How Do We Teach Our Collie To Play?

[chezzyr]

Hi

Our new Collie loses interest in playing quite quickly so I am a bit hesitant to spend any money on toys. She is curious about furry fluffy things, scrunched pieces of paper, tissues or little plastic containers (seems to be a no frills kinda dog enjoying the simple things in life!). But even with the things she DOES show an interest in she will only play for a few seconds and then thats it - loses interest.

Ive seen her kick a ball around the yard (couple mins then thats it for the day)but shes not into small balls or squeaky things. She is not really into retrieving (did it a couple times) or tug toys (doesnt seem to get the concept of tug).

I dont know if she just has a really short attention span, doesnt like the taste of commercial toys or what??

Anyone with dogs the same? Any clues? Anyone with a non playing dog who learnt how to play? My dog is a year old.

Thanks.

[PAX]

Have you tried a squeaky toy?

Try to end the play before she does so its something really special to look forward too. Even if that means 30seconds of play. Have a build up before you get the toy out to build up the excitement and have fun with the toy yourself while she is watching (the neighbours will think you've gone mad) before you give it to her. When she goes to get the toy grab it and run with it.

Sometimes a chicken neck in an old sock as a tug toy works to get them started although dont let her have this in the sock while your not watching, she might eat the sock and choke.

[chezzyr]

She doesnt like squeaky toys - she will poke them a couple times with her nose and then thats it. She will play with us, as in chasing around the yard etc but only if we start off. Ive spied her playing with a couple things on her own (for a short stint) but once we show up or try to get involved in the game she loses interest and wanders off or just stands there.

I would get more active but I have a foot problem at the moment so my mobility is greatly decreased....so I cant do the run and play thing in the yard ;)

[Guest Tess32]

Well so far Ebony is totally disinterested in toys too.

I've tried fetch but she just looks mildly interested and won't run after it.

I have known various dogs with no interest in toys. Is Rosie very focused on you - maybe she's just that kinda dog?

I have read that you *can* teach them to be more interested.

Nat

[chezzyr]

Beats me, Nat.

Yep, sometimes Rosie will just look at me. If I throw anything she will usually look towards it and sometimes even walk/trot towards it then poke poke then nothing! Wonder what the neighbour thinks of me trying to motivate the dog LOL.

On the other hand if I do something really silly like rolling over on the ground or just about doing a handstand - then she will get razzed up. But it can take ALOT of nonsense for her to pay attention (not to mention she gets distracted and it only takes a bird to fly over.....)

[Bindo]

Try a cat Just suggested that as my7 month old is doing zoomies up and down the hall with the cat as I type. Cat tolerates and even encourages it for a while and then she ambushes Lucy from the lounge, gets her in a head vice and gives her a good nip! Lucy then comes running for my legs.

Seriously I don't know what to suggest. I guess it's a case of trial and error. Lucy will chase a ball but not give it up in a hurry, but if we're at home, she amuses herself for hours with various toys - at the moment the favourite is a feather duster which she 'kills' and the cardboard from the aluminium foil. As she was originally for barnyard ratting, she likes the small fluffy and squeaky toys the best.

One game we love playing together is chase and hide. I chase her down the hallway, she runs off and then I hide behind a door, wait for her to get close and then BOO! Of course, the rest of the family think I'm mad. :D

[meganjane]

Gosh I wish I had that prob with my collie :D She wont leave me alone with her toys... she's a big fan of noisy toys with bells and squeaks but she's also blind which might answer that one

Do you have any doggy friends? Maybe if she had some competition with chasing toys, like tennis balls and things, she might be a little more inclined to beat the other dog to getting it? And then realise how much fun it is?

[SnoFyre]

I am so glad I am not the only one with this "problem".

I have tried to get Misty, my sibe,to play with balls, squeaky toys and just forget trying to play tug-o-war :D

I thought it was because she was abused by her previous owners & just didn't know how to play/to scared/submissive

Happy to say though, that when I bought a couple of coloured tennis balls out for my grandson to play with she very quickly pounced on one last Friday. I was soooooooo excited for her.

It has taken 18 months for Misty to realise it's ok to play, but the wait has been worth it

[!Kristen!]

Chanel never really did have much interest in toys. Maybe its the same case with your collie aswell?? Cuddles and Kisses are just as fun though :D

Maybe handstands are the way to go if its really important to you that she gets some playing time. Are acrobats to much trouble to purchase?

Have you got any other animals? Maybe if you can get them playing she might become interested to. I know something that really gets chanel in a playfull mood is when i tumble toby around and make funny noises. As soon as I do this she is ready and keen to play, i guess jelousy works both ways.

Even if you dont have another pet why not organize a play date, Chanel loves meeting up with her four legged friends. Sorry i cant be of much help.

Edited May 10, 2005 by !Kristen!

[chezzyr]

we have a green "pimply" squeaky toy and I cant tell if shes interested in it or whether it distresses her. Because if we make it squeak she starts crying (lassie type whimper) and either pokes it with her nose or carries it away. Ive yet to see her actually play with it. I can hear her whimpering from here and we stopped playing with the thing several minutes ago.

[fido666]

Hi Chezzyr,

I haven't had this problem with any of my Collies, except for one who was 5 months old when I got her. It wasn't that she didn't like to play, it was more she didn't understand what toys were. She was extremely jealous of my other Collie playing with toys when she first came home, would fly at her even though the other was older. I can only think she thought toys were food and the other girl was getting more then her It settled down but she was never as playful as the other girl.

Try some homemade toys, bits of old cloth tied in knots, plastic bottles filled with uncooked pasta and shoved in a sock, even egg cartons for ripping; even an old cardboard box can be fun. It might just take some time for her to figure out what toys are for. Being around other dogs playing with toys may help JMHO.

cheers,

Corine

[chezzyr]

I just wish I was a Collie shrink

I have tried all kinds of homemade things - furry things, rags, socks, things stuffed in pantihose, rattly things, rolling things, boxes. The commercial dog toys I might as well forget. I havent tried a "kong" but I think Id need to stuff that with dim sims for it to be of any interest!

I have seen her play with a soccer ball (rolls and kicks it around the yard), a seat cushion (trots around with it in her mouth and shakes it violently), and tissues (rips up spits out). That all makes up about 5 mins of her day LOL.

She does seem to enjoy playing with us (minus toys) - chase or romp in the backyard or footy oval, pounce on us if we do a dog impersonation or make weird noises. As long as we are silly it gets her tail going. My other half even crawls around the house on all fours with a toy in his mouth.....

We have no other animals so have to be the other creatures in her life.

I would love to see how she would go running loose with other friendly playful dogs and whether that would egg her on....

[chezzyr]

double post

Edited May 10, 2005 by chezzyr

[Bindo]

Where are you Chezzyr? Maybe we need to start a puppy playgroup! BYO toys.

[chezzyr]

I'm in Melbourne.

We are hoping to start her at Obed.classes soon so atleast she will get some good socializing there (fingers crossed)

It would seem she prefers to be with or play with us than with "things". I guess I just need to be patient and give her time to "cotton on". I have gotta say though that she loves cuddles and kisses which is very refreshing as my last pet was a cat who was very independent!

[dogdayz]

Sounds normal collie to me. wants to be with you and will play with you if you act around, but ultimately they are inherently lazy dogs and if you are not making them play they will choose to doze.

I can lend you a weimaraner, who has found the best way to make a collie play is to pull its tail and run away fast.

[Guest Tess32]

Reilly won't play with toys in general if he's alone, though he does have a few select toys he amuses himself with. He's very into "things" and adores getting new toys and does happy dances no matter what they are. But he's equally into playing "with" you without toys.

Ebony so far only appears to enjoy playing with you and getting cuddles. No interest shown in toys, though she has started to trot after Reilly going for a ball.

They are pretty lazy though when not doing anything, I don't think Rosie is "missing out" as such, but if she is food motivated you could try rewarding her whenever she shows interest in toys.

There is a woman on an email list I'm who trained her border collie to love balls, when previously he showed no interest in toys. Whenever he went near the ball etc she would shower with him with praise and food.

Nat

[Hedds]

Some great ideas here IMHO.

My boy had no clue about chasing anything, until he started playing in a group. For quite a while he just ran along with the dog that was running after the ball or toy, and didn't really look at the ball itself. After a while, he started showing some interest, but like your girl, would sniff and walk away. Just lately he's been having a go at picking things up himself and a couple of times I've even seen him throw them into the air and pounce on them (yey). I've only had him about 2 months, and for the first month couldn't get him to look at a toy..... then all of a sudden, it happened. He's very collie like in his nature and gentleness, and will never be a flyball champion

A playgroup is a great idea Bindo. :D

[chezzyr]

haha

Yeah those Weis are awesome dogs - and cheeky critters! Probably a bit too much dog for me to own but make a wonderful photogenic subject! Pictured is Zac, a Wei I photographed recently.

Not sure if your Wei would find my Collie's tail - it would probably be firmly tucked between her legs!

[chezzyr]

I have spied on Rosie a couple of times and sprung her carting a cushion around the yard (looks so cute prancing around head high with a floral cushion in her mouth). Ive seen her shake it violently and "gallop" with it in her mouth. And she is very clever with kicking/rolling a soccer ball around too. But if she knows youre watching she will usually stop (has acute hearing too so can hear if we are sneaking around the place).

Rosie sounds a bit like Ebony, maybe its a female Collie thing? Although probably someone will speak up and prove me wrong hehe.

Maybe if my dog is able to observe other playful dogs she might cotton on to the idea of playing more. Are there any doggy "playgroups" in Melbourne?