Can An Adult Dog Learn To Play With Toys?

[Guest lavendergirl]

I have recently adopted a little 2 year old dog. He has bonded strongly with me and becomes anxious when separated for any length of time. I am home most of the time and he has not been left alone for more than 1-3 hours. The trouble is that he has no interest in toys, games or kongs. I am wondering if anyone can suggest any ways for him to occupy himself when he is alone? He has improved greatly from when I first got him - settles in crate at night etc but does not want to be in the crate during the day. After some experimentation I have started to leave him outside while I am out with his food water and a yard to run around in. He is a dear loving little boy and I hate the idea that he is distressed while I am out but obviously he needs to be left alone at times. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Ali]

Its sad, but if you concentrate on the crate I think it would be the best thing for both of you...

He already sleeps there in the night so thats a great start.

I'd suggest that you start putting the do in the crate for short period of times during the day slowly increasing the time you leave him in there.

for eg, take him out in the morning..make sure he isnt crying or whinging when you approach him... feed him do your morning routine and then put him back in there he will whinge for how ever long he does you'll have to put up with it as soon as he is quite (you'll have to be quick as it ussually wont be for long) go over and reward with a treat through the crate... and leave again the next time he is quite approach the crate and let him out but make sure he doesnt charge out but comes out wiht your permission.

Keep doing that and slowly slowly increast the time so the first time he is quite you reward hime once and walk away and the second time his is quite you take him out, then you may increase that with 2 treats in the crate and then an out and then 3, 4 and 5 before an out. The dog will soon realise that being in the crate gets hims treats and will be happy to spend the whole day in there if required...You will probably need a good weekend to get some result.

Cheers

[greytpets]

We adopt out adult greyhounds who don't have any idea about playing with toys. Most do learn & love to play once they get started. I find that my other dogs teach them about toys. Since it sounds like your dog is an only dog you could try playing with him to get him started.

When he is on his own in the yard try spreading his food around the yard instead of leaving it in a bowl. Also hide yummy treats so he spends his time looking for them instead of missing you.

Good luck.

[mita]

I've had 2 dogs with tendency to separation anxiety. Neither played with toys, but they liked soft toys on their beds. I was told by the behaviourist vet to rub the palms of my hands all over those toys, regularly, to transfer my scent on to them. It's the owner's scent that can give a dog a sense of his owner's presence....like how humans use a photograph.

I was also told to have a regular 'day bed' place where the dog would spent time alone....& also have him use when I was home. And put there, those toys plus an old unwashed T shirt or sock, to emphasize the owner's scent even more. I had to make all nice things happen for the dog, on that spot....like whenever he got a treat, or had a bone (chewing can keep it occupied). So he associated the place as good. Also in one case, I'd leave a radio (up out of reach) tuned to a 'talk' station.

The other advice was not to make any fuss with the dog, either when I was going out or coming back. I had to ignore him, for 10 minutes before going & after returning. That was to take any emotional hype out of being away.

Even tho' it sounds tough....just for a while, pull back on attention so he doesn't get to expect it all the time (including wanting it when you're away). Cool things a bit for a couple of weeks. When he gets more calm about his relationship with you, you can 'uncool' things.

And when the dog's anxiety is reduced, by doing all those things, he'll usually spends plenty of time snoozing, on his 'day bed'.

Edited July 22, 2011 by mita

[fbaudry]

I am in a similar situation and would love to hear other's suggestions....

I have been fostering for over a month now a little dog, around 2 years old. He had no idea about toys when I first got him and was extremely timid. His confidence has grown in leaps and bounds and henow plays with toys when I initiate play; he seems to be at his most playful every time he gets home from a walk. Over the past couple of days he has gone to the toy basket and pulled out a favourite on played on his own for a couple of minutes, so I guess there is hope.

However, just like yours he is quite anxious on his own, and has very little food drive. He is on the lean side and can go for a couple of days without eating if there is only kibble on the menu. So my stash of kongs, bob-a-lot and other food dispensing toys is absolutely useless. The only thing that can get his interest when he is alone on his own are raw meaty bones (frozen chicken wings, lamb flaps etc...) but even these are a bit hit and miss and I came home yesterday to an intact brisket bone.

[Guest lavendergirl]

Some good suggestions - thanks everyone. I am waiting for the weather to get a bit warmer so I can freeze some food/treats to put out that may keep him occupied a bit longer. He does love his food so I need to think of some further ways to use it as a motivator. He gets incredibly excited when I return home and jumps up and runs around madly. I have tried just ignoring him/turning my back etc which doesn't seem to work. The only thing that settles him is if I give him a chew treat and that seems to distract him. I want to take it slowly and gently with him. He was a stray so I don't know what his background is but he obviously has not had any obedience training though he is eager to please.

[oakway]

I've had 2 dogs with tendency to separation anxiety. Neither played with toys, but they liked soft toys on their beds. I was told by the behaviourist vet to rub the palms of my hands all over those toys, regularly, to transfer my scent on to them. It's the owner's scent that can give a dog a sense of his owner's presence....like how humans use a photograph.

I was also told to have a regular 'day bed' place where the dog would spent time alone....& also have him use when I was home. And put there, those toys plus an old unwashed T shirt or sock, to emphasize the owner's scent even more. I had to make all nice things happen for the dog, on that spot....like whenever he got a treat, or had a bone (chewing can keep it occupied). So he associated the place as good. Also in one case, I'd leave a radio (up out of reach) tuned to a 'talk' station.

The other advice was not to make any fuss with the dog, either when I was going out or coming back. I had to ignore him, for 10 minutes before going & after returning. That was to take any emotional hype out of being away.

Even tho' it sounds tough....just for a while, pull back on attention so he doesn't get to expect it all the time (including wanting it when you're away). Cool things a bit for a couple of weeks. When he gets more calm about his relationship with you, you can 'uncool' things.

And when the dog's anxiety is reduced, by doing all those things, he'll usually spends plenty of time snoozing, on his 'day bed'.

Excellent

Ecellent advice.

[persephone]

I return home and jumps up and runs around madly. I have tried just ignoring him/turning my back etc which doesn't seem to work. The only thing that settles him is if I give him a chew treat and that seems to distract him.

So - he gets rewarded for this behaviour! ;)

Continue with teh ignore. It's easy to do - just totally avoid eye contact/speaking ..as you come home & do what you normally do . when he DOES stop .. and just sits or starts looking at something else, other than you for a few minutes... THEN quietly say 'hello' .

the main thing is NOT to 'feel sorry' for the dog.

Enforce house rules etc .. obedience training ... only reward (by cuddling, talking to , etc) when he is is doing what you want , or think is suitable . perhaps lying quietly by himself .... or sitting away from you.. or looking out the window ... or not attempting to climb on you or the furniture without being asked first...

This way he does get your love and affection... but not just because you feel sorry for him. A much better way , I think ... (and harder for the human than the dog )

[Guest lavendergirl]

Thanks Persephone. I do make him sit before I give him a treat and he knows that he does not get let in while he is carrying on so he is learning (gradually) to sit quietly. I will try more of the "ignoring" though and a bit less attention. I have read that a second dog may not be the answer to separation anxiety problems - what is your view on this? He is fine with other dogs and enjoys a game.

Thanks for the great advice everyone.

[Maddy]

We adopt out adult greyhounds who don't have any idea about playing with toys. Most do learn & love to play once they get started. I find that my other dogs teach them about toys. Since it sounds like your dog is an only dog you could try playing with him to get him started.

Definitely.

One of our current fosters (Grace) would completely ignore toys when she first arrived and showed no real interest in playing with the other dogs. Now, her toy stash has to be emptied out every week and the other dogs are getting sick of being nagged into playing with her (she'll bark at them to get their attention and will keep it up until someone gets out of their bed to chase her).

It does take a bit of time but they do get there in the end (my oldest greyhound, a nine year old boy, also only recently started playing with other dogs and we've had him for four years).

Typo

Edited July 22, 2011 by Hardy's Angel

[Weasels]

How long have you had him? Our first rescue girl had separation distress when we got her (howling at the door, whining and pacing), and we did all the usual stuff with her - giving her a bone or kong to work on, not making a fuss, going out and coming straight back in again, creating 'distance' while we were home, both by ignoring and by creating situations where she could see us but couldn't get to us. She got over it after about 3 weeks, but I think a big part of the problem was we were leaving her alone in a strange place. Once she felt comfortable it was her new home (and starting her territorial barking :/) whether we were there was less important.

[Guest lavendergirl]

Weasles I have had him for about 5 weeks so he is well and truly settled in. He has come a long way in that time so hopefully things will improve even further in time.

[TsarsMum]

i have a dog now and he is just not a toy playing dog. he will rarely play tug and i got him all sorts of diffirent toys and he is just not intrested. i give them to my brothers resuce dog LOL he loves them and my money was not wasted.

he will play with food toys.

So he gets treats in his cube and he did have a bobalot but it went in the bin as i put dog biccys in there and never realized that he stoped playing with it and it was not nice after that.

He is the most fussiest dog i have ever had or seen. he does not like kibble at all unless i cover it in something eles. he wont eat lamb bones. he likes chicken carcass and marrowbones (but not often he gets runny poos).

he is just a funny dog and he was not allways like this but the older he gets the worse he gets.

just to add i have had him since a pup.

Edited July 22, 2011 by TsarsMum

[Guest lavendergirl]

TsarsMum his breed is strongly people focussed so he may never really be interested which is OK except he needs to focus on something when alone. Luckily he is not a barker. I think I will try some of Mita's suggestions about handling the toys etc and see how that goes.

[Weasels]

Weasles I have had him for about 5 weeks so he is well and truly settled in. He has come a long way in that time so hopefully things will improve even further in time.

Ah, fair enough then. But if he's improved already it certainly bodes well

I still make sure my dogs have something to occupy them as I go out, I give them a pigs ear/kong/whatever about 5 mins before I leave, and now most of the time they don't even look up when I go!

Best of luck

[GeckoTree]

Yes of course a dog can play with toys, if he/she/wants. I don't know about forcing a dog to play games with a toy though. Mine likes to chase a kong but not play with it if that makes sense.

Edited July 22, 2011 by -GT-