New Grey Doesn't Want To Play

[TheRiverClyde]

Hi Everyone

 

I've had Luna for 9 days now and already it feels like we have been together a lifetime. She was very nervous but already she has came along a lot and even learned how to walk up stairs! Which I am so proud of for her. I know it's still very early and she could still be adapting to her new world but I am a paranoid android and feeling a lot like a 'new Mum' who's worrying over every little thing - I was even checking through the night she was still breathing!

 

The few things that are worrying me I might bring up in the relevant categories and also bring up with my vet when we have our first appointment.

 

I've also been reading past posts and they've been helpful in answering some of my other queries (such as her initial fear turned aggression to other breeds and her almost very very few bowel and bladder movements). I think she may also have a slight limp which I'll bring up to the vet - I've checked her paws and moved my hands over her legs and shoulders trying to locate pain or a cause but have found nothing.

 

What's been worrying me though that I haven't found posted already is her lack of interest in playing. Is it possible to have a dog that doesn't like to play? She's only 4 and a half so I assumed that isn't too old to want to play. I've tried different toys, soft cuddly toys, soft squeaky toys, rubber squeaky toys, soft small balls for catch, but none of these spark her interest. I tried to throw the ball when we were out a walk and she would run after it but then watch it land then walk off totally forgetting about it, and she seemed to get less interested in the ball the more I threw it. I've tried getting on the ground and doing the 'acting like a dog wanting to play' thing were I run my hands along the floor and touch their face a little to let them bite and chase my hands - but still nothing. I've used the excited voice when introducing and playing with toys too. She watches me while I'm doing all this and her ears will be up for a while but I get no other reaction or involvement. Once I was trying to spark her interest in a soft cuddly toy by throwing it into the hall to see if she would chase it, I would go and get it when she didn't move to get it herself and bring it back and then try and throw it again into the hall but again she didn't move. But after when I gave up and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth I heard movement in the hall, I poked my head out to see what it was and to my amazement Luna and the soft toy were in her bed. She went and picked it up and put it in her bed! But without me looking or being in the room.

 

If she is just a dog who doesn't like to play I'll get over it, even though I wish she would as I LOVE playing with dogs but I'll be happy to settle for just her. But I don't want her getting bored and not getting enough mental stimulation. She does like her Kong toy but that's because it stuffed with food and I'm limited to what I can do with a Kong toy, that along might not be enough and she might bore of it after a while of only having one toy.

 

My Mum commented that she just seems to lie on her bed all the time. She does follow me from room to room a lot but once she's followed me into whatever room I've entered she will just plank herself in her bed or on the carpet. She doesn't come up on the couch or close in for any cuddles either. She seems like a very uninterested dog. Sometimes when I'm walking her she trails behind me at the most bored speed I've seen like she is more 94 and a half years old than 4 and a half.

 

I'm sorry for the long text, I'm just worried she's depressed, or bored or I'm doing it all wrong. Any advice on what I could try or what I'm doing wrong would be so helpful. I'd think she didn't like living with me if it wasn't for her following whenever leave the room to go into another. And she does wag her tail loads when I come back home after leaving her a little while.

 

I just want my Luna to be happy and healthy and enjoy her new home life. (and I'd also selfishly really really like her to want to play)

[robinw]

It can take them a while to learn how to play with toys. Many never knew how to play before they were adopted. It took several years for one of mine. My guys have always like grunting toys, such as hedgehog and duck stuffies.

 

My guys also like to play in the yard. I do a half hearted playbow and they run in return.

 

Your dog is very, very new and it may take a while to feel comfortable enough to play, especially with people around. Relax and keep a quiet environment and all will be fine.

Edited February 17, 2017 by robinw

[TheRiverClyde]

I am being a paranoid android then!

 

I'll not worry over it then as I also don't want to pressure her to play or make her feel uncomfortable.

 

Wow, 'several years' to start to play. Hearing that makes me so happy to know there will be new surprises to come even years down the line.

 

Thanks robinw

[schultzlc]

Welcome to GT!

 

One of my girls is also called Luna. She's my very shy girl, but is also a wild child and loves to play with stuffies. While she enjoys the occasional tug-of-war match, she prefers to play alone and prance around with her toys. My other hound, Nova, is not as enthusiastic. About once a month or so, she'll get a little silly and pounce on a toy, but other than that, she's super docile. Your Luna might never play like a typical dog would, but I don't think that it directly correlates with happiness.

 

Enjoy every moment with your new pup! It is so much fun to watch them come out of their shells, especially with the shy dogs.

[ramonaghan]

My Mum commented that she just seems to lie on her bed all the time. She does follow me from room to room a lot but once she's followed me into whatever room I've entered she will just plank herself in her bed or on the carpet. She doesn't come up on the couch or close in for any cuddles either. She seems like a very uninterested dog. Sometimes when I'm walking her she trails behind me at the most bored speed I've seen like she is more 94 and a half years old than 4 and a half.

 

This gave me a chuckle. We've had Sweep for four years, so she's very adjusted to home and pet life. My parents dog-sat her for the first time a couple of months ago. When I called to check in, my mom asked, "Is this really all she does?" Yep, pretty much! They're not called 45mph couch potatoes for nothing.

 

As others have said, Luna's very new and still adjusting. Her personality will come out more and more. It actually sounds like things are progressing really well. She's already learned the stairs, wags for you and follows you around, and might be displaying early signs of toy hoarding tendencies? (Sweep thinks that's the best thing about stuffies: pulling them out of the basket and taking them back to her bed.) I worried a lot in the early days too, and my adoption group said they loved the "paranoid android" adopters best, because they knew the dogs were going to be so well cared for.

 

Anyway, welcome to GT! We'd love to see pictures of your girl!

[palmettobug]

Johnny often waits till I'm out of the room to play with his hedgehog toy, he's such a weirdo!

[WalterWallerson]

During the first month I had Ernie home he took every toy into his crate and took a nap with them. I took a long time for him to play with toys, even with Walter showing him. At the very least, you are probably very entertaining to her!

[TheRiverClyde]

 

my mom asked, "Is this really all she does?" Yep, pretty much! They're not called 45mph couch potatoes for nothing.

 

 

Haha 😂 I had to laugh at this. Who would of thought Mothers would be so expecting of our dogs.

 

Thanks so much for all the replies. This makes me feel so much more at ease. It's good to know there is nothing to worry about and it will all come in good time. I am certainly looking forward to her continously coming out of her shell.

 

And I'm so happy I have a greyhound owning/loving community I can chat with and come to for support. Many thanks for all your quick replies.

 

Oh, and I'll definitely be uploading some photos of Luna. Taking photos of her is all I do now 😂

[Guest Cilla]

My Max started playing after a couple of months we adopted him, so don't worry, soon your Luna will enjoy her toys :-)

[Hubcitypam]

I've honesty had several greys that were never interested in playing with toys .I used to joke the Rex version of "fetch" was him running out to the ball/toy and crashing next to it.

[TheRiverClyde]

Yeah, she seems to like running after the ball outside but then she just walks on past it when it lands on the ground.

 

It's a shame I can't let her off the lead where I live as she isn't great on her recall yet. I've only been able to let her off once where my Mum stays as she lives near a forestry road where there are no others dogs or roads for miles so ber recall isn't as paramount there.

 

Maybe her fun/play time will be just chasing a ball off her lead. I'll need to work on her recall so I can trust her in the parks where I live.

[PrairieProf]

Not all greyhounds like to play with toys. My first grey, Beth (in my picture) was absolutely the most fearless, confident, happy, people-friendly dog you could ever meet, but she just did. not. care. at. all. about objects, toys or whatever, ever in her life. Her attitude was "you threw it, you pick it up." She would play with other dogs, and with me like I was a dog. Once in a long while she might squeak a stuffie briefly but it never went anywhere. My second grey, Cocoa, loves toys and did from the beginning, throwing them around, pouncing and running with them.

 

Your wish for her to play with toys is your wish -- don't project it on your dog. She may like toys eventually or she may not. And her not playing with toys is not the basis for some sob story about her deprived early life. Greyhounds growing up on the farm play like crazy -- but they have each other to play with.

Edited February 9, 2017 by PrairieProf

[Scoutsmom]

As others have said, be patient playing will come with time. But you should be aware that greyhounds do not play like other non-sight hound dogs. Retrieving is a foreign concept to most greys. Sure, they will chase if you throw a toy, but why should they bring it back? You clearly did not want it as you threw it away. Wrestling also is not a big greyhound thing and they may actually get scared if a person or another dog tries to wrestle with them. What greys like to do is race, play tag, and run. I am able to play tag with my dogs in my house--you can make a large oval going thru the rooms and I pretend to run after the dog (actually go at a fast walk pace), make sound effects, and chase the dog who is holding a stuffy. We also do "flying stuffy" where I throw a stuffy up in the air and they pounce on it as it lands. Sometimes that ends with a gentle tug-a-war.

 

A great toy for outside is a lure pole. Take a long stick (some use horse lunge whips, I use an old bamboo fishing pole), tie one end of a string to the end of the pole and tie the other to a stuffy. Hold the pole and swing the stuffy in a circle, letting the dog chase the stuffy.

 

Have fun.

[TheRiverClyde]

Thanks for all the great advice guys. I'll try the play tag and chasing at some point, thanks for the ideas Scoutsmom.

 

Since I started this post she is already much happier. She gets excited when she knows she's going a walk now and wags her tail when I talk to her. And she's also just recently discovered the joys of the couch which she is loving! I'm happy to forget about playing as long as she is happy, content and enjoying her life with me, which I think she is now.

 

Thanks for all your replies, some brilliant advice and shares that have been very helpful 😀

[Guest ZeroClub]

Isn't it an amazing transition these dogs go through? It is really something how their whole worlds change ... how almost everything is different for them. And yet they find their way.

[Guest Rainy]

My dog has never been a player, with anything really, and I've had her over 7 years. I just stopped buying toys. Sometimes I feel guilty and go out and buy something....and it becomes a dust gatherer like all the others. You could try a real fur toy, such as Genuine Dog Gear, they can be more interesting (Kala ignored those ones, too sigh).

 

I, too, really wanted some way to interact with her because she was getting very boring, just sleeping all day. So we started clicker training and learning "stupid dog tricks". Since she is very food motivated she really loves it! I can train her to "play" not because she enjoys the play, but because she enjoys the rewards and treats. She'll go from being comatose on her bed all day, to bouncing, full of energy and enthusiasm...such a joy! Great way to interact and bond.

 

Your girl sounds slightly more interested in toys and things than Kala (no real interest in Kongs either here) so I'm sure there is hope yet!

Edited February 14, 2017 by Rainy

[kronckew]

i'd throw a tennis ball for my greyhound Blue once or twice, after that he lost interest. he had a goose he liked to play with indoors. for a few minutes, then couchtime.

 

a few years later he found an old grungy deflated football (aka. a soccerball) in the woods, he proudly carried it home about a mile, and it became the best thing ever. he'd play fetch with me until I got tired throwing the nasty thing for him (i tried fixing the holes & inflating it, he preferred it deflated). when i got tired he'd shake and throw it for himself. he did it for over an hour once.

sometimes they find the 'right' toy.

[MSTmom]

YUP!

 

Our boy Steven took months to enjoy a toy. We had to teach him how to play catch by throwing a toy that took him a while to be interested in, then i threw it into the yard and he went for it, then i changed the toy until he got excited about the ball. He really only cares for squeeky toys. Now he'll play on his own with a toy but it's been over a year and playing with other dogs still isn't something he does. He loves to run with them though.

[anniebellshafe]

We have had Zeppelin over a year and he's still not much of a big "player." We will throw a tennis ball and he might run to get it but then he gets distracted and would rather do zoomies than play fetch. As previously noted in this post, he also likes to play with a deflated soccer ball, he will chase it and kind of throw it up in the air as he runs. I suggest keeping it deflated as one time we had a inflated ball and the poor baby got his teeth stuck in it and we had to hold him still and deflate the ball to get it out =(

 

We bought all kinds of stuffed toys for him and he has no interest in them. The squeaking gets his attention but then he just leaves it alone. He loves his walks, zoomies in the backyard, bones, and playing with my parents terrier mix but that's about it. As long as they are healthy and happy, I think that's all that matters! =)

[TheRiverClyde]

Thanks for the replies, and the picture of Blue and his deflated ball 😁.

 

She seems to be getting happier and more excited everyday so I'm no longer worried she's bored or unhappy in my home.

 

From what you've all been saying it could take months for her to be interested in playing which I am happy to be patient for. But if it does turn out she's just not a player then I'm fine with that too. Like you say, as long as she's happy and healthy.

 

Thanks for the stories and advice. Its really great to hear what you've experienced with your Greys so I know what and what not to expect. It makes the early days so much easier!

[Sundrop]

This ma

 

My Mum commented that she just seems to lie on her bed all the time. She does follow me from room to room a lot but once she's followed me into whatever room I've entered she will just plank herself in her bed or on the carpet. She doesn't come up on the couch or close in for any cuddles either. She seems like a very uninterested dog. Sometimes when I'm walking her she trails behind me at the most bored speed I've seen like she is more 94 and a half years old than 4 and a half.

 

This made me chuckle, too. I'll never forget after we adopted our 2nd greyhound (three months after the first) and he had to go in for a teeth cleaning. Being a scared mom, the day after, I didn't want him to be alone so I asked my dad to come dog-sit for the day while I went to work. A little after lunch, he called me worried because, "Keota has just been sleeping all day and I think something is wrong!" I replied, "Go downstairs and rustle the treat bag." A minute later, "Oh yeah, he's fine, he just ran down like a bolt of lightning and ate 3 treats!"

 

As others have said, it is totally 100% normal for a new greyhound to not play with toys or with you. Looking back, I feel kind of bad at how much I probably smothered our first greyhound with love and affection when we first got her, lol. In the end, she was the most gentle, awesome, amazing, sweet girl on the planet and she adored the attention - but now when we bring a new adoptee home, we give them space and time, as well as an opportunity to get to know us, the house, the other greyhound, the schedule, the neighborhood, etc., etc. - it's really overwhelming for some. Some of adjusted right away, playing with toys and sleeping on their backs within a day, and others have taken months to settle in.

 

Good luck! (And feel free to post photos!)

Edited February 22, 2017 by Sundrop

[tra708]

just for a laugh, here's a youtube i posted years ago right after i got jackie.

[Guest LazyBlaze]

 

Jackie: 'what fresh hell is this?'

[TheRiverClyde]

just for a laugh, here's a youtube i posted years ago right after i got jackie.

Hahaha! I was half expecting Jackie to suddenly take us by surprise and jump up for the toy, but nope!

 

Luna has grown sooo much since I started this post. She is now a player!! Not a full one, I can see there is still learning to be done and finding out what she likes but we've found toys she likes that she'll play with for a couple of minutes each day (and its the £1.99 toys I bought, not the £9.99+ toys shes likes). She'll play chase with me as I run about the house from her. She'll playfully bite my hand now for about half a minute when I use it as a 'toy'. She was gently biting a chunky scarf I was wearing when I was playing with her. These are all very very short bursts of playing, I'm not sure if she loses interest and finds it boring very quickly or simply forgets what shes doing half way through haha! But she seems to enjoy it at the time and I'm happy shes finding fun in more things as time goes on.

 

She also has grown very attached to her panda toy, at times she carrys it with her to whichever bed shes going to lie on. Its super cute!

 

Thanks again for all your stories and advice. It's helped me a great deal.

[TheRiverClyde]

Here she is with her best pal