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Thread: My dog doesn't want to play

  1. #1

    My dog doesn't want to play

    I Have a two year old male Border Collie, strangely he is a very mello dog, he doesn't seem interested in any toys, and I have been trying to teach him agility but he doesn't really 'get' it. What should I do?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
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    What does interest him? Every dog is different, but usually you can teach a dog to do things with the proper motivation. Does he like things that squeak? Does he like certain treats? You can teach him things like fetch by using a reward that will interest him, and if you find it fun and exciting, he'll probably catch on. If it means motivating him with treats as well as praise at first, hey, that may be what it takes!

    Mind you, our Great Dane never ever learned fetch, but she had been malnourished before we got her, so we think she had some brain damage. She was sweet as can be, so we just gave up throwing anything we didn't want to have to go get ourselves.
    I've Been Frosted

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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    My Sasha was a border collie cross, she recently went to the bridge after 15 years. She would never play with any toys, and believe me I had loads. But I finally found one. Remember the game jacks? Well I found her a jack like stuffy and she absolutely went wild for it. Maybe you just need the right toy.
    Gayle - self proclaimed Queen of Poop
    Mommy to: Cali (14 year old kitten)
    (RB furbabies: Rascal RB 10/11/03 (ferret), Sami RB 24/02/04 (dog), Trouble RB 10/08/05 (ferret), Miko RB 20/01/06 (ferret) and Sebastian RB 12/12/06(ferret), Sasha RB 17/10/09 (border collie cross), Diego RB 04/12/21

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Methuen, MA; USA
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    17,105
    Hmmm border collies usually want to work, herd stuff - sheep children, ducks, cars. Does he do ANYTHING besides sit and watch you try to play with his toys? Maybe he wants something different to do? Walks?

    My bichons - well, the older 3 - have no interest in toys, and no interest in playing with other dogs. They love going for long walks with me. So that is what we do, for their exercise.

    The youngest one will play with both toys and other dogs. But she is so full of energy, she even comes on the long walks, and is still ready to deal with a toy on our return.
    .

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Brunswick, OH
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    My RB dalmatian, Honda, never wanted anything to do with toys except tennis balls. But even then, after you threw it twice, she was done. She would only chew on things that were edible (pig ears, things like that). So... the only thing we could do was walks and bike rides. But she sure did love to go hiking.
    Monica Callahan KPA-CTP *Woohoo!*


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    California
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    Quote Originally Posted by Queen of Poop View Post
    My Sasha was a border collie cross, she recently went to the bridge after 15 years. She would never play with any toys, and believe me I had loads. But I finally found one. Remember the game jacks? Well I found her a jack like stuffy and she absolutely went wild for it. Maybe you just need the right toy.
    Oh my gosh! My brothers dog, Boo, loved this toy too. He is also at the Bridge now. I'll bet him and Sasha are having loads of fun up there with tons of those. Poor Boo didn't have his long though. When Zoee was younger she'd chew all the stuffing out of them. I replaced it a couple times.

    My moms little dog she recently found didn't play for the first month she had her. Now she runs zoomies around in the house. How long have you had your dog?
    Our goal in life should be - to be as good a person as our dog thinks we are.

    Thank you for the siggy, Michelle!


    Cindy (Human) - Taz (RB Tabby) - Zoee (RB Australian Shepherd) - Paizly (Dilute Tortie) - Taggart (Aussie Mix) - Jax (Brown & White Tabby), - Zeplyn (Cattle Dog Mix)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Delaware, USA - The First State/Diamond State - home of The Blue Hens
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    Sparky never had any real interest in toys - he would rather chill out on any pillow in the house. He's almost 11 now, and when he was real little, did show a little interest in toys. I think he gave up on that idea tho, when bratty sister Myndi would take them away from him. There could be 20 toys laying on the floor, and as soon as Sparky would pick one up, she would be right there to grab it away from him. She's almost 14 now and doesn't have as much interest in them as she used to. Stuffies were her favorite - and she could unstuff one in record time. She liked playing with them better when they were flattened and dismembered - but at least she would play with them. She still has to run and grab a toy to give as a peace offering, or when she wants to play Tug of War with someone.
    And funny you should mention the jack toy. Myndi had one for years and she loved it - and never tore it up either. She would sometimes drive me nuts with all the squeakers in it - one in each "arm" of the jack. I wonder what it is that pups seem to like this toy so well???
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Wolfy ~ Fuzzbutt #3
    My little dog ~ a heartbeat at my feet

    Sparky the Fuzzbutt - PT's DOTD 8/3/2010
    RIP 2/28/1999~10/9/2012
    Myndi the Fuzzbutt - Mom's DOTD - Everyday
    RIP 1/24/1996~8/9/2013
    Ellie - Mom to the Fuzzbuttz

    To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
    Ecclesiastes 3:1
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    Now is the only time you have, so live it with a will -
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