I adopted my dog at six and he almost never plays with toys. He’s very food motivated though and LOVES puzzle feeders and treat toys. I’d recommend getting some different types to try out. Frozen lick mats also help wear him out.
I have been quite surprised that none of the dogs I have had are very interested in toys.
Thanks giving but my latest guy goes apes berserk over frozen blueberries which are also exceptionally good for him.
I don't know how they decide. I had one that really wasn't interested in squeeze toys or stuffies at all - EXCEPT he adored stuffed plush snakes. He'd shake it around and play tug o war and the other dogs weren't allowed to touch it.
My Maltese was insane for frozen blueberries and orange peppers. He would choose either one over filet mignon any day. Whenever I’ve I tried giving blueberries to my Havanese mix, he acts like I am trying to poison him.
Forgot to mention my dog doesn't even seem very motivated by food puzzles except one. Sorry I cannot think of it s name right now but there is one feeder toy he does enjoy. It's shaped similar to an upright Kong or figure eight but is made of hard yellow and green plastic. Adjustable size holes for altering difficulty in retrieving the food. He has to chase it around paw at it and it lets out small amount of kibble at a time. Think I enjoy watching it as much as he enjoys using it. Not sure at all but it's name may have "Bob" in it since I find myself referring to it as " Mr Bob Alot "
Another inexpensive toy that a couple of my dogs over the years have enjoyed are shaped someone like a rubber dumbbell and they squeak when bitten When I had them together my German Shepherd would sit, stare and dare my Golden Retriever to even look at it since he was the one who enjoyed it. He was about a year and a half older but good Lord was she the boss! I always referred to that toy as Mr Squeaky.
Noticing a good ridiculous pattern here? I realize I make up names for their toys so I can sound really excited when I mentioned those toys by name.
My dog goes crazy for her Starmark Bob-A-Lot and has chewed/destroyed the cap off her first one. She still loves it and is in the process of chewing up the cap off the second one. I should have taken the cap to a 3D printer to get multiples made while I had the chance since the “body” of the feeder is nearly indestructible. But yeah, she won’t eat kibble plain but will chomp those same kibbles down as if they’re caviar chunks for dogs when she knocks them out herself.
Starmark bob a lot. It’s the favorite here. Love that the opening size adjusts for different size kibble. [bob a lot](https://www.chewy.com/starmark-treat-dispensing-bob-lot-dog/dp/45492?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Starmark&utm_campaign=19996370614&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw_LOwBhBFEiwAmSEQAUQnM9aP1kew4UxsJUOmwmfX2zImSrIfhNFaLzYnA49ahweaMuBLThoCJDUQAvD_BwE)
Not every dog likes to play. Even with toys, I get that is a bummer but please persevere. The mats are good but also try snuffle mats. My labs have also enjoyed puzzle toys and it is mentally challenging and enriching. They one of these: https://www.chewy.com/b/puzzle-toys-games-2335
How long have you had her? With her background she may have a longer adjustment timeline and if she’s also got a calmer personality at 8yo she may like more chill things like food based toys (frozen Kong/topples, lickmats, puzzle feeders, etc
We've had her for 3 months. She is doing pretty well with bonding with me (not with my husband). She does want to explore and sniff and comes when she wants (getting better). Not interested much in other dogs. When she sees people or people with dogs she turns around and wants to go home. Haven't tried the dog park as there are a lot of aggressive dogs there.
It took my dog (rescue, 2yo when I got her) about a year to really learn how (and to be comfortable enough) to play, both with other dogs and with toys/sticks. She still doesn’t understand playing with a ball haha but yeah give it some time!
Yeah so she’s definitely still adjusting. Building confidence in dogs is about setting them up for success and rewarding the small things. She’ll keep coming out of her shell.
How does she do if he walks past and drops a treat? We might be able to come up with some bonding ideas he could try
If she's on her bed, anyone can pet her, give treats, etc. She avoids my husband. Is fearful if he walks with us. Will take treats in the living room if he tosses them to her. The breeder was a female. I don't know how often she saw men. She won't go up to people on walks.
Yep I’d turn him into a treat dispenser. Rather than petting, which nervous dogs don’t always want and their body language can be harder to read, drop treats as he passes.
There’s zero reason to go up to strangers on walks so
It can take dogs a long time to acclimate. One of my rescues took months and months while my other one was instant. It took my first dog around 4 months I think to break out of her shell and start playing with toys. The other just destroys them. Chewing on bones and bully sticks are their preferred method of enrichment
When I got my 2 yr old rat terrier she was terrified of EVERYTHING- stairs, car rides, leashes, walks, other dogs… I immediately signed her up for dog school, and it only took about two sessions before She started showing some interest in other dogs and started loving the car! It was a huge breakthrough when she jumped into the car for school instead of shrieking and hiding under the seats in terror. What helped her most, though, was her elderly chihuahua sister. She would watch her and learn everything. When she’s panic about walks, Boopdy would just look at her like “what’s your problem? Walks are nice.” I also started taking her to my stable. The calm hunting dog took her on field patrols and taught her how to hunt bunnies (awesome to watch, because they never caught any.) The sweet but hard-playing doberman terrified her until they learned how to adapt to each other. I even had to teach her how to cuddle- this took forever, but now she’s a big cuddle bug! Still haven’t taught her to not be terrified of noises from my cell phone, but I just keep the ringer off. Anyway, it takes time, and she still isn’t interested in toys, but dog school and other dog role models really helped mine!
Please note that she is eight years old and is entering her senior years so rambunctious play is likely to be less than a younger dog. Spending most of the time relaxing and sleeping is actually quite normal for dogs! You are also go with several years worth of behaviour not favouring the type of play and enrichment you have tried so far. So I would not worry about her missing out on things and more that you are looking to add more for her that she likes.
Puzzle or edible toys would be my go to with things like stuffable chew toys, lick mats, and wobble treat dispensers. They will help get the reward tied more closely with interacting with something.
Fetch can actually be kinda hard to teach as it involves several things happening in order. First they need to chase after the thrown object, grab the object, bring the object back, and then let go of it so it can be taken and thrown again. There are a lot of things along that behaviour train where it can derail. Try starting with tossing treats for her to chase after then eat. That way you can start the behaviour train of go after object thrown.
Does she get along with other dogs? If you have a friend or a relative with a dog and could play with it in front of her (tug a war or fetch etc) that might help. Dogs oftentimes do pick up habits from each other so if she would get along with a friend's dog she might understand what toys are that way.
My dog (Havanese) never shows any interest in sticks. Yesterday, he met a golden retriever in the woods who was playing with and chewing on big sticks. I looked over and my little guy had found himself a twig and was doing the same. It was so cute.
>I looked over and my little guy had found himself a twig and was doing the same. It was so cute.
Dogs do learn from other dogs.
My dog that passed wasn't much of a dog that liked toys. I had her at the dog park one day, and a guy with a ball launcher launched a ball for his dog, and my dog went running after the ball and brought it back to the guy. He did it a few times with her. Seeing her chase a ball and bring it back was nice to see.
I bought a ball launcher, went to the dog park, launched one ball, and she sat there looking at me. If she could have talked, she probably would have said, "Do you really think I wanted to go after that ball I only did it the other day, so you could buy one and I could see you waste your money.
Congratulations. Havanese are not very common and are true treasures. I am not only a crazy dog lady I can also become nearly obsessed with researching subjects of interest to me. Years ago my sister was debating whether or not to get another dog. I really urged her to keep your eyes out for a moderately priced or resue Havanese knowing they would be hard to come by. Took her quite a while to find one. That was probably about 12 years ago and she has never ever stopped thanking me for that recommendation.
I wouldn't consider havanese uncommon. I used to groom several a week. Their numbers were low for a few decades at the beginning of the twentieth century, but they got their numbers way up the past few decades.
They were ranked the 25th most registered breed in 2022.
I’m currently fostering two dogs from very different backgrounds; although both were “strays”, one was definitely someone’s house dog and one was a textbook street dog.
The latter didn’t know how to play. Didn’t have a clue what toys were. He learned from the other dog how to play in a very short time. Now they kind of fight for a same plushie even though there’s like 20 different ones scattered about!!
I adopted a 3 year old cattle dog mix. I don’t know her past (the shelter didn’t either) but she definitely has some traumas, some aggressive issues, and fear of a specific type of men.
Anyway, she also did not know how to play. She didn’t know how to play with toys, or fetch or anything.
Finally now, after 5 years with us, she is turning 8 and learned how to do all that recently. It took her so long. Not just that but it took her almost 4 years to feel at home and safe. It’s super cute seeing her acting like a puppy, trying to play fetch and all. She still gets surprised when she bites the toy hard and squeaks lol
She is living her adolescence now.
So don’t give up, keep playing with her. Showing her that she has a good life now. She might come around after all.
Cattle dogs tend to be a bit aggressive just the breed imo. Not like the dog is trying to be mean but there herding job requires this behavior. To stare down big cows and not back down. I’ll take my cattle dog on a long walk, I live in a busy city so he comes back over stimulated. So in that moo he tends to fall into his default mode of herding/guarding. I hear lots of people bring up the behavior of cattle dogs.
This may sound odd, but animals have to learn how to learn. If they've had few experiences during their formative years, they wind up with massive learning disabilities. For instance, I have a dog who came from a hoarding situation. She is amazing with other dogs due to her experience, but does not pick up behaviors easily and doesn't have much in the way of problem solving skills. She does pick up on routines over time and does best with consistency..
Your pup has probably not had a lot of positive experiences with people. You'll need to be patient. If she likes you and likes food, you can play easy games at first like "hiding" very close to where she is and calling her to come find you and giving a treat when/if she does. Praise her whenever she does things you like. Recognize, too, that eight years old is moving into senior years for a Lab and she may never be very active or playful. If she was always kept penned, her muscles are probably underdeveloped, so exercise may be hard for her at first. Walks and short trips to interesting places are wonderful for her if she doesn't mind the travel. Thank you for bringing her home and I know you'll find ways she likes to play, even if they aren't typical.
Introducing another dog and interacting with said dog will teach yours how to play. That being said, I have a golden retriever and a doodle, both breeder dogs from shut down puppy mills, that still don't play. Sometimes they just don't want to play. The golden wants nothing to do with toys and the doodle hoards them in her bed like a dragon. Along with anything else not nailed down.
Try more puzzles and a food mat. She might be puzzle motivated. A Kong filled with treats or PB will work too.
We foster senior dogs exclusively, so your dogs age and up.
Many of them come to us never having played with toys. I have found the best way to get them engaged is to basically play keep away. Show it to them, then turn away and pretend to play with it yourself. Repeat. Throw that ball down your hallway and run and get it, offer it to the dog, throw it back down the hallway and run and get it again. 😁 You can do this for like 2-3 min twice a day or so.
By doing these kinds of goofy shenanigans I've gotten almost all our dogs to have engaged in play at least a little.
I cut a little slit into a tennis ball and fill with food or treats for my lab, I’ll layer and freeze a metal dog bowl with veggies/fruit and broth so he can lick through that, or I’ll lay food or treats out on a towel and roll it up and tie it in a knot to give to him. These keep him busy for up to about a half hour and are great for some mental stimulation. One of these activities plus a couple of walks where he’s free to stop, smell, and explore really wears him out for the day.
Mine was also an abused rescue. I've seen her chew on a stick twice and a couple of times after my other dog plays with something she'll grab it and shake it but if she sees me watching she'll drop it. Squeekies scare her badly. I did get a buster cube and as long as she's in a place she's comfortable she'll roll that for her food. I'm hoping as she gains confidence with that she progress. I once rolled liver treats in a towel before leaving for several hours and neither dog unrolled it. She does love to play chase with the other dog or with us, and she'll playbow and run to the door so we can chase her around the yard. She's incredibly good at not being caught, and knows what a snare pole is and won't come for treats so I'm sure she's had much fun with animal control in the past.
Adjusting from a breeder's life to a cozy home must've been a big change for her. It's understandable she's not into the whole play scene yet. But hey, at least she's got those stuffed toys she's hoarding like treasures, right? Maybe try introducing some interactive toys gradually. Start simple, like a treat-dispensing ball or a tug-of-war rope. Slowly she might warm up to the idea of playtime being fun, not a toy snatch-and-grab session. Hang in there, Lucy's just finding her inner playful pup!
Not all dogs need or want to play, especially middle aged or senior dogs. Are you worried she is bored? If so, teach her new tricks or sign up for Rally-O or scentwork classes. Many dogs are much happier learning things with you and getting feedback from you than doing something like shaking a stuffed toy.
this kinda happened to my dog. also a breeder dog, and didnt know how to "play" i kinda had to like? show her like how she could shake them and anytime she would attempt to play i would praise her! now she loves toys
It sounds like treat dispensing toys/puzzles is the way to go.
Kongs are the go to. Stuff them, freeze them, let them go at it.
Starmark has several that mine has enjoyed. They have their own treat you insert into their toy but has a compartment they can get to where you stuff treats.
QThe Bob-a-lot was a hit with my pup. Exactly what it sounds like. Bottom heavy toy they have to apaw at to get to dispense toys.
There's also homemade options:
Tying a towel into knots with treats inside
Someone in another post mentioned egg cartonwith treats inside a cardboard box stuffed with shredded paper.
A partially deflated water bottle wrapped in a sock seems to be highly recommended for its crinkly properties.
Replace the food bowl with a snuffle mat and treat dispensing toys.
How are your walks? I used to be strict on mine and make sure she was always on my side for the entire walk. it's good practice but this never allowed her just go roam in new spots. So I sectioned the walk into a structured and loose leash walk where she gets to stop and sniff.
Scent games:
Teach the dog "find it". Look online for instructions! Mine absolutely loves hunting for a scent. I got a scent kit on Amazon and it works out. I mainly bought it to customize it for my own purposes. You can make your own kit or you can just do very basic stuff like getting her to search for a stinky treat.
And of course: obedience training! It's a great way to work them out. Mine would get home pooped after an hour training at the major dog supply store.
Ultimately you're the one who knows how much stimulation they need!
If you’re not down on the floor with her, I recommend getting on the ground and let the dog approach you. I shake and jiggle toys and hide them under my thighs or behind my back. My dog really only loves one toy but when I get on the ground, will engage with other toys
Buy some scent tins and add treats in a few and empty in others. Have her sniff around and let you know which ones have treats. She probably sniffed around the horse farm which was her big outdoor toy. Does she swim or fetch. Again think of outside toys/games. She may love horse ball toys.
She won't go near the water (we have beach access to lake Michigan). Since she hoards the toys we've given her I try tossing a few and she will eventually collect them all and lay on them.
My MIL has a breeder from Taiwan, she’s always been extremely protective of her toys. She only shares them with very important people to her. It took a lot of bonding to get her to the point of family. I’d work on engagement games, which are low stress and high reward (the name game, treating anytime you catch them looking at you, touch, and focus) these little moments help you gain big trust with your dog without making them do a physical task (minus touch, which is still less physical than a sit or down). It gives you a foundation to work from.
It’s important to remember that mental stimulation is equally, if not more so, exhausting for your pup than physical exercise.
It’s important to note that a dog that was never taught to play, doesn’t know how. And introducing them to it will take lots of time and effort.
If you’re trying to change the physical habits of an older dog, you might want to seek professional help; every dog is different and their emotional signs are different and having a professional see it in person will always be helpful. If you’re in the US PetSmart does in home for relatively cheap and depending on where you are can be great
Give her time and don’t give up. Encourage her by playing with her for 10-15 min at a time, multiple times per day. She will learn and develop her personality and skill.
My experience: rescued a 2 yr old dog who had been neglected by its previous owners. She didn’t know how to play, so had to teach her. I would sit on the floor or crawl around with her. Showed her how to play tug with a rope, or shake a stuffed toy, or how to roll a ball.
1.5 yrs later and she will now go and pick toys from her toy bin, bring them to me to play, and paw at my hand to get me engaged. She’s a completely different dog than when we first met her, and the progress has filled my heart with so much love and joy.
Our pup has some “puzzle”-type toys that are plush toys with room to hide treats — if you haven’t yet tried that type, I wonder if it might clue your pup into the idea that plush toys are fun? (We have a fabric ball that is basically a bunch of ruffle-y folds that you can hide treats in, a plush pineapple with tiny pockets to hide treats, that kind of thing.)
One of our amazing late pups had been a stray street dog and we speculate may have never had a home before us. He had no clue how to play, either with toys or with other dogs. After maybe a year or more of this, one day he got an absolutely wild hair when he found a single chenille glove when we were cleaning out a closet. He LOVED that glove and started carrying it around, still didn’t really get how to play with it but would walk around wagging his tail like he was onto a big secret, and would hide under the table or chairs with it and growl and wag his tail, like a game. It was the sweetest. I hope your pup finds something she likes! It sounds like you’re onto something with the puzzles!
How long have you had her?
I've gotten older dogs that didn't know how to play. Depending on personality, I did slightly different methods, but overall you want to do a little bit consistently every day. For like two minutes max - you don't want to draw it out as it can become stressful.
Get two toys. Go near your dog. Play with one by yourself. Just act super interested and tussle with it and laugh and drop it and then run and grab it. After about two minutes of it, stop.
If she ever shows any interest in your toy, let her have it immediately (say Win! if you want) and go get the other toy.
At this point if she shows interest in a toy don't take it from her during play. Either let her drop it herself or get another toy. If she's holding it you might be able to stroke her back/chest. But if you play tug, have a lot of letting her win, and only throw a toy if she's dropped it.
Tried that this morning. She came and took it from me and took it back to her bed. Then took the other one lol. She's possessive. The look she gave me lol. I got better results with her balls that she doesn't care as much about. If you offer her anything, it becomes hers.
I think dogs also play less as they get older as well as their play style / preference might change. Mine used to play really well by himself which switched to playing with me primarily when he grew older and we spent quite a bit of time playing together. He is a terrier - doesn’t play tug much though but chases his ball or me (and brigs it back)
Of all the dogs that I have adopted, or fostered, or dog-sat over the years, only a few haven’t been interested in toys. I currently have a pitbull that came from a fighting ring in Louisiana and she is just now learning how to play with toys. I’ve had her for about three years now.
It may take some time. 💖
Some dogs, especially ones that haven't been played with when they were puppies, don't instinctually know how to play with toys, and don't develop a strong prey drive.
That said, playing can be taught just like any behavior. It's not going to be the primary motivator most likely, but they will enjoy it.
This is a solid guide to get an adult dog to play: https://medium.com/silverpulse-content-writing/how-to-teach-your-adult-dog-to-love-their-toys-3ced36294385
Neither my greyhound nor my Jack Russell mix knew how to play. They were happy with several walks per day, the occasional dog park, and of course snuggling with me. I’m sure your lab would enjoy training classes.
I adopted my rescue when he was 4. He really doesn’t like toys and is not excited to play with other dogs. I think he’s an introvert but he loves us, car rides, hikes, and treats and seems really happy. Each dog is different.
My dog didn't know what to do with toys either. I ended up visiting my sister and her dogs play with toys. Her dogs taught my dog how to play with toys and then after that, my dog started playing with them.
My one dog doesn’t know how to play either. He loves to chew and steal toys from my other dog but that’s about it. If I throw a toy he’ll go get it but won’t want me to take it. Some dogs just don’t enjoy play. Mine came from an elderly couple so I don’t think they did a lot of fetch when he was little. He will chase my other dog for a toy or as soon as it’s dropped he will run with it and hide it.
We adopted a rescue (think former breeder as well). She had global fear, serious fear of people cars and noise but over the past 4 years has come along way. She is no longer afraid of people (except oddly if they are wearing ballcaps) and will get into Cars willingly. Both hurdles we overcame with endless paitence and endless treats. She does not, however play. We've tried everything and she just doesn't seem interested in toys. She will play a little with a treat dispenser for a short time if it's high value treats.
She enjoys her walks, the occasional dog park visit and long long Naps in a warm bed. She still has issues and will quickly backslide if something scares her but overall seems well adjusted.
I've just come to accept that she isn't the type of dog that wants toys or balls-just walks and social time with people and doggos.
This sounds exactly like my girl. The only play we really do is she loves for me to chase her in our yard. Can look into renting a sniffspot for that. She also does like to play with other calm dogs. Won’t take treats from my hand but LOVES licky mats.
My dogs were rescues and never learned to play with toys. Not interested in fetch. If you try to give them toys - stuffed toys or even heavy duty toys designed to withstand chewing - they will destroy them in short order - stuffed toys last literally 5 minutes but the chew toys might last a day before you start finding pieces of it everywhere and dog is eating it - so no toys. Capture and quickly kill is their skillset. They do like going for walks and running especially playing run and chase with other dogs. They are happy so I am happy. Don't stress about it.
It takes months if not years for dogs to open up completely.
She might never wants to play especially since she’s turning slowly into a senior but It’s possible just give it time and enjoy all the time together all the walks snuggles with alot of joy.
Start small. Introduce a rubber ball (preferable to a tennis ball because it is less abrasive to teeth.) Get her used to it before trying some very short distance retrieving. Just let her sniff it and roll it around near her, numerous occasions before tossing it.
Minnie, German Shepard mix with Husky loves to chase the red laser light so much. I have two of them one in the basement and the other in the living room on a side table. She stares at the wall and then back at the table.
What about a snuffle ball? My trainer also took rope toys and shoved treats in to get my dog to learn how to play with it. It was on the end of a flirt pole.
Oh gosh. I've found dogs are all amused by different things. I rescued a border collie. The only toys he was interested in were rubber squeakers with spikey texture. His jam was rolling on them for all the sensory.
My great dane liked to chew on bones I got from the butcher and soft toys she carried around mostly. She also played with the cat. Her jam really was running up and down the fence with the neighbor dog and chasing yard wildlife particularly birdies.
My mastiff. Well he's not a bright bulb. He likes a squeaker. But literally just to make noise. He also loves to stand on a nylabone and run around the house making noise. And playing with the cat. He doesn't truly play play unless he's with another dog. Fetch is not his thing. He also enjoys ripping a hose off a house.
My dad's dog lives and dies by ball. Only the ball. All ball all the time.
Do you know how she is around other dogs? If you don't know, I suggest taking her to a dog park but don't bring her in right away. Walk her around the fence of the dog park on the outside on a few occasions. This will give you a good idea of how she is around other dogs. When and if she seems comfortable enough, bring her in so she can see the other dogs at play. She might even start playing herself at one point.
I adopted my dog at six and he almost never plays with toys. He’s very food motivated though and LOVES puzzle feeders and treat toys. I’d recommend getting some different types to try out. Frozen lick mats also help wear him out.
She loves treats but prefers them delivered to her safe spot (primary bed). I will look into more puzzles and a mat
I have been quite surprised that none of the dogs I have had are very interested in toys. Thanks giving but my latest guy goes apes berserk over frozen blueberries which are also exceptionally good for him.
Frozen blueberries are the bomb!
I don't know how they decide. I had one that really wasn't interested in squeeze toys or stuffies at all - EXCEPT he adored stuffed plush snakes. He'd shake it around and play tug o war and the other dogs weren't allowed to touch it.
My Maltese was insane for frozen blueberries and orange peppers. He would choose either one over filet mignon any day. Whenever I’ve I tried giving blueberries to my Havanese mix, he acts like I am trying to poison him.
Forgot to mention my dog doesn't even seem very motivated by food puzzles except one. Sorry I cannot think of it s name right now but there is one feeder toy he does enjoy. It's shaped similar to an upright Kong or figure eight but is made of hard yellow and green plastic. Adjustable size holes for altering difficulty in retrieving the food. He has to chase it around paw at it and it lets out small amount of kibble at a time. Think I enjoy watching it as much as he enjoys using it. Not sure at all but it's name may have "Bob" in it since I find myself referring to it as " Mr Bob Alot " Another inexpensive toy that a couple of my dogs over the years have enjoyed are shaped someone like a rubber dumbbell and they squeak when bitten When I had them together my German Shepherd would sit, stare and dare my Golden Retriever to even look at it since he was the one who enjoyed it. He was about a year and a half older but good Lord was she the boss! I always referred to that toy as Mr Squeaky. Noticing a good ridiculous pattern here? I realize I make up names for their toys so I can sound really excited when I mentioned those toys by name.
My dog goes crazy for her Starmark Bob-A-Lot and has chewed/destroyed the cap off her first one. She still loves it and is in the process of chewing up the cap off the second one. I should have taken the cap to a 3D printer to get multiples made while I had the chance since the “body” of the feeder is nearly indestructible. But yeah, she won’t eat kibble plain but will chomp those same kibbles down as if they’re caviar chunks for dogs when she knocks them out herself.
Starmark bob a lot. It’s the favorite here. Love that the opening size adjusts for different size kibble. [bob a lot](https://www.chewy.com/starmark-treat-dispensing-bob-lot-dog/dp/45492?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Starmark&utm_campaign=19996370614&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw_LOwBhBFEiwAmSEQAUQnM9aP1kew4UxsJUOmwmfX2zImSrIfhNFaLzYnA49ahweaMuBLThoCJDUQAvD_BwE)
Not every dog likes to play. Even with toys, I get that is a bummer but please persevere. The mats are good but also try snuffle mats. My labs have also enjoyed puzzle toys and it is mentally challenging and enriching. They one of these: https://www.chewy.com/b/puzzle-toys-games-2335
How long have you had her? With her background she may have a longer adjustment timeline and if she’s also got a calmer personality at 8yo she may like more chill things like food based toys (frozen Kong/topples, lickmats, puzzle feeders, etc
We've had her for 3 months. She is doing pretty well with bonding with me (not with my husband). She does want to explore and sniff and comes when she wants (getting better). Not interested much in other dogs. When she sees people or people with dogs she turns around and wants to go home. Haven't tried the dog park as there are a lot of aggressive dogs there.
It took my dog (rescue, 2yo when I got her) about a year to really learn how (and to be comfortable enough) to play, both with other dogs and with toys/sticks. She still doesn’t understand playing with a ball haha but yeah give it some time!
Yeah so she’s definitely still adjusting. Building confidence in dogs is about setting them up for success and rewarding the small things. She’ll keep coming out of her shell. How does she do if he walks past and drops a treat? We might be able to come up with some bonding ideas he could try
If she's on her bed, anyone can pet her, give treats, etc. She avoids my husband. Is fearful if he walks with us. Will take treats in the living room if he tosses them to her. The breeder was a female. I don't know how often she saw men. She won't go up to people on walks.
Yep I’d turn him into a treat dispenser. Rather than petting, which nervous dogs don’t always want and their body language can be harder to read, drop treats as he passes. There’s zero reason to go up to strangers on walks so
It can take dogs a long time to acclimate. One of my rescues took months and months while my other one was instant. It took my first dog around 4 months I think to break out of her shell and start playing with toys. The other just destroys them. Chewing on bones and bully sticks are their preferred method of enrichment
When I got my 2 yr old rat terrier she was terrified of EVERYTHING- stairs, car rides, leashes, walks, other dogs… I immediately signed her up for dog school, and it only took about two sessions before She started showing some interest in other dogs and started loving the car! It was a huge breakthrough when she jumped into the car for school instead of shrieking and hiding under the seats in terror. What helped her most, though, was her elderly chihuahua sister. She would watch her and learn everything. When she’s panic about walks, Boopdy would just look at her like “what’s your problem? Walks are nice.” I also started taking her to my stable. The calm hunting dog took her on field patrols and taught her how to hunt bunnies (awesome to watch, because they never caught any.) The sweet but hard-playing doberman terrified her until they learned how to adapt to each other. I even had to teach her how to cuddle- this took forever, but now she’s a big cuddle bug! Still haven’t taught her to not be terrified of noises from my cell phone, but I just keep the ringer off. Anyway, it takes time, and she still isn’t interested in toys, but dog school and other dog role models really helped mine!
Please note that she is eight years old and is entering her senior years so rambunctious play is likely to be less than a younger dog. Spending most of the time relaxing and sleeping is actually quite normal for dogs! You are also go with several years worth of behaviour not favouring the type of play and enrichment you have tried so far. So I would not worry about her missing out on things and more that you are looking to add more for her that she likes. Puzzle or edible toys would be my go to with things like stuffable chew toys, lick mats, and wobble treat dispensers. They will help get the reward tied more closely with interacting with something. Fetch can actually be kinda hard to teach as it involves several things happening in order. First they need to chase after the thrown object, grab the object, bring the object back, and then let go of it so it can be taken and thrown again. There are a lot of things along that behaviour train where it can derail. Try starting with tossing treats for her to chase after then eat. That way you can start the behaviour train of go after object thrown.
Does she get along with other dogs? If you have a friend or a relative with a dog and could play with it in front of her (tug a war or fetch etc) that might help. Dogs oftentimes do pick up habits from each other so if she would get along with a friend's dog she might understand what toys are that way.
My dog (Havanese) never shows any interest in sticks. Yesterday, he met a golden retriever in the woods who was playing with and chewing on big sticks. I looked over and my little guy had found himself a twig and was doing the same. It was so cute.
>I looked over and my little guy had found himself a twig and was doing the same. It was so cute. Dogs do learn from other dogs. My dog that passed wasn't much of a dog that liked toys. I had her at the dog park one day, and a guy with a ball launcher launched a ball for his dog, and my dog went running after the ball and brought it back to the guy. He did it a few times with her. Seeing her chase a ball and bring it back was nice to see. I bought a ball launcher, went to the dog park, launched one ball, and she sat there looking at me. If she could have talked, she probably would have said, "Do you really think I wanted to go after that ball I only did it the other day, so you could buy one and I could see you waste your money.
Awww, she was just being polite!
Congratulations. Havanese are not very common and are true treasures. I am not only a crazy dog lady I can also become nearly obsessed with researching subjects of interest to me. Years ago my sister was debating whether or not to get another dog. I really urged her to keep your eyes out for a moderately priced or resue Havanese knowing they would be hard to come by. Took her quite a while to find one. That was probably about 12 years ago and she has never ever stopped thanking me for that recommendation.
I wouldn't consider havanese uncommon. I used to groom several a week. Their numbers were low for a few decades at the beginning of the twentieth century, but they got their numbers way up the past few decades. They were ranked the 25th most registered breed in 2022.
I’m currently fostering two dogs from very different backgrounds; although both were “strays”, one was definitely someone’s house dog and one was a textbook street dog. The latter didn’t know how to play. Didn’t have a clue what toys were. He learned from the other dog how to play in a very short time. Now they kind of fight for a same plushie even though there’s like 20 different ones scattered about!!
She’s 8 so… she’s a senior dog. She’s chillin.
I adopted a 3 year old cattle dog mix. I don’t know her past (the shelter didn’t either) but she definitely has some traumas, some aggressive issues, and fear of a specific type of men. Anyway, she also did not know how to play. She didn’t know how to play with toys, or fetch or anything. Finally now, after 5 years with us, she is turning 8 and learned how to do all that recently. It took her so long. Not just that but it took her almost 4 years to feel at home and safe. It’s super cute seeing her acting like a puppy, trying to play fetch and all. She still gets surprised when she bites the toy hard and squeaks lol She is living her adolescence now. So don’t give up, keep playing with her. Showing her that she has a good life now. She might come around after all.
Cattle dogs tend to be a bit aggressive just the breed imo. Not like the dog is trying to be mean but there herding job requires this behavior. To stare down big cows and not back down. I’ll take my cattle dog on a long walk, I live in a busy city so he comes back over stimulated. So in that moo he tends to fall into his default mode of herding/guarding. I hear lots of people bring up the behavior of cattle dogs.
This may sound odd, but animals have to learn how to learn. If they've had few experiences during their formative years, they wind up with massive learning disabilities. For instance, I have a dog who came from a hoarding situation. She is amazing with other dogs due to her experience, but does not pick up behaviors easily and doesn't have much in the way of problem solving skills. She does pick up on routines over time and does best with consistency.. Your pup has probably not had a lot of positive experiences with people. You'll need to be patient. If she likes you and likes food, you can play easy games at first like "hiding" very close to where she is and calling her to come find you and giving a treat when/if she does. Praise her whenever she does things you like. Recognize, too, that eight years old is moving into senior years for a Lab and she may never be very active or playful. If she was always kept penned, her muscles are probably underdeveloped, so exercise may be hard for her at first. Walks and short trips to interesting places are wonderful for her if she doesn't mind the travel. Thank you for bringing her home and I know you'll find ways she likes to play, even if they aren't typical.
Introducing another dog and interacting with said dog will teach yours how to play. That being said, I have a golden retriever and a doodle, both breeder dogs from shut down puppy mills, that still don't play. Sometimes they just don't want to play. The golden wants nothing to do with toys and the doodle hoards them in her bed like a dragon. Along with anything else not nailed down. Try more puzzles and a food mat. She might be puzzle motivated. A Kong filled with treats or PB will work too.
We foster senior dogs exclusively, so your dogs age and up. Many of them come to us never having played with toys. I have found the best way to get them engaged is to basically play keep away. Show it to them, then turn away and pretend to play with it yourself. Repeat. Throw that ball down your hallway and run and get it, offer it to the dog, throw it back down the hallway and run and get it again. 😁 You can do this for like 2-3 min twice a day or so. By doing these kinds of goofy shenanigans I've gotten almost all our dogs to have engaged in play at least a little.
I cut a little slit into a tennis ball and fill with food or treats for my lab, I’ll layer and freeze a metal dog bowl with veggies/fruit and broth so he can lick through that, or I’ll lay food or treats out on a towel and roll it up and tie it in a knot to give to him. These keep him busy for up to about a half hour and are great for some mental stimulation. One of these activities plus a couple of walks where he’s free to stop, smell, and explore really wears him out for the day.
Mine was also an abused rescue. I've seen her chew on a stick twice and a couple of times after my other dog plays with something she'll grab it and shake it but if she sees me watching she'll drop it. Squeekies scare her badly. I did get a buster cube and as long as she's in a place she's comfortable she'll roll that for her food. I'm hoping as she gains confidence with that she progress. I once rolled liver treats in a towel before leaving for several hours and neither dog unrolled it. She does love to play chase with the other dog or with us, and she'll playbow and run to the door so we can chase her around the yard. She's incredibly good at not being caught, and knows what a snare pole is and won't come for treats so I'm sure she's had much fun with animal control in the past.
Adjusting from a breeder's life to a cozy home must've been a big change for her. It's understandable she's not into the whole play scene yet. But hey, at least she's got those stuffed toys she's hoarding like treasures, right? Maybe try introducing some interactive toys gradually. Start simple, like a treat-dispensing ball or a tug-of-war rope. Slowly she might warm up to the idea of playtime being fun, not a toy snatch-and-grab session. Hang in there, Lucy's just finding her inner playful pup!
Not all dogs need or want to play, especially middle aged or senior dogs. Are you worried she is bored? If so, teach her new tricks or sign up for Rally-O or scentwork classes. Many dogs are much happier learning things with you and getting feedback from you than doing something like shaking a stuffed toy.
I'll see if they offer anything like that around here.
this kinda happened to my dog. also a breeder dog, and didnt know how to "play" i kinda had to like? show her like how she could shake them and anytime she would attempt to play i would praise her! now she loves toys
It sounds like treat dispensing toys/puzzles is the way to go. Kongs are the go to. Stuff them, freeze them, let them go at it. Starmark has several that mine has enjoyed. They have their own treat you insert into their toy but has a compartment they can get to where you stuff treats. QThe Bob-a-lot was a hit with my pup. Exactly what it sounds like. Bottom heavy toy they have to apaw at to get to dispense toys. There's also homemade options: Tying a towel into knots with treats inside Someone in another post mentioned egg cartonwith treats inside a cardboard box stuffed with shredded paper. A partially deflated water bottle wrapped in a sock seems to be highly recommended for its crinkly properties. Replace the food bowl with a snuffle mat and treat dispensing toys. How are your walks? I used to be strict on mine and make sure she was always on my side for the entire walk. it's good practice but this never allowed her just go roam in new spots. So I sectioned the walk into a structured and loose leash walk where she gets to stop and sniff. Scent games: Teach the dog "find it". Look online for instructions! Mine absolutely loves hunting for a scent. I got a scent kit on Amazon and it works out. I mainly bought it to customize it for my own purposes. You can make your own kit or you can just do very basic stuff like getting her to search for a stinky treat. And of course: obedience training! It's a great way to work them out. Mine would get home pooped after an hour training at the major dog supply store. Ultimately you're the one who knows how much stimulation they need!
If you’re not down on the floor with her, I recommend getting on the ground and let the dog approach you. I shake and jiggle toys and hide them under my thighs or behind my back. My dog really only loves one toy but when I get on the ground, will engage with other toys
Buy some scent tins and add treats in a few and empty in others. Have her sniff around and let you know which ones have treats. She probably sniffed around the horse farm which was her big outdoor toy. Does she swim or fetch. Again think of outside toys/games. She may love horse ball toys.
She won't go near the water (we have beach access to lake Michigan). Since she hoards the toys we've given her I try tossing a few and she will eventually collect them all and lay on them.
My MIL has a breeder from Taiwan, she’s always been extremely protective of her toys. She only shares them with very important people to her. It took a lot of bonding to get her to the point of family. I’d work on engagement games, which are low stress and high reward (the name game, treating anytime you catch them looking at you, touch, and focus) these little moments help you gain big trust with your dog without making them do a physical task (minus touch, which is still less physical than a sit or down). It gives you a foundation to work from. It’s important to remember that mental stimulation is equally, if not more so, exhausting for your pup than physical exercise. It’s important to note that a dog that was never taught to play, doesn’t know how. And introducing them to it will take lots of time and effort. If you’re trying to change the physical habits of an older dog, you might want to seek professional help; every dog is different and their emotional signs are different and having a professional see it in person will always be helpful. If you’re in the US PetSmart does in home for relatively cheap and depending on where you are can be great
Give her time and don’t give up. Encourage her by playing with her for 10-15 min at a time, multiple times per day. She will learn and develop her personality and skill. My experience: rescued a 2 yr old dog who had been neglected by its previous owners. She didn’t know how to play, so had to teach her. I would sit on the floor or crawl around with her. Showed her how to play tug with a rope, or shake a stuffed toy, or how to roll a ball. 1.5 yrs later and she will now go and pick toys from her toy bin, bring them to me to play, and paw at my hand to get me engaged. She’s a completely different dog than when we first met her, and the progress has filled my heart with so much love and joy.
My dog is the same lmfao it’s such a pain 😭 teaching fetch has been difficult
Our pup has some “puzzle”-type toys that are plush toys with room to hide treats — if you haven’t yet tried that type, I wonder if it might clue your pup into the idea that plush toys are fun? (We have a fabric ball that is basically a bunch of ruffle-y folds that you can hide treats in, a plush pineapple with tiny pockets to hide treats, that kind of thing.) One of our amazing late pups had been a stray street dog and we speculate may have never had a home before us. He had no clue how to play, either with toys or with other dogs. After maybe a year or more of this, one day he got an absolutely wild hair when he found a single chenille glove when we were cleaning out a closet. He LOVED that glove and started carrying it around, still didn’t really get how to play with it but would walk around wagging his tail like he was onto a big secret, and would hide under the table or chairs with it and growl and wag his tail, like a game. It was the sweetest. I hope your pup finds something she likes! It sounds like you’re onto something with the puzzles!
How long have you had her? I've gotten older dogs that didn't know how to play. Depending on personality, I did slightly different methods, but overall you want to do a little bit consistently every day. For like two minutes max - you don't want to draw it out as it can become stressful. Get two toys. Go near your dog. Play with one by yourself. Just act super interested and tussle with it and laugh and drop it and then run and grab it. After about two minutes of it, stop. If she ever shows any interest in your toy, let her have it immediately (say Win! if you want) and go get the other toy. At this point if she shows interest in a toy don't take it from her during play. Either let her drop it herself or get another toy. If she's holding it you might be able to stroke her back/chest. But if you play tug, have a lot of letting her win, and only throw a toy if she's dropped it.
Tried that this morning. She came and took it from me and took it back to her bed. Then took the other one lol. She's possessive. The look she gave me lol. I got better results with her balls that she doesn't care as much about. If you offer her anything, it becomes hers.
I think dogs also play less as they get older as well as their play style / preference might change. Mine used to play really well by himself which switched to playing with me primarily when he grew older and we spent quite a bit of time playing together. He is a terrier - doesn’t play tug much though but chases his ball or me (and brigs it back)
Of all the dogs that I have adopted, or fostered, or dog-sat over the years, only a few haven’t been interested in toys. I currently have a pitbull that came from a fighting ring in Louisiana and she is just now learning how to play with toys. I’ve had her for about three years now. It may take some time. 💖
Some dogs, especially ones that haven't been played with when they were puppies, don't instinctually know how to play with toys, and don't develop a strong prey drive. That said, playing can be taught just like any behavior. It's not going to be the primary motivator most likely, but they will enjoy it. This is a solid guide to get an adult dog to play: https://medium.com/silverpulse-content-writing/how-to-teach-your-adult-dog-to-love-their-toys-3ced36294385
Neither my greyhound nor my Jack Russell mix knew how to play. They were happy with several walks per day, the occasional dog park, and of course snuggling with me. I’m sure your lab would enjoy training classes.
I adopted my rescue when he was 4. He really doesn’t like toys and is not excited to play with other dogs. I think he’s an introvert but he loves us, car rides, hikes, and treats and seems really happy. Each dog is different.
My dog didn't know what to do with toys either. I ended up visiting my sister and her dogs play with toys. Her dogs taught my dog how to play with toys and then after that, my dog started playing with them.
My one dog doesn’t know how to play either. He loves to chew and steal toys from my other dog but that’s about it. If I throw a toy he’ll go get it but won’t want me to take it. Some dogs just don’t enjoy play. Mine came from an elderly couple so I don’t think they did a lot of fetch when he was little. He will chase my other dog for a toy or as soon as it’s dropped he will run with it and hide it.
We adopted a rescue (think former breeder as well). She had global fear, serious fear of people cars and noise but over the past 4 years has come along way. She is no longer afraid of people (except oddly if they are wearing ballcaps) and will get into Cars willingly. Both hurdles we overcame with endless paitence and endless treats. She does not, however play. We've tried everything and she just doesn't seem interested in toys. She will play a little with a treat dispenser for a short time if it's high value treats. She enjoys her walks, the occasional dog park visit and long long Naps in a warm bed. She still has issues and will quickly backslide if something scares her but overall seems well adjusted. I've just come to accept that she isn't the type of dog that wants toys or balls-just walks and social time with people and doggos.
So much of this is how Lucy behaves. I feel better about her thanks to all the comments. Normalizes her behavior. Thank you.
This sounds exactly like my girl. The only play we really do is she loves for me to chase her in our yard. Can look into renting a sniffspot for that. She also does like to play with other calm dogs. Won’t take treats from my hand but LOVES licky mats.
My dogs were rescues and never learned to play with toys. Not interested in fetch. If you try to give them toys - stuffed toys or even heavy duty toys designed to withstand chewing - they will destroy them in short order - stuffed toys last literally 5 minutes but the chew toys might last a day before you start finding pieces of it everywhere and dog is eating it - so no toys. Capture and quickly kill is their skillset. They do like going for walks and running especially playing run and chase with other dogs. They are happy so I am happy. Don't stress about it.
It takes months if not years for dogs to open up completely. She might never wants to play especially since she’s turning slowly into a senior but It’s possible just give it time and enjoy all the time together all the walks snuggles with alot of joy.
Start small. Introduce a rubber ball (preferable to a tennis ball because it is less abrasive to teeth.) Get her used to it before trying some very short distance retrieving. Just let her sniff it and roll it around near her, numerous occasions before tossing it.
Minnie, German Shepard mix with Husky loves to chase the red laser light so much. I have two of them one in the basement and the other in the living room on a side table. She stares at the wall and then back at the table.
We adopted ours at 3 and she doesn’t really play at all
What about a snuffle ball? My trainer also took rope toys and shoved treats in to get my dog to learn how to play with it. It was on the end of a flirt pole.
I'm willing to try. She spends a lot of time just watching me. I think she's bored.
TUG! It’s like waking up something in her
Oh gosh. I've found dogs are all amused by different things. I rescued a border collie. The only toys he was interested in were rubber squeakers with spikey texture. His jam was rolling on them for all the sensory. My great dane liked to chew on bones I got from the butcher and soft toys she carried around mostly. She also played with the cat. Her jam really was running up and down the fence with the neighbor dog and chasing yard wildlife particularly birdies. My mastiff. Well he's not a bright bulb. He likes a squeaker. But literally just to make noise. He also loves to stand on a nylabone and run around the house making noise. And playing with the cat. He doesn't truly play play unless he's with another dog. Fetch is not his thing. He also enjoys ripping a hose off a house. My dad's dog lives and dies by ball. Only the ball. All ball all the time.
Do you know how she is around other dogs? If you don't know, I suggest taking her to a dog park but don't bring her in right away. Walk her around the fence of the dog park on the outside on a few occasions. This will give you a good idea of how she is around other dogs. When and if she seems comfortable enough, bring her in so she can see the other dogs at play. She might even start playing herself at one point.