So as not to derail another thread: does your dog need to bring you toys when you come in?

[Clodagh]

I used to have a lab who would fetch my hand for me if he couldn’t find anything to actually pick up.

We had to stop Ffee doing that as she loves her Granny and used to make her arm bleed (thin skin) while bringing her in the door.
Ours don’t have access to toys, so it’s usually shoes as they can only get to those in the porch after we have unlocked the door. Tawny never has, she thinks it’s a sigh of subservience ?

 

[blackcob]

By accepting his gift with a smile, you are encouraging his behavior.

In small dog's case it's most definitely not a gift, the object is to be admired and he is to be praised, then it is taken back to the hoard!

 

[Clodagh]

In small dog's case it's most definitely not a gift, the object is to be admired and he is to be praised, then it is taken back to the hoard!

?

 

[Clodagh]

Actually am now thinking, idk if spaniels are the worse resource guarders or if I know more people who are involved in spaniel rescue but at least half (a guess) of the spaniels up for rehoming have bitten. Is it caused by people not being pleased by gifts? (Or chewing, which to me is a gift bought and you didn’t take it, possibly because you were out ?). As spaniels are bred to carry is the being shouted at for doing so actually making them aggressive/guardy? Or is resource guarding a huge issue in all breeds?

 

[EventingMum]

Black and tan terrier loves to bring a toy to show you when you come home but doesn't really want to give it to you. 4 yo JRT bounces about, clearly delighted you have returned but rarely plays with toys, 11 month old JRT puppy just launches into to your arms to show his delight so you have to be ready to catch him!

 

[Karran]

Neither collie or Spaniel bring me a present! Feeling slightly left out now! ? Collie has always been the more toy obsessed/resource guardy of the two. Spanielface will bring you a toy in evenings but also quite happy to sit and entertain herself.

 

[Ratface]

All these lovely dog stories have made me miss BeBe the Grippet even more. I still cry over her loss, ten years later.
I can't have another, because a) I can't afford it b) Kevin Kat would terrorise/physically harm it/me c) Kevin would not be the centre of attention, which, after the life he had before landing with me, wouldn't be fair on him.

 

[PoniesRock]

Our Jack Russell will come running at the door woofing, once’s she’s greeted you she’ll run off and find a toy - she has MANY options! - and want you to play with said toy. But she clearly has to check your not a burglar first!

 

[deicinmerlyn]

Yes! My two Jack Russells meet me and everyone else they know with their chew bones! Never touch them any other time ?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Our black Lb has been known to fall asleep with a ball in her mouth, while the yellow runs up to me when I am sitting on the settee, with a toy in her mouth and push it in my face, as if expecting me to open my mouth and take the toy from her. Funnily enough I don't

The boys do that to each other, almost putting it into each others’ mouths to tempt the other to play. Goose brings me toys, but if Mitch tries to play with the toy, Goose gets all annoyed because it’s me he wants to play with. He’s a big mummy’s boy. Another thread needed to see if multiple dog households have dogs who display favouritism!

 

[Roxylola]

Actually am now thinking, idk if spaniels are the worse resource guarders or if I know more people who are involved in spaniel rescue but at least half (a guess) of the spaniels up for rehoming have bitten. Is it caused by people not being pleased by gifts? (Or chewing, which to me is a gift bought and you didn’t take it, possibly because you were out ?). As spaniels are bred to carry is the being shouted at for doing so actually making them aggressive/guardy? Or is resource guarding a huge issue in all breeds?

I suspect spaniels are badly mismanaged. People see well trained ones and think they're easy. They're smaller than say a lab (or a lot of more straightforward breeds), which imo would be a better choice for a novice. I love mine but she's a bit intense

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I suspect spaniels are badly mismanaged. People see well trained ones and think they're easy. They're smaller than say a lab (or a lot of more straightforward breeds), which imo would be a better choice for a novice. I love mine but she's a bit intense

Intense in what way? Yours is working bred, I think? I think working lines are much easier than pet bred.

Mine are growing up and are a delight currently. They were left free last night, I got a lie in! I’d say they’re definitely ‘Velcro’ dogs. I go to the loo and end up with at least 2 on my feet. They’re very full on during walks, it’s full pelt until I ask for ‘close’.

I saw a woman with a springer today, on the lead, pulling for England. She was pushing a pushchair round the woods, hard, given the endless roots over the paths. That was intense!

 

[SOS]

Our dogs (whippet and whippet X) both bring toys to the door if excited. Soft toys but they don’t give them up. They will if you ask but if not just bring them over and greet us with them and then take the toy back to bed and start biting/playing with it.

When dinner time starts for them (bowls come out and cupboard opens) there is a dash from both to go get a toy to bring to dinner.. unsure why!

 

[Unicorn]

My shepherd'y beastie doesn't even bother getting up when it's just me coming in. However if any of her favourite humans arrive, she has to bring them something - usually a soft toy or her treat ball, whilst singing a song of welcome. But they're not allowed to actually have it, just admire it.

 

[EllenJay]

Intense in what way? Yours is working bred, I think? I think working lines are much easier than pet bred.

Mine are growing up and are a delight currently. They were left free last night, I got a lie in! I’d say they’re definitely ‘Velcro’ dogs. I go to the loo and end up with at least 2 on my feet. They’re very full on during walks, it’s full pelt until I ask for ‘close’.

I saw a woman with a springer today, on the lead, pulling for England. She was pushing a pushchair round the woods, hard, given the endless roots over the paths. That was intense!

My old Springer was from show lines, not working lines. He was also a velco dog and needed his people all herded together. He was a proper “country” dog - never on a lead. He used to come out hacking with me, used to obey all commands from the back of a horse - but put him on a lead and he was a nightmare - pulling in all directions, take him off the lead and he just stuck to your heel

 

[Cinnamontoast]

My old Springer was from show lines, not working lines. He was also a velco dog and needed his people all herded together. He was a proper “country” dog - never on a lead. He used to come out hacking with me, used to obey all commands from the back of a horse - but put him on a lead and he was a nightmare - pulling in all directions, take him off the lead and he just stuck to your heel

I can’t remember who told me this, but I remember hearing that springers always pull on the lead because they’re meant to be out front to spring the game. ??‍ Bear used to be a devil on the lead but repeated insistence has meant he’s a pleasure now, the youngsters not so much, but as usual with my lot, they’re rarely on the lead. Youngsters spent a lot of time on loose longlines til they were let off.

 

[Apercrumbie]

Our spaniel did this, as did our English Setter so maybe it is a gundog thing. Our setter would make a lovely happy grumbling noise while showing you, I really miss that sound.

 

[Escapade]

I'd completely forgotten Holly golden used sometimes pinch knickers off the rad to bring to the door, fine long as they were your own. Less than ideal if unexpected guests drop in ?

 

[fiwen30]

Rough collie X Jack Russel, has at least 4 toys available at all times, but doesn’t bring them to people at the door. He’ll come and greet us, walk through to the living room, and will either receive more attention and will then pick up a toy, or if we don’t keep fussing him then he’ll go back to his bed and lie back down.

Partner’s parents golden will bark at hearing the ‘intruder’, and will then bring just about anything once he realises he recognises the person. He doesn’t have lots of toys available usually, often just 1 cuddly toy, or 1 rope toy, and so he’ll often bring slippers, shoes, or sock, if he doesn’t have a toy available.

Our dog wants to share his toys and play with you with them when he brings them, whereas the golden will bring things and hold them but not let you take them, and won’t want them to be played with by you.

 

[StableMum]

Luka labradoodle will bring my slipper when I get home and fetch the other one if asked. Years ago I had a lab x gsd and he would bring anything he could find at the time which was always amusing as if was often the smallest piece of paper that got stuck on his tongue in his effort to give it to me.

 

[Roxylola]

Intense in what way? Yours is working bred, I think? I think working lines are much easier than pet bred.

Mine are growing up and are a delight currently. They were left free last night, I got a lie in! I’d say they’re definitely ‘Velcro’ dogs. I go to the loo and end up with at least 2 on my feet. They’re very full on during walks, it’s full pelt until I ask for ‘close’.

I saw a woman with a springer today, on the lead, pulling for England. She was pushing a pushchair round the woods, hard, given the endless roots over the paths. That was intense!

Yes, she's working bred. Very drivey but very directable. I find her very biddable - but then I'm used to minihound aka baddog.
She's focused and active but never out of my sight.
She doesn't work but will sit and wait to retrieve and loves to have something in her mouth.
I'm very casual about anything she picks up and she always gives back - even food, not a hint of RG behaviour.
My friend who has a spaniel too had a ton of issues with hers - she took everything off him, she'd often trade but especially high value stuff he'd guard. She stayed with me for a weekend and altered her approach completely he's easier now but not perfect for being allowed to keep things that don't matter.
I think by intense, mine lives to please and loves to carry something. My squealy excited ooh what you got works much better than oi give that back I guess

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Yes, she's working bred. Very drivey but very directable. I find her very biddable - but then I'm used to minihound aka baddog.
She's focused and active but never out of my sight.
She doesn't work but will sit and wait to retrieve and loves to have something in her mouth.
I'm very casual about anything she picks up and she always gives back - even food, not a hint of RG behaviour.
My friend who has a spaniel too had a ton of issues with hers - she took everything off him, she'd often trade but especially high value stuff he'd guard. She stayed with me for a weekend and altered her approach completely he's easier now but not perfect for being allowed to keep things that don't matter.
I think by intense, mine lives to please and loves to carry something. My squealy excited ooh what you got works much better than oi give that back I guess

And giving back something they have relinquished, after you've looked at it, works well ime.

 

[BBP]

Border collie, not remotely interested in toys so doesn’t bring me anything. But if I am working from home and he is not satisfied with the mornings walk he will, through the course of the day, bring me and array of shoes (including a heavy walking boot and a welly boot), his leads, sweatshirts or coats, whatever I may have left at dog level. His top haul one day was 7 shoes and a coat. He has also on occasion dragged my yoga mat to me.

The cat however made a big song and dance the other day about bringing me the dogs 4ft long blue fluffy python toy. Dragged it in to the room like a leopard dragging its prey between its legs. For the next week, every time I left the house I would come home to find the snake somewhere different, including having dragged it all the way upstairs and left it in the bathroom to scare me.

 

[SashaBabe]

Sasha loves to bring you a toy, but if you try to take it off her, it becomes a game of tug of war. She has a huge collection of soft toys which, for some strange reason, she likes to keep in a pile in the hall .
Her favourite toy is an orange Stegosaurus.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Our spaniel did this, as did our English Setter so maybe it is a gundog thing. Our setter would make a lovely happy grumbling noise while showing you, I really miss that sound.

Mitch is very vocal. I think we should have swapped the names, he honks like a goose, usually through a mouthful of toy.

 

[OldNag]

Two JRTs
One does, the other doesn't.
Not sure if that is helpful!

 

[rabatsa]

The GSD greets with a toy in the morning, while singing a song. She also will come into the room with "treasure" and thrust it in your face, if she thinks that it is time for some dog interaction. Her treasure is often something dirty hoiked out of the laundry basket, or a bit of paper wafted off the table by her not inconsiderable tail draft.

The greyound never greets or brings toys but he will collect the GSD's toys up into a pile on his bed.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Mitch brought me a gift this morning. Unfortunately, it was a chess piece from the set in the conservatory. So far, I’ve found 5 chewed up pieces. I think it was worth a few quid, don’t think the OH will be impressed when he gets up. He was last to bed so it’s his fault. Mitch has had to get onto the chair next to the board to get the pieces. Oops. Not a delight this morning!

 

[DabDab]

None of my dogs bring me presents when I arrive. They expect me to bring them presents.


Dee used to drop toys on your feet when she was younger to get you to play. But neither of the others willingly bring you a toy. The westie just steals them off the others and hoardes them and the other jrtx takes them outside and runs around with them, and then leaves them wherever she happens to be when she gets board.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Thinking a bit more about this, yellow dog, who is one of the softest, most openly affectionate Labs I've ever had, likes to carry something when she is excited. So she carries a toy first thing in the morning, when the crate is opened, although she doesn't normally pick one up until she is out of the crate and at meal times, when she will run round the kitchen table while waiting for her food. She is quite a stressy dog and the toy, presumably helps her manage her excitement/stress. She likes to play with a ball on walk but easily gets distracted and will drop the ball to investigate a sniff, while her sister will carry one ball throughout a walk.