Playing with toys ?

[Vino tinto !]

Stupid Question number 120987766 !!   Why is it that Tilly just will not play with her toys ? She is quite happy to go out in the garden and explore,but shows no real interest in any of her toys.Even though I play with them with her,she loves to chew as well,but not her toys, always something she souldn't ? I know that puppies have a limited attention span but sometimes she will not play with something for more than 5 seconds. I am at home with her all day, any suggestions or offerings my friends ? 

[Becky and Wilson]

When we first got wilson I don't think he'd ever seen toys before (never saw any at the breeders home) so we literally had to teach him what to do with them!  Which was a shock being our first dog we figured all dogs would no what to do with toys!  As for chewing what she shouldn't you just have to teach them what is ok and what is not! as soon as she chews her toy say good girl etc and maybe a treat!  Then if she's chewing what she shouldn't just say Ah Ah and give her her chew toy!

[JenSam]

Sam was exactly the same at first.  He was not a toy dog at all.  Only recently has he taken an interest in his toy box and goes and gets his stuff out and brings it to us to play with him.  He is 7 months now.

[Bev_M]

Strange how dogs are all so different.

Hamish loves his toys and often has a good rummage round his toy box and he is just 8 weeks. Breeder did have loads of toys around the puppies though, so maybe that is why

[*sammy*]

sam has only started playing with his toys. a few weeks ago he would tip his toy box over and that was it. he would always play with empty bottles though
he will go to his box now take out a toy, run to the grass and have 10 chewing by himself- peace

he's not interested in me playing with them with him mind

[Coco]

Wherry has certain toys she plays with, others she doesn't. Anything with a ropey bit of length so she can kind of fling it up and pounce on it she loves. Balls etc don't interest her unless we play too. She has one particular that has 6 rubber bits sticking outlike a jack and a rope through so when you throw it it goes in different directions. That's the only one she was interested in for ages as a pup.

ETA: http://www.dogtoys.com/orkajackrope.html

[LurcherGirl]

Just persevere. Use toys like tuggies or balls on a rope and keep encouraging her (wriggle them on the floor etc). Play with them yourself as well as if they were the best thing since sliced bread; you may want to rope in other family members too that you can throw a ball back and forse for example. She will eventually join in because you seem to have such a good time.

You can also try another secret tip if she likes treats: put a few treats into a furry pencil case and get her to tug on that. Many dogs get converted that way.

Dogs have to learn playing with toys, luckily Jesse's breeder played with the pups from an early age, so Jesse loved nothing more than tugging and retrieving games from the day he arrived.

Vera

[Vino tinto !]

Thank you everyone ! I am doing most of these things  We have made most of her toys for her,empty water bottles with some dried pasta inside,rope round the top to tug with ! Empty kitchen and loo rolls, a rope tugger.We bought her a puppy kong,but there you go. We shall just persevere and continue playing with her. 

[kalami]

Bella was the same, even now some of the toys she ignores, her favorite's are 'petstages' we have a few of these and she loves them.

http://www.petstages.com/toysd.asp

MIL puppy doesn't play with toys either - she's a right  though - her favorite toys are ankles, bottoms of skirts etc - i never knew that my PJ bottoms could stretch so far

[Michele]

Does Tilly have access to ALL of her toys ALL of the time? I find it  helps to keep some back and swap them over from time to time, otherwise just like children they hold no interest.

I think some dogs genuinely like toys more than others, Halle who is not quite 3 isn't that fussed with toys but will happily rip up a cardboard roll. Florence on the other hand loves her toys and will have a game with them all by herself. 

[Coco]

Wherry had no interest in her pupy kong whatsoever! Think maybe she hadn't worled it out or just couldn't be bothered to work that hard 

[Potter]

The only toys Daisy will quietly play with on her own are the "chewies" and the puppy kong - but the latter lasts all of 30 seconds till it's empty, and then she has completely forgotten all about it! 

She will bring soft toys to us to play tug with, but she is "killing" them and tugging with us - never playing on her own with them.  And she too has favourites, and one she always has through the night, but never any other time.  She is just beginning to rummage in her toy box, but has to be coaxed to do so.

They are all different - Daisy would be much happier playing (read chewing)  with our fingers and toes!    But I've declared zero tolerance on that, so she's having to make do with the toys! 

Kay
-x-

[Mari]

The only toy Laurië played with for more than 2sec is gone    She loved this toy and would play with it on her own for ages. It seems that no toy can replace it, believe me I've tried. I feel so guilty for loosing it when we moved to Norway. It had a bell inside the head, a tennisball for a body and rope legs and tail. Looked like a a hippo giraffe hybrid  I don't want to steal the thread, but if anyone knows where I can find one of these, I would be very grateful to know! PM me or somethin please

[louis mum]

Bella was the same, even now some of the toys she ignores, her favorite's are 'petstages' we have a few of these and she loves them.

http://www.petstages.com/toysd.asp]

Wilkinson stores have a pet stages range at the moment at a really cheap price, around £2.50 an item, a bargain I thought.