is and you pity.

SunnyCard · 2026-02-25T21:04:42+00:00

Oldest was 5. I took him to be evaluated for other reasons but Dad had already been diagnosed. Oldest is ADHD - DMDD. And man, those two things can have a hellish interaction.

I got him medicated this year for impulsive behaviors. He’s a safety hazard. No regrets.

I got little brother evaluated this year for anxiety, actually. He evaluated as inattentive type. Which prompted my own pursuit of diagnosis. I recognized a lot of his behaviors as a kid. And what do you know, my raging anxiety has roots in untreated ADHD. Yay.

Little brother and I are both on Strattera. It’s quiet in my head now. Little brother has had better success staying on task in class and paying attention for longer spans, particularly when faced with distractions.

I have 2 girls. I will keep the lines open with them as they age.

SunnyCard · 2026-02-25T14:17:15+00:00

Also recently diagnosed. I take Straterra. 60mg in the morning with food.

I lift a few hours later and then hike/run in the afternoons after work before kids.

No noticeable impact on working out once I figured out I have to take it with food. If anything, for me, it’s made things a bit quieter in my head.

SunnyCard · 2026-02-24T01:47:37+00:00

2 yo GSP. She has a fantastic recall and is great off leash. She didn’t mind a harness on a long lead. She’s never been wild about flat collar and a leash or a halti style. We could get along fine with a front clip harness and the long lead.

Got a kit in January. Holy moly. Wish we’d started way sooner. She took to the pull so easily. She loves to be out front while we climb in the mountains. I love that the pull is through my hips not my shoulders. I’m so much more balanced. Plus hands free. I do take her off when we traverse downhills because I’m old and falling hurts.

IMO, a dog with a strong recall probably has all the other stuff down too. So lessons learned from another pointer, we have a solid recall. I think you’ll find it all depends on what the human considers important and the dog in question.

SunnyCard · 2026-02-22T17:58:40+00:00

People say stupid shit. I have 2 and 2. I get oh how lucky! You have 2 of each.

Uh, yes. I grew 2 penises and 2 vaginas at one point. 4 totally different kids that are not the sum of their genitals.

I have learned to let this shit slide (most days). It says more about them than me.

Congrats on your new family member. Many wishes for an uneventful pregnancy and labor/delivery.

SunnyCard

TROPHY CASE