Greetings! I have a wonderful 11 month old Chocolate. He is extraordinarily energetic and he loves to play (like all labs). However, my wife and I have a dilemma. I work a day job and due to her physical limitations, she stays home with our dog every day. One would think that this would be a great scenario for him, but it isn't. I am the only one who can take him out to play or for a walk. My wife tries to play with him indoors, but he refuses to play most of the time. He often just lays around. By the time I get home, he is so full of energy that he often bites me for attention until I can take him outside. He only enjoys playing outside. Some days he finds an article of clothing of mine and just lays with it while my wife desperately tries to play with him. It could be a form of separation anxiety, but often he does not like to play with me indoors either. Or, if he does, then the play does not last long. Does he just find indoor play boring? Is it not exciting enough? Or, is it something else? Any help would be appreciated!
Just a thought - is it only play that he won't engage with indoors? Would he respond to some type of training? When it's too wet for outdoor training here I usually spend some time indoors with my boy doing the ready steady game, hunting the toys, teaching him to touch various objects, sometimes a few dancing moves (spin, weave etc) and anything else that will get him engaged with me and also tire his brain.
My 7 month old chocolate lab also gets bored in the house and everyday I try to come up with games to play to keep him occupied. Luckily, he has another dog to play with but I can see the boredom in his eyes at times.They do prefer the outdoors! It does sound as though he is more attached to you since you are the one who is able to provide the "more fun". There really isn't anything you can do to change the situation it sounds like unless you take him to a doggie day care or have someone come in to walk him during the day.
How is he fed during the day? Could some of his allowance be used for games? I have a Ruffle Snuffle mat that both my dogs love. They will sit patiently while I put small bits of kibble in it, then I place it on the floor for them to find. I also roll kibble in a towel for each of them so they have to unfold it with their noses to get to the food. Another one is getting them to sit and stay whilst I hide bits of kibble - they sit for ages while I scatter this about. If your wife has physical limitations these suggestions might not be any good.
Just another angle - which granted for a puppy may be a longshot - but could he be sensitive that he can't roughhouse with your wife because of her physical limitations? I know my dogs both played much rougher with my father than they ever did with me, because they seemed to sense that they could knock me down. They were particularly careful around me after surgeries. I agree with the others that mental games and training may be a good option for your wife to try if she can't take him outdoors. I did a lot of training indoors with mine and it really helped keep them mentally stimulated. I've also heard from other people who have dogs as a couple that their dogs have phases where they prefer one person over the other...but then it can change and the other person is their favorite! So maybe for the moment bask in being the preferred human as he may switch his love crush soon enough.
I think dogs do get bored being inside all day. Like others have mentioned, if your wife is able to play some training type games, that would help for sure. Games that tire out my dog on the very humid days we don't go on a long walk until late evening are hiding games, waiting games (i throw a ball/toy/food and she can't get it until cued), work on the usual hand touch/sit/go to your bed/go through my legs etc. cues. She loves this, more than playing ball/tug indoors. I think this would help build the bond between your wife and dog as well. Another option that could help while you dog is young is to get someone (neighbour/friend/dogwalker) to take your dog out a couple days a week to break up his day a bit. I would say your dog definitely sees you as the activity person and therefore gets very happy/excited to see you! I'm the "activity" person at our house - the main walker, the one that goes to training classes, feeds her and so on. She bugs me to take her out, but never OH. But OH brings her everywhere he goes (car rides, coffee shop, friend's homes) and in her early days, was home with her every day...she is more worried about where he is and went through a phase of crying when he left the house. She never did that for me! I would say now (she is coming up on 2 years in a few month) she is pretty even with both of us!
Thank you for the response! Correct. He has no issue with playing outside. I think so. He is very food motivated, so I believe that could work as long as we provide training-appropriate treats. We will definitely try the training route!
Thanks for the reply. He is fed one and a half cups of food twice a day like clockwork. We just weened him off of lunch, so we could use that time as an opportunity to use food during games/training. Great ideas!
Thanks for the reply! This very well could be the case, at least for the most part. He is A LOT rougher with me than with my wife. I understand that with his youth comes phases of behavior. I hope this is one of them, but we will not sit back and just wish it away. We will definitely be proactive.
The bond issue is an interesting angle. Thank for you for that perspective. She and I sometimes forget that training is often times just as stimulating as play. Perhaps a part of this issue is that he does not feel the same bond, because she can't provide outdoor stimulation? Hmm.... While this will be difficult for numerous reasons, it is not out of the realm of possibility. Good idea! Ah, it definitely sounds like I am "the activity person." I never looked at it like that before. It sounds like my wife needs to get in on that action, but with different activities. Thanks!
