Toys.

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Cedars

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Hello. How do you manage toys when you have more than one dog? Do they have individual toys? Or they share? How do you stop fights? We are introducing a new dog soon so would like to know how best to handle this. Thank you.
 
All doggy toys in my house belong to ME not the dog. I get them out and I take them away. They are for her to play with when I say so and are a treat.

We always worked like that when we had two dogs, leaving toys out always resulted in grumbles when my old two were young.

We always bought two chews / bones etc to minimise confrontation.

Saying that, my current dog has wised up that I hide all the toys and she keeps 'finding' toys I had forgotten even existed when I thought they were all away. Sneaky little creature.
 
Thank you for the reply LittleMissLauren. At the moment all toys are left by the water bowl but I am sensing this isn't going to work anymore. When you had two did you choose toys to give them? Or let them choose? What happens if they both play with the same toys? I am nervous they might fight. Also, if they're left during the day, I like to leave toys to occupy, but now I'm worried this can't happen and they will be bored? Although I may have to separate in crates anyway so perhaps they can have their own.
 
At first if i was in your situation all toys would be removed.

We have 3 toy boxes and they are rotated every 3 days so that it seems like there is always something new. They can play with those toys when ever they wish (there is about 4 toys per box).

If they can't share toys then they don't get them. Simples.
 
Shoes. Socks. Bras. Paper bags. Yogurt pots. Wood from fire. Lol I leave mine and have taken to washing them as they so often get left out side. Mine don't seem to fight over them only bones I don't leave now as otherwise they get buried. Toys are more a parading implement here if they wanna play they use each other. Dylan always has something in his gob, think its a rotty thing. And balls are kept with me other wise teal gets ott and pees every where.
 
katielou said:
At first if i was in your situation all toys would be removed.

We have 3 toy boxes and they are rotated every 3 days so that it seems like there is always something new. They can play with those toys when ever they wish (there is about 4 toys per box).

If they can't share toys then they don't get them. Simples.
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??? Your dogs understand sharing ??? Do they have a naughty step as well ???
 
Dogs and shared toys are a recipe for disaster in most cases, sorry! As Lauren, the toys are mine, I decide when they come out and when they go away, if you need them to entertain themselves, leave them with a bone or stuffed kong each, separately.
Also, the toys are used as an incentive - if mine want to play with the ball, they have to do something for it first - sit, down, watch me etc. Makes it more high value therefore they are more likely to focus on the ball/potential playtime rather than other distractions.
 
^^^ not so silly, mine do too! Well at least, they understand the concept that if anyone gets mardy with anyone else over ANYTHING then they will feel the wrath of well...err...me! So they 'share' like good boys and girls ;)
 
I dont disagree with the no access to toys thing though, mine have all their toys in a big basket and can get them when they want them etc, I don't keep any toys from them (but do remove bones or chews before I go out) They do still know that EVERYTHING in the house belongs to me not them though and they are only permitted free access to the toys because I choose to let them! This is however not as easy to instill as 'keeping' the toys yourself and only allowing play when you say.
 
dunno, all mine are left out, balls, squeaky stuff, fluffy stuff, chewy stuff the lot! Only thing I keep separate and not for general play is Floras training dummy.
 
Here, balls or baton type things are definitely not for free play.
Bit more relaxed about the chewy things but not sure if I regard those as toys and still wouldn't let them be shared but it's horses for courses like most things. Sharing is a human concept and we enforce it when the grumbling starts!
 
Mickey has free access to his toy box and plays with his when he wants, but i only play with him when i want to, not if he 'demands' it.

He is however very good at sharing. When my sister's dog is around they will play with toys together and even if she gets his favourite he never ever tries to take it off her, he just watches her & waits till she's bored of it or distracted then takes it back.

Same with those hide chew things, even tho they get one each they always want the same one but never snatch it from each other, they just wait for the other to leave it, tho i have noticed he lets her have first dibs so as to soften it up for him a bit :p

I guess it just depends on each individual dog, and im lucky in that M isn't at all bolshie when it comes to sharing his stuff
 
Just not sure I can get the whole sharing concept when it comes to dogs tbh.

My very dominant terrier will take things from my extremely submissive pointer and I will intervene and give it back to the pointer (I'm talking chews/bones here).

The terrier gives to me because I am boss and subsequently leaves pointer with said chew/bone because I have said so - not because I have taught him to share.

The pointer will give anything to anybody, including the terrier, not because she can share nicely, but because she is incredibly submissive.

I just take issue with anthropomorphism I suppose.......

You can't expect your dogs to go to play group to learn how to share things nicely - they're dogs, not children. They need pack leadership not moral guidance.
 
well exactly but this equates to sharing doesnt it!? On the grounds that nobody gets nasty or possessive over anything being 'theirs'!
 
Mine have a 'naughty step' as well...if you can equate 'get out my *********g sight and sit out there til I tell you to come back in' as a naughty step! Sorta the same concept!
 
Mine have a toy box left out, the two Spins do like the same soft toy best, and sometimes a tug of war insues, but it never gets nasty and the older bitch will always get the toy if she is determined, the youngers one will back off.
when our very old Collie was younger, if the JRT had a toy she wanted she would bring you another toy to throw for her, the JRT would leave his toy to get the thrown toy and the Collie would grab the toy she wanted in the first place!! He always fell for it.
 
So basically it is about lots of choice, our 'owning' and discipline and pack structure? Does it work if they have their favourite toy each that they are only allowed to play with-I'm thinking in their own bed or their own space? Or am I expecting them to be like the children? Also people have recommended that we ensure our current dog remains 'top'-below us-is this correct? For example, feeding her first, letting her on sofa first? Or should I let them sort it out?
 
Cedars said:
So basically it is about lots of choice, our 'owning' and discipline and pack structure? Does it work if they have their favourite toy each that they are only allowed to play with-I'm thinking in their own bed or their own space? Or am I expecting them to be like the children? Also people have recommended that we ensure our current dog remains 'top'-below us-is this correct? For example, feeding her first, letting her on sofa first? Or should I let them sort it out?
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Honestly that kind of dominance stuff is rubbish. Its been dis-proven time and time again especially by the people the did the first big study. It generally ends up creating a scared or unstable dog.

I really suggest you read The culture clash by jean Donaldson.
 
Mine take it in turns with toys. They don't thieve/guard or anything, so I have no problem with it. If introducing a new dog, however, I would remove all toys from the situation and re-introduce only, and if, the newbie can be trusted.
 
Thank you for the book reference I shall add it to my kindle collection. I was hoping I could just have lots of toys and they could 'share' and then if there are any problems I can remove them, but wondering now whether if I let the problem begin, whether it'll be too late then to try and stop it.
 
Add the book Mine by jean Donaldson to your list.

Its a lot to type out but they talk extensively about this kind of thing in those 2 books.
 
I, too, certainly recommend Jean Donaldson as an author.

IMO a lot will depend on your current dog......is he/she possessive of toys currently? If so, I suggest you do some work with him before introducing the pup. Also, it may depend a bit on the breed(s) you have and the sex of both dogs.

I have a three tier veg rack in my kitchen which has become the dog toy 'box' over the years; it is full of various bits and pieces that I and they have collected and been given........most of them in a state worse for wear. (Training dummies and anything with feathers or rabbit skin does not form part of this collection though.)

Of an evening oldest male in particular is prone to dragging veg rack into middle of kitchen and emptying most of the contents onto the floor, then selecting one item and parading around with it trying to entice any of the others to play with him. If two dogs want the same item then a game of tuggy ensues! However, none of mine get arsey in this situation and all will drop and release if I say 'dead'. (BTW...it is a myth that gun dogs can't be allowed to play tuggy....this does NOT lead to hard mouth!! :D)

Re reinforcing the status of your current dog with feeding first etc, again a lot will depend on the age/sex of this dog. Much as you may want your first dog to be top dog in a couple of years, things may change as your pup reaches maturity. Also, IMO 'top dog' varies depending on the situation. My oldest male is still top dog when it comes to the pick of the bones and pole position in front of an open fire.........oh, and leading a hunt! Everything else he has handed over to one of the others. Soooooo, within reason let your dogs sort out their own hierarchy.

HTH
 
How interesting to read the different behaviours of other dogs....

IMHO ours definitely have an idea of who has what - Molly has a red Kong-type ball and that is HERS (and hers alone!). She puts it down anywhere, inside or out and Archie would never touch it. Likewise he has a blanket he drags around (like Linus from Snoopy :rolleyes:) which she has no interest in. They also have a few rope tug toys and a (previously stuffed) phesant and they pick these up and drop them as and when it pleases them.

There is no fighting or snapping....they have frequent tugs of war which are initiated by Archie waving toys in Molly's face until she plays but we never have to stop them unless the toy is being destroyed in the middle of the living room!! :D :D
 
katielou said:
In your opinion.
I prefer a partnership not master and slave.

Dogs may not understand the word share but they understand that if they guard their toys from anyone they don't get to play with them so they don't.
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Since when did pack leadership and the accompanying respect equate to master and slave?

Leadership is very different to dominance - one is very positive and the other very aggressive. It's the former that I advocate. A good leader instills voluntary good behaviour and allows all members of the pack to feel secure and comfortable so they don't need to show aggression. A dominant master will provoke aggression and bad feeling amongst everyone in the pack and promote insecurity.

And yes, it is my opinion - you're right.

I'm very interested in your reading list though - there's obviously a load of stuff out there I've not come across and I'm going to look some of them up and have a good read! Many thanks!

(and I'm loving Viszlak's naughty step - I suppose we have one too if that's the definition......!!)
 
I'm also a big fan of the Culture Clash, I don't agree with all of it (I use a 'strangle collar' shock, horror) but there is a lot of sense in that book and a lot of lightbulb moments!
 
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