My springer who is 8 seems to be getting more nuts as he gets older.

He was ran over in October and has made a great recovery from a broken back and dislocated hip but he is getting more hyper as he is getting better.

He is getting walked to the about same level he was before his accident but seems to be needing even more stimulation on top of his walks.

Im looking at ways to keep his mind stimulated as his body is getting the work he just seems bored – he never had this before his accident he is actually getting more naughty.

We give him peanut butter kongs etc but he is finshed with them in minutes and then starts destroying the house again.

Any ideas for any stimulating toys for his mind that I can make myself suitable for in house use? You can buy games but they are 30 quid a pop so I'm not going to pay that.

trapeze

I use 500ml pepsi/coke bottles. A couple of biscuits inside and do up the lid tight. I've been giving them to my terriers for years and they love them. Keeps them well occupied. Dead cheap too if you drink the damn stuff.

At the age of about 8 I delighted in producing toys for our similarly mental collie. It was a while back but I seem to remember that tricky toys can be made out of old wellies cut up and arranged in various ways. I have no idea what I made but I remember it being fun to make and the dog seemed to be entertained by it for long enough. They were pretty indestructable too and safe for the dog to play with. Make sure whatever you construct is no longer recognisable as a wellie, otherwise he'll think you're giving him the OK to eat the rest of your shoes.

Alternatively you could make use of his newfound energy and take up agility or flyball training or obedience or search and rescue skills that both of you will learn from and enjoy. The internet's full of stuff to do with hyper crazy dogs. I always thought 'bike-joring' looked fun, pretty niche-core too!

Mix oatmeal up with the peanut butter in the Kong – it keeps our Rottie happy for much longer – cheaper too!

How about more training type stuff? It is a working dog so some hidden smelly things and other 'working games' would stimulate mind and body. Perspex squares smeared with smelly stuff are great to hide for them to find.