In the News: Tails of Marin
By Kristin Herrera
Sometimes, you have to teach a dog how to play
PICTURE THIS: You're at the dog park and your dog is romping with his buddies. It's time to go, you're getting cold, so you call your dog, "Buster, come!" Buster might glance your way, but he keeps on playing. Or perhaps your dog is barking wildly in your backyard and you see that she's spotted a squirrel in a tree. You call her, "Come, Sophie, come!" and she doesn't even take a moment's pause - she just keeps on barking.
Sound familiar?
Take a look at it from the dog's perspective: Buster is having a great time playing with his pals and he hears you calling. If he comes to you, he knows that the fun ends - the leash gets clicked on, and he goes back home to wait until the next visit to the park; after all, that's the only play time he gets. And Sophie is having a great time yelling at that squirrel. Coming inside means she's likely going to get scolded or punished and then ignored some more, and that's not nearly as much fun as barking at that squirrel.
The power of play
If your relationship with your dog is based on play and fun, if your dog thinks that being with you is better than anything out there, then getting your dog to do things like coming when called is going to be much easier. Toys, attention and playtime, along with treats, can go a long way toward making you the most rewarding, reinforcing thing in your dog's life, which in turn can make your dog much more likely to want to do the things you ask.
There are some dogs who don't seem to know how to play or seem to have no interest in toys. Does your dog like food? Then get a toy that you can put food in, show him that there are goodies inside and toss it a foot or two away from you. If he runs over to it, get excited with him while you open the toy and give him a tidbit.
Sometimes the way we play with our dogs can turn them off. Instead of taking the toy and waving it in Buster's face, tie it on a string and wiggle it on the floor while moving it away. If he pounces on it, praise him and do it again. And here's a trick to keep Buster wanting more: always end play sessions before he's done. If you keep playing until he gets bored, his desire to play with you won't grow. (And don't leave that toy lying around - put it away until the next play session.)
Play toys vs. chew toys
There's a difference between play toys and chew toys - play toys are for interacting with you (or another dog), chew toys are chewing, so must be safe if ingested. There are some dogs who, no matter how tough the toy, will destroy it in a matter of minutes. If you have one of these dogs, give it an appropriate item to chew, like a boiled knuckle bone, and save the toys for playtime with you.
For tough players, try a Tuffie's toy (available at www.mydogtoy.com), or a toy from the Hardcore Fire Hose Dog Toy company - they're made from real fire hose material. Or try a Kong toy - the black ones are tougher than the red ones, and extra-tough blue Kongs are available through some veterinarians.
Sometimes, dogs will make toys out of inappropriate objects, and may hurt themselves in the process. Dogs can break teeth while chewing rocks and sticks can splinter and get lodged in the throat, both of which can lead to a costly trip to the vet's office. Make sure that your dog has plenty of appropriate toys, to play with and to chew on.
It's hard work to be more interesting than a squirrel in a tree, but it is work that pays off. If you take the time to develop a relationship with your dog that is based in play, you will be creating a strong bond that will last a lifetime.
Kristin Herrera is a behavior consultant and training instructor at the Marin Humane Society.
Tails of Marin appears every Saturday in the Home & Garden section of the Marin Independent Journal
