Pipe Dreams: Desensitizing a BC

[melundie]

Colby is obsessed with toys. It's at a level where we cannot leave toys out in the house because she will put them in our lap and bark for us to throw them. I've tried to ignore her, but I usually lose my patience and say, "all gone" and put whatever it is away.

 

It kind of sucks because Ace would be more than happy to play with toys on his own (he loves to drop the Kong, chase it around, pounce on it, etc.) and I would love to be able to leave toys out for them to play with, but if Ace has a toy Colby will lay down across the room and bark at him (all the while he completely ignores her).

 

I'm curious if there is a good way--or better yet, if it's even possible--to desensitize her to the toys. And maybe desensitize is the wrong term. It's not that I don't want her to ever play with toys, I just need help teaching her that "fetch" is not an indoor game. I guess I need to be totally honest with myself (and you all) and say that we have played fetch in the house. =X

 

Should I start slow (with 1 or 2 toys at a time) and just ignore her if she brings them over? Should I put all the toys on the ground at the same time (to overwhelm?) and then ignore? I'm willing to put in the work, but any help or advice would be much appreciated.

[Maralynn]

Every time she brings you a toy I'd take it, put it away where she can't get it and tell her to go lay down. If she doesn't go lay down, then crate her for a little while.

 

I think she'll catch on pretty quick (as long as you're consistent!! )

 

As far as barking at Ace, if she does it, tell her to go lay down. If she continues, crate her in another room.

[melundie]

Once the toy is away, there is absolutely no problem. I'd just like to be able to leave toys out so Ace can play with them.

[gcv-border]

Once the toy is away, there is absolutely no problem. I'd just like to be able to leave toys out so Ace can play with them.

 

Maybe in the future (the far future), but at this time, I would say no toys out while you are training Colby. Make some time to play with toys with Ace separately, when Colby is not around (crated?), to make up for not leaving toys out.

 

Jovi

[D'Elle]

Once the toy is away, there is absolutely no problem. I'd just like to be able to leave toys out so Ace can play with them.

 

Sometimes when we have more than one dog we have to change things we would have rather not had to change. When I only had Jester, all his toys were kept in a nice big basket and he could choose one to bring to me to play. He never chewed them up and often would go get all of them, one at a time, and take them to bed with him at night, which I thought was adorable.

When Kit arrived on the scene, all that had to stop. She was 6 when she came to us, but even so she will eventually (usually sooner than later) destroy any dog toy left out. She has never chewed anything else, ever, only dog toys. But now Jes doesn't get to have his toys in the basket any more. Oh well.

 

Put all the toys away and only bring one out when it is time to play.

Maybe later you can go back to having all the toys accessible.

[SecretBC]

I have chew things in the house, but no toys. Playing with toys is something the dogs do with me -- OUTDOORS. No playing in the house.

 

This was something I started when I was attempting to build Secret's toy drive, which was pretty much non-existent when she was younger. It put more value into the toys if they weren't always available to her. Then once she did start liking toys, the last thing I needed was for them to be in the house.

 

Prior to Secret coming along I always had toys in the house -- well, never frisbees or balls because then Luke would be obnoxious, but everything else was fine. Things change. Nobody here minds, because we get outside to play TOGETHER often.