Retriever Wont Play With Me.

[lucyandmeg]

I find my retriever very difficult to bond with. I love her to pieces, and would dearly love her to play but she isn't really interested. Shes 3, and i've had her since a pup, but shes never been very interested in playing with me. Shes got loads of toys, and is quite happy to play by herself or with the other dogs (Loves playing tuggy with the spaniel) but apart from the occasional tug game nothing seems to interest her. We've done loads of clicker training but shes not really very motivated, although she is quite keen on food. She will fetch toys because i ask, but doesn't seem to see the point, no matter how much i wind her up. Its really hard as my other dogs like playing with balls (my collie is obsessed) and i'd really like to find something ellie enjoys. When we go for a walk, the other two interact with me whereas ellie just runs off to hunt in the undergrowth, and although she comes when called i feel we lose out on that bond. I've tried agility and flyball with her but shes not very interested and am hoping to try some gundog classes for fun this summer, but i can't find anything she enjoys doing with me. Shes quite an independent soul, but very sensitive. Shes also partially sighted with probably doesn't help.

I've tried loads of different types of toys, swap them for treats and tried just keeping a special one for playtimes, but nothing gets her interested in playing with me. I know i should just accept that she doesnt enjoy it, but part of me feels there is something missing in our relationship as she adores training with other people and actually puts effort in ,whereas i think she finds me dull!! (I try not to be!!)

Can you teach an adult dog to be interested in toys?

[lucyandmeg]

Anyone?

[safneo]

If she is obsessed with food, what about teaching her find games with treats or her dinner? Mine love this.

 

 

 

Show her initially where you are hiding them, then just the general direction until she is finding them on her own . If you are doing it out on a walk always retrace your footsteps so she can smell where you went.

[smirnoff]

I had a collie cross who didn't like toys or games. She used to fetch the dumbell I used for obedience, but as you say, only because she wanted to please me, not because she wanted to play. If I threw sticks she got quite excited but when I actually threw it, she looked over her shoulder, shrugged and went off to do whatever she wanted. I could almost hear her say "you threw it - you go get it". I got her mother a couple of years after and she was the same.

 

Hiding food seems to be a good idea though. Dis used to search in cushions for chews and things. And she used to play hide and seek with me (made me realise I needed to get a life when I realised I was doing it).

 

So Dis didn't really play much, but I adored her anyway. We did our bonding while we cuddled. She was excellent at knowing when I was upset.

Diane

[cocoa]

hi there

right well you can get her to play but you need to work on her drive to do so

 

first i would start with the food ( must not be to small but not to big )

show her it under the nose and look what i got ( you have to talk her up,show her you eating it with lots of yes wow this is great )

 

this is all in line with pouncing on small prey! the food being the prey

 

when she is showing some you that she likes this idea , you need to throw the food not to far to start with

 

as soon as she has it call her back and give her a small bit of food again ( cheese works well )

you can ask her to jump up to get the food and if she dose i would walk or take a small step back to show her how big and great she is

 

right now

 

a long old sock or a soft toy tuggy

 

on the floor and pull it about lots of it's my toy and it's great as soon as she gets it in her teeth let go she has to win all the time to start with

as you get the game going ( which could take some time and a long of running about you will need to run about with the toy on the floor back killer but t will work in the end )

 

you are again looking for a pouncing / preying on the toy

 

ria never played it took a lot of work to get her to play ! cocoa was the same

but as soon as you bring it out of them it is there

just takes a lot of work

Edited February 8, 2007 by cocoa

[Sherlock Bones]

My Dougal (lhasa apso) is now 11ish. He arrived at 2years and have never ever played with toys with me. occasionally he'll play chase with me but not often. He's happier on his own or playing/annoying the other two.

 

Sometimes I wondered if he didn't know what to do or didn't like me but to be honest i think he just likes his own company.

 

We've worked out how to be good company for each other and we absolutely adore each other.... we just don't play games.

[akitas]

My Akita doesn't play. Very rarely she tries to interact with the other, but usually she prefers to do her own thing. She likes to chase them, but even that doesn't last long. I know taught her to fetch the frisbee. She does it because she gets rewarded afterwards. Rarely I throw it for her, as she looses interest really quickly.

 

We bonded through obedience training. And I quite like her independance. I have 2 other dogs who are obsessed with playing, so I let her be the way she is. I don't think she misses out on anything, she is just different.

 

Strange enough I think that with her I have the strongest bond though.

[K9Fran]

I use a ragger, sweep it around you on the floor in as large a circle as you can - try and keep your body at right angles to the dog, or they will see you as defending it and a shy dog just won't approach. Failing that, few dogs can resist a dried rabbit skin.........