How much play is required?

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wordnerd	How much play is required?		Lead	[-]
Posts: 1977 07/02/09 2:27 PM	Okay, another thread has me thinking about how much play/interaction dogs need with other dogs. I have three dogs, but only Oakley really likes to play. I feel bad when he is all ready to play and tries so hard to get Bella or Bailey to romp and they just aren't interested. I try to set up playdates, but often these are very structured and very little play is accomplished. I want to keep him safe, but feel like I am cheating him by not finding opportunities for him to "rough-house" with other, equally matched canines. What do you think? He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion--Anonymous
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valerie		#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 63 07/02/09 10:51 PM	My adult dog is really active and loves to play. She gets at least an hour every day at the dogpark and often more than that (we have nice spacious and safe dogparks in Boulder). I don't know if you are cheating him, but I bet he would love it if he could play more. . .
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sheltienose		#2	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2244 07/03/09 12:11 AM	Well, I don't know the scientific answer to this, but I know happy when I see it, and Byrdie is definitely so, so happy when he gets to play (where play = chase) with his friend Murphy. He tries and tries to get Bunny to chase him, but he only succeeds in pissing her off. Murphy will chase him until they both collapse. Byrdie looks like he's fulfilling some kind of primal doggie need when they do this. It's very satisfying to watch. Byrdie and Bun Bun
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JaneMicky		#3	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2426 07/03/09 7:45 AM	Thanks for posting this wn... I'll be watching for more responses with interest. Valerie, I'd love to try the dog park, but I'm nervous to do so. If I had more experience I'd try it. sn, I agree. Micky has a friend like that -- Charley -- and it is pure joy to watch them chase each other. We just don't get to see Charley very often. Jane and Micky
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valerie		#4	[url]	[-]
Posts: 63 07/03/09 11:12 AM	JaneMicky wrote: Valerie, I'd love to try the dog park, but I'm nervous to do so. If I had more experience I'd try it. It helps to go with someone who is familiar and who knows the dogs and to watch from outside so you can learn what is play, what is tension, and what is too much. You might be able to get a local trainer to go with you. Even just watching a few times on your own would be a big help. I have found that alot of initial tension can be defused by the dogs as long as the owners don't overreact. It also helps to start by going at off-hours when there are maybe just 1-3 dogs playing as more dogs can get very rowdy very quickly. I find that walking away from the swirling pack helps too (my dog generally follows me). And if there's a choice, choose a large park so there is plenty of room for the dogs to spread out. We used to go to a very small park in Philly and it could get tense with all the dogs clogged together.
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BasiaMH		#5	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3641 07/03/09 12:11 PM Senior Member	I always just figured dogs evolved over all those millenia to be attuned to people more than to other dogs. That was my experience with my dog -- he occasionally really enjoyed playing with selected dogs if they were 'just right' (which was not most dogs), but I never got the impression it was something he couldn't do without, or that it thrilled him more than a game of fetch with a human did, or in some special irreplaceable way. I.e., it was really fun when we did find dogs he was well matched with, but I really didn't feel bad or guilty if several years passed without playing with another dog. I assume it depends on the dog (breed and individual), though.
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Salty Dogs		#6	[url]	[-]
Posts: 5863 07/05/09 10:42 AM Dog Sports Trainer/Moderator	It varies with breed and personality, not all dogs are like yours was Basia. wordnerd, this is why I tend to get dogs in pairs, so they have a canine bud who is somewhat similar in energy level I realize not everyone has the freedom to do this, so not suggesting it for everyone. Inexplicably, right now I have this young trio But they serve the same purpose. They are spelled in the yard two at a time to keep eachother busy. I keep thinking of Liam as one of the youngsters, but he's 6 now. I "got" him only partially for me, he was partly for Willa. After her bud Jessie left us I went through a succession of dogs meant for that purpose that I rehomed because they weren't right for this house. Finally, Liam. When Willa could no longer keep up with him and, in fact, shouldn't even be trying cause she was getting fragile, I got Keira. She and Liam get along GREAT. They both still played with Willa under strict supervision cause she liked to play right up until the end when she just couldn't. That was simply her personality, playful. I didn't really "need" Shane, but he fits in beautifully - he's keeping Keira and Liam busy, for sure. Frieda is the only dog I've had who could sincerely take or leave other dogs. Even Jax, whose a little weirdo, seems to enjoy his relationship with Frieda and Skeeter, and Skeeter has liked all the dogs, big or small. Anyway, my strategy is to run my own dog park since I don't care for the real thing in our neck of the woods. I sincerely realize this may not be helpful to anyone who doesn't have the freedom to add dogs at will Patty
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finnsmydog		#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 10671 07/05/09 11:07 AM Senior Member	I have one dog that likes play, one who could do without. But even the one that likes to play doesn't really like dog parks --- so I tend to give play if it is available with appropriate dogs. Luckily enough we are friends with many dogs that Finn likes/tolerates/does not care about that Lucy likes to play with. All play is supervised --- call me control freak. I have seen Finn play with Lucy a handful of times but they don't really play with each other, either. When I am playing fetch with them, they take turns coming to me with the toy. Kei, Finn finn and Lulu Lucy
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galloway		#8	[url]	[-]
Posts: 1456 07/05/09 12:36 PM Senior Member	Very interesting discussion! Sylvia is the most playful of my dogs. She will often solicit play with Reuben and with Spen, but not with Alex. She and Alex get along really well, but she never plays with him like she does with the others. I suspect that his play style is too forceful for her. Alex's play buddy and BFF, surprisingly, is Ellie, a 20lb mix who belongs to a relative. All of my dogs will play with her. She comes in with all kinds of attitude, but my dogs seem not to take her seriously while she's toting her "I am the Queen" sign. I think it's incredibly helpful to give dogs access to appropriate play with other dogs. I think that being playful with other dogs especially gives my more serious dogs (Spen and Reuben) a chance to lighten up around other dogs. Last Edited By: galloway 07/05/09 3:56 PM. Edited 1 time.
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BasiaMH		#9	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3641 07/05/09 2:53 PM Senior Member	I think my dog might have developed to be more dog-oriented if he'd lived with another well-matched dog (particularly another Sheltie) or if we had a close neighbour or friend with one. I mean, he preferred family to strangers with humans, so I could believe that it would be the same with other dogs -- i.e., that the more he developed a long-term relationship with another dog (assuming all went well and they had the same play style and so on) the more strongly he might be pulled to play with them, just as he loved most playing with humans he knew best. I know the handful of dog friends that he did have he recognized and was clearly happy to bump into (esp an older Golden and a similar-aged Beardie for many years - we used to play in the park with the Beardie, but it was mostly parallel play), but maybe none of them was quite 'right' for him to really be 'best pals' with (too big, too small, too something - they liked each other but didn't really play - the only times I really saw him play with other dogs was with other Shelties, although he did seem to really enjoy that). But I also wonder if some dogs are just less dog-oriented than others, or if it's partly learned or something.
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sheltienose		#10	[url]	[-]
Posts: 2244 07/05/09 3:01 PM	Basia, do you think Shelties are more biased toward their own kind than other breeds? I ask because I've heard lots of Sheltie owners make comments similar to yours, and I notice a very, very strong preference for playing with other Shelties in Byrdie. It's like they automatically recognize each other as members of the same tribe and speak the same play language. Bun Bun did love to play with Byrdie back when he was her same size, so I have the same view about her--that she might be more dog-oriented if she'd lived with another well-matched dog, esp. a Sheltie. I wish I could shrink Byrdie back down for her. She used to be so happy. Byrdie and Bun Bun
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SW845		#11	[url]	[-]
Posts: 20790 07/05/09 3:46 PM Professional Trainer/Owns Board	Yup, I say it does indeed depend on the dog - the lifestyle - how much exercise the dog is getting in general - stress the dog is under - what they are used to - etc. One size does not fit all, for sure. Sarah Wilson Your dog can change but you have to change first.
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