How to help dog learn to play?

Hi,

Reggie (2 year old rescue dog, been here for 2 1/2 weeks) needs some help with learning to play. He is not really interested in chasing a ball or a stick and when I do throw something for him he gets very hyped up and instead of running after what I have thrown, starts running at me, chewing his lead and trying to bite my clothes. I have started avoiding large open spaces as I am afraid he will bite me in his excitement. He does play tug with rubber toys indoors but it is more like a battle for dominance and once I have won he loses interest. He will chase after a toy indoors a couple of times but again does get quite overexcited.

He has loads of energy and I do want to be able to work it off with games but don't know how to get him to play like this.

I am no expert but since hes been with you for a very short time it might be related to trusting you. I think putting him in a good stable routine will help him calm down and also trust you.

I think time is your answer here.

I agree ~ a set routine & getting to know each other is more important at this stage than learning to play. Plus just because we think it is "play" & therefore enjoyable, is not necessarily what a dog thinks it is!

And with young little terriers & your description of his behaviour, it could well be predatory practice. If this is the case, the physiology associated with predatory behaviour is very different from the physiology associated with play & enjoyment.

Wait a bit before getting him too hyped up & excited with "play". You may be better off doing more calming things & teaching him to use his brain a bit more. Clicker training can be very good for this & dogs get just as tired doing mental activities as they do with physical activity, possibly more tired. And clicker training is a great way to create a lovely bond with your dog.

Thanks for comments.

The reason I wanted to be able to get him to run around is that I go back to work in just over2 weeks and he will be in a crate during the day. I will be able to come home for about 15 minutes in the middle of the day but wanted to be able to take him into the garden and get rid of some energy before he is left for the afternoon.

cant really help on the play front but if it were me i wouldnt be coming home and effectively get him all wound up for 15mins then crate and leave him. i think this could lead to a lot of anxiety on his part? morning will be spent in anticipation of big excitement at lunchtime then he will be left to 'come down' after a 15min visit middle of the day

i would exercise before work then leave him with his breakfast then lunch visit will be a comfort break then take him out for his exercise when you get home

Yep, same here. It takes a lot longer for the excitement to go away & for a dog to settle than you think. You'd be better off keeping him calm & settled with just a quick toilet break in the garden.

A friend of mine lives alone with her 2 dogs & works full time. She walks them early morning for 20 mins or so, visits them at lunchtime, so they go into the garden to toilet, then gives them their main walk for 2 hours or so in the evenings. The dogs are so used to this routine now that when she goes home at lunchtime, they sometimes don't even get up from the bed, you just here the "thump, thump" of wagging tails & a lot of yawning

The last thing you want to do is have to leave an excited & hyped up dog to go back to work!!

Also, what are your work hours?

15 mins seems an awfuly short interval if your are crated several hours per day.

have you considered employing a dog walker?

also i wouldnt use sticks for chase, as dogs have been injured by them.

they can impact and pierce the throat when they go to catch them.

Rather than physically try to tire him out (as said, 15 minutes of exercise will probably hype him up rather than calm him down), try mental exercise - apparently 15 minutes of mental 'exercise' is comparable to an hour of physical exercise! A short session of loose-lead or heel work in the garden (look into the "300 peck" approach) if that's not something he's pegged already, teaching a new trick via clicker training, hiding titbits or a favourite toy for him to find - things that will make him use his brain. That way you'll break up the day, sort his boredom and he won't be so hyped up when it's time to go back in the crate.

It sounds like he may be interested in playing tug. Have you tried just playing tug with him? I spent ages thinking that I needed play fetch with my dog and it turned out she had almost no interest in it at all. Recently I've begun playing the games SHE wants to and she and I are a lot happier with our play sessions!

Also, I should add, it may just take him a little while to really get comfortable enough to play. Dahlia didn't play at all when we first got her and then began pouncing on and squeaking toys.

I have to be at work by 8.30 at the latest and finish between 3.45 and 4.00. I only have 30 mins lunchtime but as I only work about 5 minutes away from home will be able to get back for 15 minutes. I had not originally intended to leave Reggie in a crate whilst I was at work - he was going to stay in a small hallway but, contrary to what the rescue people thought, he is a massive chewer - door frames, wires etc. and at the moment it would not be safe to leave him not in a crate.

What is '300 peck approach'?