I know why my Frenchie doesn’t want to cuddle with me. I play with her too much…
This is a video of Tink after playing with her for almost an hour straight. She stopped out of no where an decided that SHE was done playing.
Well, isn’t that cute… But, it’s wrong.
I’ve been reading that WE (humans, owners, alphas) decide when play time is over and when it starts. Play with them as long as needed. But, stop playing with them before they get bored and when it’s obvious they still want to play.
Make it a privilege to play with you, not a right!
7 Comments
Good luck with that. I think she knows shes the boss and so do you. Frenchies rule!
She’s doing her impression of Eva Gardner, mumbling: “I vant to be ah-looone”. Oh my gosh, James, that’s hilarious! But the reality is that puppies need their naps and our non-working, house-bound dogs are generally pretty lazy… Different dogs have their own internal clocks, but most of our dogs usually get rather rambunctious around 6:30 to 7:00 PM, after their evening meals… There’re the moments of zaniness where they’ll tear around the living room, grab all the toys and engage each other in tug-of-war battles, and pounce all over us, bouncing around and nose-diving off the sofa like a bunch of hooligans… But the rest of the day, they’re content to lounge around, go out for a couple of walks, and cuddle up between sun-spots and quieter, shady areas of the house.
Of course, there are always exceptions… Agatha is my “busy-bee”… She’s a year-old and she always seems to be “up to something”… Outdoors, she’ll climb into the plants, dig dirt, hunt for lizards, and chew just about every leaf that happens to fall from the plants… Indoors, she goes up and down the stairs, all day, hauling her chew bones or toys from one room to another, and I still can’t leave toilet paper properly hanging from the holder without her dragging it all around the house… She even managed to smuggle in miniature coconuts from another house that she visits and had hidden her stash under the sofa cushion for several weeks while I wondered where the f%^k all the darned things were coming from (let alone how she managed to sneak in 7 since she’s not a kangaroo, and doesn’t have a pouch to hide them in)… And she doesn’t nap like all the other dogs… But since she’s not doing anything that’s technically dangerous or destructive, I just let her amuse herself since she sleeps peacefully through the night…
Okay, you’re right about you being the one to initiate play-time with your puppy, but here’s where you need to compromise and figure out when’s her prime-time level of activity… And Frenchies generally only like to play like Tazmanian Devils for about 15 to 20 minutes… After that, they get bored and settle down.
She withstood almost an hour of fussing and playing with you? No wonder she’s hiding under the furniture! Quit griping and let Tink squeeze in a couple of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz’s from time to time… Puppies just need a structured schedule and consistency - regular walks and meals, some healthy chew toys to gnaw on (for their teething), practicing basic obedience, and a fair amount of play-time. But more than 20 minutes? Hand off the puppy, James!
Cheers,
Tatiana
LOL!!! I agree, an hour is over doing it. You brought up a good point Tat on finding the right times to play…
Wow! I am really concerned about your thoughts regarding training and the “alpha dog” mentality. I am a dog trainer professionally and the approach to training that you are referring to is not an effective approach to creating a trusting relationship between you and your dog. I recommend reading Suzanne Clothier’s “Bones Would Rain from the Sky” or books by Pat Miller, Ian Dunbar, Jean Donaldson, and Patricia McConnell. Find a trainer in your area you is a member of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and/or is certified by the CPDT. I do believe that leadership is important, but not in the manner in which you are referring to. I love French Bulldogs and I have been concerned.
Thanks so much Celeste.
I just ordered “If a Dog’s Prayers were Answered, Bones would Rain from the Sky” & The Other End of the Leash by Patricia McConnell. They’re coming in the mail. They seem like some very interesting books.
Let’s just hope I don’t do much more damage before they arrive. :)
So creating a trusting relationship is a major factor in training a dog.
If you read this again…
Do you agree that we should decide when to play and how long to play?
Keep visiting Celeste. We new frenchie owners need MUCH, MUCH, MUCH help.
We know who wears the skirt in your house! I love hearing about Tink and now it is great to actually see her in action. Keep up the posting.
Your commitment to Tink is very heartfelt and I think both you and Tink will be able to enjoy each other immensely for many years. A trusting relationship is very important to successful training. Training is always happening as dogs are always learning. It isn\’t something that you can turn on and off.
Deciding when to play and for how long can be an important aspect of being the leader in your relationship. I recommend leaving out 2 or 3 toys for Tink to self-play with, but bring out the toybox and initiate play with her throughout the day and end while she and you are still having fun. You will find that giving her an opportunity to play with a special toy can be a very meaningful reward in training.
You have chosen two excellent books and I hope you find them to be insightful. These books are not in the how-to category–which can be frustrating. I recommend working with a thoughtful trainer who emphasizes encouraging good behaviors instead of constantly discouraging wrong behaviors with corrections. Compare this to how you might deal with learning simple arithmetic. If you were told that your effort to solve a problem was wrong, how would you know what you could do to result in a correct answer? Good dog trainers set the dog up for success, often using small baby-steps of the final desired behavior, and then reward them for a job well done.