Single dog household - how often does your dog play with others?

Holly meets other dogs most days on her walks, and usually they're off lead. After a friendly greeting and sniff she's quite content to walk on, or more often walk to the owners to check them over for treats.

She has lots of opportunities to play but is just not a very playful dog. Except with Ted, the black Lab next door. They both go a bit potty when they meet in the drive, then settle down and sniff things together.

 

On our morning walk before work, I was a bit dubious of a couple of dogs that were always off the lead, but due to the park was able to walk different paths to steer clear, but one day just went for it to see how they were.

Now, as soon as we get to that part of the park, Jax is on the look out for them - and when they all see each other, away they go, sprinting around the field like their tails on fire, they love it. His socialisation is ok, but going to puppy social classes starting tonight, so he gets more time with other dogs.

 

Well....the thing is, if your dog is nuts about playing with other dogs, it could take a great deal of exposure and play for that nuttiness to wear off.

I consider myself pretty experienced in this, given that Charlie in particular was very obsessed with other dogs when younger (not helped by months and months and months of isolation during his cruciate surgery rehabilitation).

I'm not sure you can 'cure' a dog obsessed dog by exposure to other dogs unless you have endless opportunities, pretty much all day and every day, to allow them to play with other dogs. And even if you had that, would it be a good thing to do? When I was given the advice to send Charlie to free run day care for this purpose, I dismissed it as an option, and I'm glad I did.

I took the route of reinforcing Charlie for not playing with other dogs plus made sure we had more interesting things to do together (although that was a challenge at first!). I did the same with Betsy who was equally enthusiastic (only she had no excuse of isolation etc. she just came hard wired to be obsessed with other dogs - and people, actually ).

It's turned out well, I think. Both of my dogs sometimes choose to play but pretty much always very soon choose to stop playing and re-engage with me.

I think I'm lucky in the places I am and the type of dogs I have (they match!). My dogs meet other dogs every day, and have opportunities to play everyday - they mostly meet and greet other dogs and move on. Betsy more than Charlie will play for a little bit with other dogs, then rejoin me.

In terms of Betsy and Charlie - they play a lot in the house, I get very tired of them playing bitey face and tuggie. Betsy would rather play with Charlie outside than any other dog, but he will only play with her for a bit, then he wants to get on with the boy business of weeing on stuff. Betsy can be extremely persistent and I have to intervene to get her to leave him alone. She isn't like this with other dogs now though.

 

Cooper and Tilly only play Bitey Face when they have an audience. I would not mind at all, except that Cooper barks when she plays.

 

Well, I wouldn't mind Betsy and Charlie playing - only they do crash around the place, and I work from home. Got to bring home the dog food etc.

It's true that if I shut them away in the kitchen, usually because I need to make a phone call, they do settle down. I suspect a lot of it is to get my attention as they immediately break off and come all wagging tails for a pet if I tell them "for god's sake, shut the f8%k up!". Not easily intimidated, Charlie and Betsy!

 

First rule of bitey face - ensure maximum human contact. The same goes for zoomies, bitey-legs and all other dog-dog playtime. Humans don’t like to feel left out, so running between or into their legs at every opportunity is to be encouraged. If they’re sat down, zoomie twirls in their lap is entertaining. Even better is if you manage to push them flat then sit on their head.