Pheebs Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) Hi Guys Bit of background info... we adopted Maggie in January of 2010. She was surrendered just very recently having had a litter, about 8kg underweight and had been pulled around by her ears and they were semi-detached and infected with maggots ... Whilst it is a minor victory - today marked the first occasion I have ever seen Maggie respond to play... she half-heartedly pawed at a rope-frisbee and waved it under Lucy's nose I suppose I should clarify... she loves a rough-and-tumble with Lucy - in true Boxer style she 'plays' very rough... (basically they play chicken with each other and mouth each other like crazy), but she has no interest in toys, ropes, frisbees, kongs, nothing. She looks at you somewhat puzzled with the expression "And what is it that you'd like me to do with this?" She also has no idea how to engage in play with people. I guess I'm just worried that she's not challenged enough during the day and when in her crate. As I mentioned she showed promise this morning when investigating a rope frisbee with Lucy - any way I can encourage this? I guess I'm just used to my crazy Lucy where anything is fair game - gumboots, the doormat, etc. Could this be a result of the neglectful past? Edited February 7, 2012 by Pheebs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthless Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Our now departed Husky had zero interest in toys and he would only play with one of our other four dogs occasionally, and only because she gave him no choice, the pest! He did like rough and tumble with my OH though. I didn't see it as an issue. Just how he was Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheebs Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 he would only play with one of our other four dogs occasionally, and only because she gave him no choice, the pest! This is very much Lucy's MO :laugh: I know it sounds silly to say "my dog's not active enough!" - I just want to make sure that she's entertained and challenged - if she's flat-out not interested I can't make her... as I guess in the two years we've had her I'm sure she would have figured it out by now watching Lucy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pollywaffle Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 We had a typical 'backyard' dog three doors up from us. Beautiful poodle type..never went anywhere - heard it often in the backyard "crying". One day it got out and came to our house, to be near our dogs I thin - because his owner wasn't there we couldn't return him for a couple of hour, so we had the dog in the back yard (our two inside the house). I thought to myself I'll give this dog a treat and play with him..and so I tried everything to engage with him..threw every ball known to man, tried tuggies, chasing, etc..and he just wasn't interested - sat there. I think it was something he'd never experienced and wouldn't do. I felt really sorry that he didn't have the experience that my two have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juice Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 My dally has never been interested in toys, or playing with other dogs, he lives for walks where he can rummage through the long grass flushing out bunnies. I don't see it as a problem at all, its just the way he is. :) I have a BT who is the opposite, loves to play tug, and chew anything, and loves playing with any dog who can manage her combat play :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiesha09 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I don't think that all dogs naturally know how to play with toys. I think it is something that they learn from puppyhood. Having said that you can teach dogs to play with toys but it depends if you are that worried about it. When my first dog was a puppy I played alot with him and toys but with my girl I didn't do as much. She was much less interested in toys but I really wanted her to enjoy playing tug for agility training. I started by having a game with her before giving her dinner. Eventually she started getting excited for the game because she knew dinner came afterwards. It was a slow process but now she loves playing tug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New Age Outlaw Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Three of my four are not players - the other one loves her toys and waves them around in front of the others to try and entice them to play, but they just won't be in it. It's pretty funny to watch. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheebs Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Thanks guys - feel better now :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaffy Magee Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Does Maggie have bullmastiff in her? My bullmastiffs dont play with toys. They rarely play at all but when they do its with each other, lots of mouthing around the head and neck and as you say playing chicken with each other, very rough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I had a very serious Belgian Shepherd who scorned all toys and treats. Liked to work, lived to work really, just didn't do toys. In training, getting to do a job was so self-reinforcing to her she didn't need another reinforcer, so it didn't really matter. She wasn't abused or damaged, and she had access to toys and games as a younsgter, she just grew out of them. It was just her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheebs Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Does Maggie have bullmastiff in her? My bullmastiffs dont play with toys. They rarely play at all but when they do its with each other, lots of mouthing around the head and neck and as you say playing chicken with each other, very rough. I've been told Boxer X but I don't buy it :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheebs Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 I had a very serious Belgian Shepherd who scorned all toys and treats. Liked to work, lived to work really, just didn't do toys. In training, getting to do a job was so self-reinforcing to her she didn't need another reinforcer, so it didn't really matter. She wasn't abused or damaged, and she had access to toys and games as a younsgter, she just grew out of them. It was just her. How interesting! Maggie doesn't seem to serve any particular purpose other than to be a cuddly slug. Oh and fierce defencer of the fence perimeter :laugh: She's never particularly had any great drive to work either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diva Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I had a very serious Belgian Shepherd who scorned all toys and treats. Liked to work, lived to work really, just didn't do toys. In training, getting to do a job was so self-reinforcing to her she didn't need another reinforcer, so it didn't really matter. She wasn't abused or damaged, and she had access to toys and games as a younsgter, she just grew out of them. It was just her. How interesting! Maggie doesn't seem to serve any particular purpose other than to be a cuddly slug. Oh and fierce defencer of the fence perimeter :laugh: She's never particularly had any great drive to work either... She was a very interesting dog, very instinctual and stubborn but totally focussed on being a shepherd and a guard to me and mine. She taught me a lot that my sighthounds never would have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiesha09 Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I should add that when I got my girl playing with toys it was fox tail toy too! Both my two got absolutely nuts over that kind of thing :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaffy Magee Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Does Maggie have bullmastiff in her? My bullmastiffs dont play with toys. They rarely play at all but when they do its with each other, lots of mouthing around the head and neck and as you say playing chicken with each other, very rough. I've been told Boxer X but I don't buy it :laugh: I thought I had seen you post in the past saying you had a bullmastiff cross. I can see boxer but I also see bullmastiff resemblance ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pheebs Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 She was chipped as a Boxer X but everyone who has met her (including the LDH where we adopted her) says BM. Reading up on breed profiles she certainly identifies as being very similar to bullmastiffs. And I suppose she looks bully enough to have me concerned about ignorant twits... that said I've always just thought of her as "Maggie" :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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