How does your dog play?

[MrsElle]

Elsie doesn't 'do' toys, unless they are balls.

She doesn't like squeaky things, doesn't like tug toys, doesn't even like bones and chews.

I feel a bit sorry for her and wondered if any other dogs don't really play, and if so, how do you keep them entertained during their waking hours when they aren't out on walks?

 

[Toffee44]

Buster does not play he just runs laps around the garden barking at Dylan.


Dylan plays rough with everything including other dogs (Slinkys Max approves !!! ) Dylan plays rough and sounds it too when hes playing tug etc


Teal doesnt really play either, he plays with Dylan when the mood meets him but hes much happier training his steady and stuff with a dummy and whistle. Or running around with his nose on the floor.

 

[MrsElle]

Elsie will play outdoors, play fighting with the other dogs etc, but indoors we are at a loss as to how to entertain her. She doesn't seem bothered, is happy following me around the house and sleeping, but I would like to see if there is anything that could entertain her indoors.

 

[Toffee44]

I dont encourage playing indoors, indoors is a place to sleep and chill. If they start getting roudy they get chucked out. They have a toy box in here with rope chews in here but thats it.

When I am on nights I tend to sleep down here, and they sleep too.

 

[ladyt25]

I think some dogs have never been given the opportunity to play so don't get it but then others just aren't in to the whole toy thing - not sure if that's natural though or due to them not being given toys or encouraged to play as pups.

Our GSD x loves her toys - especially cuddly squeaky ones (the squeaks never last long mind!) she isn't obsessed with them though as in she doesn't carry anything on a walk or anything. she does love chasing sticks when thrown in to rivers etc though, that is her 'thing' plus she'll pick up sticks out walking and run at our older dog to try and get him to chase her. Normally she just ends up knocking him over though as he tried to play a bit but his legs can't do the moves he wants them to!

My new resuce can entertain herself seemingly and is very keen to chase balls and well, anything really - currently she is trying to get me to play with her new (and current favourite) snow leopard cuddly toy I got her - I am surprised as shes not destroyed it yet though. She likes to play tug of war and just generally throw her about - I video'd her earlier playing with a chew as if it was a live animal - had me in stiches! Lol

I am looking forward to her being off the lead as our GSD is dying to play chase with her (she hasn't been able to recently as mine has just been spayed).

Currently mine is now about to go to sleep woth snow leopard, holding it in her mouth as some kind of comforter - she has definitely decided it's her favourite. She takes it to bed and cuddles and licks it!

 

[lexiedhb]

Get the book the culture clash- ideas in there for getting dogs to like tug/retrieve etc. What about "find it"- hiding bits of kibble around and having her sniff them out?

 

[CorvusCorax]

The pup will play a two-ball retrieve or frisbee forever but for boring training reasons I do not let him have free access to balls etc, I use them to shape behaviour/as training aids, they belong to me and he can play with them when he is doing what I want him to, if that makes any sense!

He gets nice big bones from the butcher and stuffed Kongs as timewasters, sometimes he can play with an empty plastic bottle and there is a Kong bone thingmy floating around which he is allowed to chew on.

You can build play drive but it can be slow, I managed to get a bit of spark out of my older dog, making the toys very active and teasing him with them (ball on rope toys are best for this), making a big deal of them when he ignored them, putting them away until he started showing more interest etc.

As mentioned Jane Donaldson's book is very good and has lots of tips.