My dogs will not play!!!

[AdoreMyDogs]

Hi everyone:

As some of you may already know I have two dogs: a 6.5 year old aussie mix and a 7 year old pug. The pug was adopted over a month ago, I guess it's been closer to 2 months now that I look on my calander and the aussie has been with me for 6 years now.

My question is this: The pug (Cassie) has been trying to play with Graham several times and Graham ingores her every time. I am not sure if dominance has anything to do with it but Graham is Alpha dog although he's not ever aggressive with her. He's just the first to come in the house, and he's first to get to the water bowl after walks.

I wonder if Graham dislikes Cassie? Like I said, he has never shown any type of aggression with her, he just will not play with her. I have tried getting them both to play with the same toy, while I play with them and it seems that they like it when I get real playful with them but it does not get Graham to start playing with Cassie. Graham and my old lab (now in doggie heaven) used to play very hard and very often, they'd really get into it! Does anyone have any ideas? Any suggestions? It's not that big of a deal, but it sure would be nice to see the dogs playing with each other. When I let them out in the back yard I sometimes go out with them and play chase and other fun stuff that they both like...they try to play with me, and Cassie still tries to get Graham to play but no luck. When I let them out in the yard alone I spy on them through a window to see if they play. It's just not happening.

Any ideas as to how to get them to play with each other? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any advise you have.

[carrie]

Time is probably all that is needed. The alpha dog is showing who is boss by not giving in to her demand to play. ( You may have read me telling people not to give a dominant dog attention until he has done something for them.) He will join in play when you instigate it as you are his alpha. As he becomes more sure of his position and her intentions concerning rank he will feel secure enough to play with her. (There is a chance that he will always use this situation to reassert his dominance but that is not usual.)

[AdoreMyDogs]

Carrie,

Now that I think of it, Cassie is also maybe borderline dominant too, although, Graham is just a small amount more. Cassie will try to get in the door first (it seems that she really wants to be first) and she will try to rush her way to the water first after a walk, but because she's so small, she's real easy to "push out of the way" which Graham will do. Maybe because both of them are not strong alpha or omega, it may take awhile to develope their roll with each other. Geez I hope it's a good match with them.

[carrie]

I'm sure they will be fine. They sound like great fun and you should have loads to watch as they sort themselves out.

[RachelJ]

Tucker had the same problem when he joined our family a year and a half ago. Hannah stuck her nose in the air and ignored his attempts for fun. I was her playmate and that was that. Over that year and a half however, I have watched their relationship develop. Gradually she is getting drawn into some interaction, and that is just recently. You'd think by now anything that was going to happened would have happened, but it seems the relationship just keeps getting better and includes episodes of play. My Goddaughter brought over her new puppy recently and guess who was having the most fun, ripping and running and play bowing....old stick in the mud, Hannah. Guess nobody can resist a cute puppy. Ha. Anyway, with your two, Graham may never go overboard playing but I will bet as the months and even years pass, you will see a developing comraderie amd even some play. It's fun to watch, so stay tuned.

[carrie]

Puppies are totally without ambition regarding status when faced with an adult and so adults see no threat to their position. Wolves are notorious for the way the whole pack romp and play with puppies and can appear to regress to puppyhood themselves.

[KYS]

AdoreMyDogs:

Same here in my household of current and
past dogs.

My Alpha dogs usually determins when play should start and begin with the other dogs.
I have noticed that the top dog will
play/teach the puppy's until a certain age
is reached. (always teaching)
The puppys/very young dogs are usually
very persistant in wanting to initiate play,
but it will be the top dog that chooses
when and if they want to.

I feel bad for our terrier too.
My older top dog stopped playing with her
about 1 year ago, even though
the terrier keeps on trying.


Very interesting to watch.

[dogncatluvr]

KYS,

This is true in my furry family too. The older dog always determined if it was playtime. When my current black lab, Heidi, was younger, she would try to initiate play by running by Bailey and playfully pulling on her tail! It was funny to watch. If Bailey was not interested she'd sit down. If she was, she'd give a play growl, and playtime began!

[KYS]

dogncatluvr,

It is funny to watch them interract.
If I am feeling a little down, I
I just have to watch the dogs.

My male will bite the back legs of
my alpha female to initiate play.
She gets pissed off at him, but he continues to torment her till she
starts chasing after him.
He is still young and learning.

[ktreva52]

I'm inclined to agree with the overall assessment that Graham is just not sure of Cassie. My question would be, how long ago did Graham's bud die? He may still be mourning. However, I believe in time you will see him react to Cassie. It may seem cranky at first as she gets on his nerves, but it will turn into real play later on. Ignoring behavior is one of the tricks I used to teach my students and dogs. If they are doing something like jumping up on me, I dress in old clothes and totally let them have at it until they get on the floor again. Then I give a "sit" command and praise and pet. I taught one dog that if my hands were behind my back, if she wanted any attention she had to sit and then would love all over her. She turned into a literal whacko and when she seriously bit my hand (thinking it was one of the other dogs, I think), she went to the Rainbow Bridge to learn better manners. She was a Flat-coated retreiver type (didn't know the parentage) and a good dog for the most part, but she did want to dominate the pack. Well, she's gone now, but I taught her by ignoring unwanted behavior and I bet that's what Graham is doing. Sometimes no response is better than anything to stop a behavior.