How to keep a dog from playing?

So our dog Max is not supposed to run or play for the next 7 days. The poor guy is so bored. He doesn’t understand that if he runs he might rip his stitches. He just wants to go out and chase squirrels. He is a very polite dog but once in a while, when the squirrels are just taunting him too much, he can’t help but jump up on the back door in an effort to get through it. Going out on the leash is not so much fun.

Last night we bought him a new toy – a stuffed, squeaky squirrel. Up to now he has not really cared about any toys. Even the Kong, which every dog owner we know swears by, does not interest him much. But this stuffed squirrel! Oh my, does he ever love it.

Still, it’s going to be a mighty long week till we can just let him go running outside on his own.

The kong toys are not a total loss, though. One is hanging in a tree right now, attached to a garbage-bag parachute that James made. Guess it worked pretty well!