Puppy = Change in Dynamics

corbinam

corbinam

Moderator
I know it's only been a few days, but I had a question. Now that we have Enzo, Lexi refuses to play when he is around. If she is already playing and he gets near her she either drops the toy and goes away, or she takes the toy and runs away with it--but not always in the "happy chase me" kind of way.

I am trying to show her that if she and I are playing he is not allowed to take the toy from her, but she doesn't understand. Is it because she doesn't like him? Or is she already deferring to him--letting him "win"? It makes me sad because she LOVES to play. I can tell she is frustrated when we are playing with him.

Will this change once she gets more comfortable with him?

And yes, we make sure to spend lots of time playing with both of them one on one, but I'd hate to always have to put one of them up (FRUSTRATION GALORE) or have my husband and I play with each individually.
 
She is being a girl. :lol: Drama is their life.

Continue to play with her as you normally would, if she chooses not to play or engage so be it. If she chooses to stay and play, praise wildly and make sure the piranha minds his manners.

She will come around, praise behavior you want ignore behavior you don't and don't put feel sorry for anybody. They all have the choice to play or not. It is not like you or Enzo are stopping her.
 
Toffee is the same way... oh he is SOOO mad when I play rousing game with Spruce or retrieve, Spruce doesn't even care but the prince T of course didn't play for a while with me at first, God forbid I play with Spruce...
But now I play tug o' war with both of them at the same time, and if I work with them I reward the one on the mat for staying (still a work in progress for S) while I work with the other. If Spruce doesn't get the game he goes to crate and for Frisbee or ball I honestly throw first to Spruce who is faster and then the opposite way for Toffee... and we're all happy!! If Spruce doesn't bring his toy back I can send Toffee in to go and find it for me, hehehe

Toffee had so much one on one time with me it still makes me sad if I ever leave him behind, which I usually don't do, lol, so poor Spruce doesn't get as much one on one time as I wanted, but it's got much better since we're doing more agility!!
So don't worry too much, it will work out and you will get the dynamics! I think Shelli's advice is soundest!
 
She's probably a little ticked off and trying figure out how to keep this ew little man in his place. You know, someone' got to rule the world and it will totally be the girl! Pup will learn his place and she will settle in.
 
I would lean towards jealousy. Had the same situation with Bambi when I brought a new puppy into the mix. She wanted no part of me, "daddy" or the puppy, she would just slink off to an other room and pout. I think this was her way of trying to be top dog and maintain alpha status. Her personality was changing very drastically in a way I did not like, I ended up caving in and returning the puppy to the breeder. Problem solved, everything returned to normal. Bambi just taught me she wanted to be an only child.
 
Consider stress as well. Dogs find it difficult to play when they are under stress (whether or not we humans recognize it as stress). It took Starr about 3 weeks to accept Wycked, and it took Seren about 5 weeks. It will come - just keep doing what you're doing :-).

Tara
 
Emma played well when she was on her own. When I introduced Liam, they played well together and with me. When I introduced Natalie, it changed. Emma does not play with Natalie. Liam and Natalie play all the time. If I am playing with them, all three will play. Emma loves to play with me on her own - tug is her favourite. I go with the flow, figuring if Emma really wants to join in she will. I have seen the girls ganging up on Liam out in the yard. Don't stress - things have changed. They will play differently now.
 
getting #4 could fix that....
Dixie didn't really like playing with Jocu when he was a puppy- he got a lot of lip raising. Cran and Jocu played a lot....
then we got Destin- Dixie played with him so much more and much quicker....
now she plays with Jocu and Destin a lot, Jocu and Destin play together a lot and it seems like Cran decided he needed to be the big brother role model so he doesn't play as much as he used to which I find quite surprising as he has always been the playing type........
 
She will settle if you just ignore it I bet. My guys are best buds from day one but then Sca is so laid back. He does make Spitfire mind once in a while by herding him but generally just tolerates being jumped on :eek2:. There has only been a couple of times I had to step in and set house rules the first being NEVER bother the other guy at his food bowl, you leave and it is open season though. Also on fetch I do have to separate Sca as he thinks everything is his and is fairly quick so the two throw thing doesn't work. Spitfire does get some but it is a combination of him running out early and Sca letting him get it.

Just think back to how they were when you got #2 :wink2:
 
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