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Post by Soubrette on May 3, 2008 10:41:51 GMT -5
Hi everyone,  Does anyone have any ideas on how to introduce the idea of playing to a dog? Bandit (who is 8 and very gentle) occasionally has a funny five minutes in the house where he races around like an idiot but we only have a small house and garden so last time he ended up banging his leg and making a lot of fuss (although he was all right after a few minutes - what a wuss ;D) He has toys but is only interested in the furry sheep he has (which we bought about a week after we had), all the 'bare' toys are ignored and he occasionally will 'catch' the sheep a couple of times then losing interest. The sheep looks in almost pristine condition with a slightly frayed tail. He has a kong but when he couldn't get the chicken out within 10 mins then he lost interest. Outside we have access to lots of fields but he is very nervous off lead and prefers to stick to you like glue, he is getting better but if you try to get him to do chase or run games then he'll move closer to the other walker if there is two of you as if he is nervous. He is 8 and under investigation for a heart murmur but is happy to practice recall (between two people - he doesn't get far enough away for one person to do it on their own!!), no obvious breathing problems etc. I know he's an old boy but he's not elderly yet and I feel that it would enhance his life a little bit more if I could trigger the playful Bandit within. As an aside, I have joined a waiting list for a local training class and been advised to practice recall on a long lead while I'm waiting for a place - I know extendable leads are not a good idea for sight hounds but are these long leads good training aids or equally as dangerous? As ever, thanks Sou |
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Post by Jen Wren on May 3, 2008 16:43:13 GMT -5
Hi. Bandit sounds very much like my Goldie who is also 8 with a heart murmur. She hardly plays in the house. She occasionally will jump on a toy but thats it and will then totter off to bed (she is lazy even for a Greyhound) Greyhounds in general prefer plush toys to any other type of toy and Goldie will gather them and put them on her bed.
As for off lead. Goldie is a nervous girl too but she does go off lead. At first she would spend her time walking by my side but gradually she has gained confidence and will wonder off, especially since she now goes off with my mongrel as she will have a look at what he is sniffing at. She is not one for running around and I doubt she ever will be but she will spring into life when I call her back and the ridiculously happy look on her face when she comes back is enough for me to know she is enjoying herself.
Some Greyhounds just don't seem to have the playing instinct but keep plugging away. The more off lead time Bandit has the more confident he will get.
I think in Goldie's case anyway she was kenneled until she was six and never had the advantage of a proper puppyhood so doesn't seem to know what to do with toys or how to play properly.
I've also invested in a Bioflow collar for her after being highly recommended by others which seems to have given her a new lease of life ;D
I hope this makes sense and helps.
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Post by Soubrette on May 4, 2008 6:29:39 GMT -5
Thanks Jen, it's always helpful to know that Bandit is not strange and unusual  I suspect that Bandit has little or no experience of a home environment but he's so laid back at home ;D (in general, new thread to be started soon  ) I have enrolled us up to training classes (although there is a waiting list) so interaction with other dogs should be good for him there and I've also enquired about a dog playgroup near us, I'm a bit ambivalent about that though as it might be too many dogs and he does seem a bit nervous in new circumstances. I'll keep plugging away and maybe try and find a dog friend with whom we can walk with regularly ;D Isn't Goldie gorgeous ;D Sou |
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Post by mtbbuxton on May 4, 2008 13:55:19 GMT -5
Our lurcher Mayo (who's about 4) didn't know how to play when he first arrived. It took about 6 months of coaxing every day to get him interested and as Jen has said it's soft, furry toys with a squeak that do the trick. Regarding the recall training, make sure you fasten ANY long line onto a harness, not a collar.
Good luck and have fun
Moira x
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Post by Soubrette on May 4, 2008 17:00:13 GMT -5
So it seems persistence is the key mtb, I feel the need to get some more squeakies Sou |
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Post by sharron on May 4, 2008 17:41:02 GMT -5
i have been talking about this to fellow trainers, (i have just become a trainer) as he is very nervous off lead try doing a recall only a few steps away(just 1 or 2 steps away), then build up. this will help his confidence in recall. Yes use a long line i used to with Zeb but only with a harness, so that it does not pull on the neck, but between the shoulders.
Does he really need to play with a toy outside,? or does he prefer to play with you and your energy.? If you jump around what does he do.?
the safety of the home is powerful, he may need the confidence in his surroundings first.
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Post by Soubrette on May 5, 2008 3:44:39 GMT -5
i have been talking about this to fellow trainers, (i have just become a trainer) as he is very nervous off lead try doing a recall only a few steps away(just 1 or 2 steps away), then build up. this will help his confidence in recall. I will try doing little recalls. Usually he has a leaded walk in the morning and then breakfast so I don't like to do anything too energetic. In the evening we walk to the fields and practice recall. There is always two sometimes 3 of us and we stand/walk about 50-75 ft away from each other. He is called and then treated but has quickly got into the habit of running like a loon between everyone. His new command is sit so now we make him come, praise, sit, treat and then wait for someone to call him - that seems to working quite well. He doesn't seem nervous or reluctant to come in this instance. Good luck with being a trainer - I should imagine that it's very satisfying Yes use a long line i used to with Zeb but only with a harness, so that it does not pull on the neck, but between the shoulders. He just has a lead and collar at the moment. I'm wondering whether to change his collar for a martingale one as his leather one rubs  I'm not sure I'm ready to change to a harness yet but I'll definitely bear it in mind if there's no improvement. Does he really need to play with a toy outside,? Only in as much as there is a lot more room outside than inside. Sometimes he'll play toss the sheep for a few throws inside but then loses interest and sometimes he'll want to race around and be chased but we have a tiny house and garden or does he prefer to play with you and your energy.? If you jump around what does he do.? If we're outside and start running then he'll jog to keep up and if you start making exciting noises and running at him (he likes this at home) then he'll move closer to the other walker. the safety of the home is powerful, he may need the confidence in his surroundings first. I'm going to get some proper squeaky toys - sheepie makes more of a baa sound and is quite hard to make squeak and see if we can tempt him some more at home. Thanks Sharron Sou |
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Post by mtbbuxton on May 5, 2008 10:46:52 GMT -5
Just to add, when Mayo first started to play with toys, it was literally for a few seconds at a time. Even now, we do well to get five minutes out of him and it's as and when he chooses - if he's not in the mood, forget it. We've just started on our Good Citizen Silver Award and one of the elements of this is to play with the handler. Apparently, Mayo still doesn't play "properly" as most of the time he just wants to run round like a loony "Errm, he's a running dog" said I "and that's what he does for fun." As Mayo also has virtually no prey drive it does make it a bit more difficult to coax him to pretend to kill a cuddly toy. Some dogs never play. My OH's Irish Setter never did in spite of his best efforts. She was still a happy dog who lived to be nearly 14 and ultimately, that's what matters. Moira x |
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Post by Flaperoo on May 6, 2008 13:09:30 GMT -5
I think sometimes it can be down to the individual personality of the dog. Flash the most confident of my three, hardly ever plays with toys. Peggy plays with toys, but if they don't squeak or make funny noises she losses interest quickly, unless you are playing with her and then she retains interest, whilst Roo loves his toys and plays with or cuddles them constantly. He loves a teddy bear hotwater bottle I have, and he gets very excited when there is water in it because it makes a gurgling noise too ;D I don't know if others have had the same experience, but I have not had one toy destroyed by any of my greyhounds. They seem to chew/fling it about and generally get excited but never been destructive. ;D Now paper..................that is a different matter , and if I am careless enough to leave a book or magazine within reachable distance I come home to find it everywhere and the book unreadable If they are happy and content then they are well rounded. Mary XX |
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