My 15 week old pup is OVERLY attached to me (and the family). She plays very nicely with toys and so forth as long as you are in the same room with her! I am about to go on vacation and she will be watched by my 3 adult kids (God help her!!!). Any suggestions on how to get her to play alone?
my puppy won't play!
- Thread starter emmygirl
- Start date
mcguiregirl2248
Forums Enthusiast
I'm sorry, I really don't have any suggestions. I think she will be ok. I think that once your kids get there to take care of her, they will find that it is hard to resist playing with a sheltie pup and they will give her more time than you expect. Have fun and try not to worry much. She's young and will bounce right back to normal when you get home!
shellteeguy
Forums Novice
Won't Play
Well here's a suggestion, I don't know how good it is. Perhaps you could get her a new toy for when you're away. And maybe make it like a kong with a treat in it? I would think she would still need supervision to a degree with the kong, just to be safe. Have a good time, she'll be okay
ShelteeGuy
Well here's a suggestion, I don't know how good it is. Perhaps you could get her a new toy for when you're away. And maybe make it like a kong with a treat in it? I would think she would still need supervision to a degree with the kong, just to be safe. Have a good time, she'll be okay
ShelteeGuy
sable
Forums Enthusiast
Your gonna have to buy another sheltie!
My two really play cute together, but I still have to throw the ball and frisbee and play with both of them at the same time.
My two really play cute together, but I still have to throw the ball and frisbee and play with both of them at the same time.
Rassy
Forums Enthusiast
yup 2 Shelties are better than 1 !!!!! Even 3 perhaps !!! heheh,, better have some tug of war toys though,, or a old pairs of socks availible....
I agree, the best solution is another sheltie! When I had only one, he would NEVER play alone, nor would he want to be left alone in the backyard, which he loved. Now that I have two, they play together most of the time, but I still have to throw the ball, and stuff, but when I am not there, they keep each other company.
When I had only one, he would NEVER play alone, nor would he want to be left alone in the backyard, which he loved. Now that I have two, they play together most of the time, but I still have to throw the ball, and stuff, but when I am not there, they keep each other company.
Caro
Moderator
As a pup Tully she wouldnt play with toys so I got a behaviourist in who showed me this method. Now she walks around with toys all the time and will happy sit and squeak away. Get a toy that the dog that has not been used before so doesnt have anyone elses scent. A couple of times a day give the dog the toy for 2mins at first then take the toy and put away. After 3 days build it up to 5 minutes for a few days then 10min and then 15 min. By the end of a fortnight you should build it up to 20mins. By this time hopefully the dog will figure toys are valuable things and this toy will become their extra special toy.
Shelties are 'velcro' breeds anyway and at that age she is still a baby so it will be hard.
Another thought - could you give her games or activities to play so she can be active by herself? The kong is one thing she can do. You could also hide her food around the house or yard (in fairly obvious spots to begin with) so she occupies herself with looking for it. I call this the puppy treasure hunt and both my dogs will happily stay at home alone if he or she has a treasure hunt to occupy them.
Shelties are 'velcro' breeds anyway and at that age she is still a baby so it will be hard.
Another thought - could you give her games or activities to play so she can be active by herself? The kong is one thing she can do. You could also hide her food around the house or yard (in fairly obvious spots to begin with) so she occupies herself with looking for it. I call this the puppy treasure hunt and both my dogs will happily stay at home alone if he or she has a treasure hunt to occupy them.
romeosangiovese
Forums Enthusiast
How long will you be away for? It took Romeo all of 3 days to forget about his mum and when I got back I could see that he started to look up to my dad (my folks were watching him for me).
She will find one of your kids to be velcroed to pretty quickly and if she knows how to play with her toys she'll know what to do when she gets bored. Don't worry too much. If she's bored, she will find something or bug someone to occupy her time!
She will find one of your kids to be velcroed to pretty quickly and if she knows how to play with her toys she'll know what to do when she gets bored. Don't worry too much. If she's bored, she will find something or bug someone to occupy her time!
Calliesmom
Moderator
how do you treasure hunt with 2 dogs? and would the toy trick work with an adult dog?
Caro
Moderator
They just worked out between themselves where they want to hunt. I always make sure I plant the food in 2 areas. Inside Tully always heads to the kitchen and Deska to the lounge, and outside Tully goes into the garden and Desksa searches the ground. They are so busy hunting for the food they dont take notice of each other.
Its worth a try with an adult. Tully was 6mths when I got the behav advice. All the other advice he gave me related more to adult dogs than puppys anyway.
Its worth a try with an adult. Tully was 6mths when I got the behav advice. All the other advice he gave me related more to adult dogs than puppys anyway.