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" Fun Police" Won't Let The Others Play.


Guest BooneTia

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Guest BooneTia

I had the dogs out to play in a fenced are on Saturday. Josie and Tia were playing and running around chasing each other. All was good until Boone got involved. As soon as he got near the two playing they stopped and he seemed to have the attitude that there would be no playing except with him. He can be a dominant male. Is there way to stop this? It happens when the girls are playing in the house too. I sometimes have to hold on to Boone or tell him "no" just so the others can have a bit of fun! Any ideas?

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Toni is my fun police. I do have to isolate her, or keep a hold of her, while the others are playing. I've never found a way to keep her from being a dog bully. Interestingly enough, if it's just her and another dog playing, she plays wonderfully well and really enjoys herself. But when there are two other dogs, she turns into a lunatic.

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Henry is sort of a fun police. He does NOT like it when Truman plays rough with other dogs. I tend not to give human feelings to dogs, but it really does look like he's jealous! I'm sure it's either a hyper-arousal or some type of protectiveness instinct over his brother. With any other dogs, he could care less. Anyway, when I see it happening, I give him a time out and lead him away. I distract him and talk to him in a comforting (but no coddling) tone. After about two minutes, I let him go. Sometimes, I have to repeat it three or four times before he lets up. But I think he's halfway to understanding that being a fun police ends his play. It's a tough habit to break.

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Guest BooneTia

Toni is my fun police. I do have to isolate her, or keep a hold of her, while the others are playing. I've never found a way to keep her from being a dog bully. Interestingly enough, if it's just her and another dog playing, she plays wonderfully well and really enjoys herself. But when there are two other dogs, she turns into a lunatic.

That's what Boone does. He will play fine with one or the other of the girls, but he breaks it up when they play with each other

 

Henry is sort of a fun police. He does NOT like it when Truman plays rough with other dogs. I tend not to give human feelings to dogs, but it really does look like he's jealous! I'm sure it's either a hyper-arousal or some type of protectiveness instinct over his brother. With any other dogs, he could care less. Anyway, when I see it happening, I give him a time out and lead him away. I distract him and talk to him in a comforting (but no coddling) tone. After about two minutes, I let him go. Sometimes, I have to repeat it three or four times before he lets up. But I think he's halfway to understanding that being a fun police ends his play. It's a tough habit to break.

YES Jealousy!!! What I don't get is...why do the stop playing when he gets near? He doesn't even need to do anything! It's almost like he is the playground monitor and all play must stop when is near :hehe

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Guest BooneTia

He doesn't bark but he will body block sometimes. Once they stop playing he starts playing with Tia. BTW Josie and Boone are GH and Tia is a mix. I sometimes get the feeling Boone feels Tia is his to play with. Josie is the newest to our family. Maybe Boone just doesn't want to share!

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So funny- that's exactly what my guys do! I wrote about it in this thread: http://forum.greytalk.com/index.php/topic/293897-jealousy-when-housemate-plays-with-other-dogs/

 

I asked my trainer about this behavior, and she didn't really have any other suggestions except giving Henry time outs and/or taking them to the dog park separately (not really an option). I used to not mind it so much because Truman is still very young (18 months), and when he was a puppy he would annoy other dogs. When he did that, Henry would go and body blocking was almost like a correction. He was like my babysitter! Now, Truman gets worked up because he wants to play with other dogs. Henry is just a "big brother" about it.

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Are you concerned about the way he plays with Tia or just concerned that Josie gets left out when Boone wants to play? It sounds like you just need to give the dogs opportunities to each play 2 on 2. That means separating Boone some of the time so that the girls can play and separating Josie some of the time so that Tia and Boone can play. If Boone and Josie don't want to play together, that's fine. Unless I'm missing something?

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"The great thing about science is that you're free to disagree with it, but you'll be wrong."

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Sobe was my "fun police". He never really played with other dogs. Not with our 2nd grey, or other fosters. He'd play on his own, or with his humans, rough and tumble, but if another dog joined, he'd just leave.

 

All the other greys respected the heck outta him, but if anybody got "rowdy" he'd just walk in and all fun would stop. His "take charge" attitude was fabulous most of the time - he was the quiet leader, and MANY fosters leared how to act properly because of him. He did FAR more foster training than I ever did.

 

BUT - when it came to rambunctous fun - he didn't think it was necessary. And he'd just quietly kill the other dogs' fun.


So - I'd let the other dogs into the yard without him, once a day. Most "outs" were potty/exercise time for all dogs, but the other dogs VERY quickly learned when they got their "Sobe-free" out time - they could romp and play. Sobe also got a seperate "out" with me or DH - to play and romp with stuffies. He liked to play - just not with other greys - and he didn't like to see THEM playing. It was like HE could only let his responsibilities down and have fun if they weren't around.

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Guest BooneTia

Thanks everyone!! I guess I'll just try to give everyone their own 1 on 1 time. Tia with Boone/ Tia with Josie. Boone and Josie don't play much with each other but maybe I'll give them some play time too. This will also give ME some 1 on 1 time with each of them!! I'm just really glad to know that this is not an uncommon thing.

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