Dealing with attention seeking dogs
Thursday Training Tip.
Dealing with attention seeking dogs.
🐶 Puppies + Toys = Fun or Frenzy? 🎾
🐶 Puppies + Toys = Fun or Frenzy? 🎾
Puppy playtime often includes their favorite toys, like buggies, tug ropes, or squeaky balls. While toys can make play more exciting and enriching, they also bring some challenges. Let’s explore the advantages and disadvantages of introducing toys into puppy play sessions!
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Advantages of Toys During Playtime
1️⃣ Enrichment and Mental Stimulation
Toys keep puppies mentally sharp, providing challenges like chasing, chewing, or figuring out puzzles.
2️⃣ Distraction from Rough Play
Toys can redirect overly enthusiastic puppies, encouraging calmer, more focused play.
3️⃣ Encourages Healthy Competition
Toys allow puppies to test their skills in a fun and playful way, such as racing to fetch a ball or engaging in gentle tug games.
4️⃣ Energy Burner
Interactive play with toys helps puppies burn off excess energy, making them more relaxed afterward.
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Disadvantages to Watch For
1️⃣ Competitive Play Can Escalate
Some puppies may become overly competitive, trying to outdo each other by hoarding the toy or refusing to let go. This behavior isn’t “dominance” but a natural response to the high value they place on the toy. It’s important to step in if play turns into frustration or tension.
2️⃣ Resource Guarding Risks
A puppy might feel the need to protect their toy from others, leading to growling or snapping.
3️⃣ Overstimulation
Adding toys can sometimes make play too intense, leading to accidental bumps or bites during tug or chase games.
4️⃣ Safety Concerns
Some toys might not withstand enthusiastic chewing or tugging, posing choking or ingestion risks.
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Tips for Managing Competitive Toy Play:
✔️ Have multiple toys to prevent squabbles.
✔️ Teach "drop it" and "trade" commands to keep interactions safe.
✔️ Keep play sessions short and positive to avoid overstimulation.
✔️ Observe body language—if one puppy looks stressed or overwhelmed, pause the play.
Toys
🎾 The Golden Rules of Puppy Playtime 🐾
🎾 The Golden Rules of Puppy Playtime 🐾
Puppy play is essential for socialization, learning boundaries, and burning off that endless puppy energy! But, like any good play session, it needs clear rules and communication to keep it safe and fun for everyone. Here's how to guide your pup through playful interactions:
1️⃣ Know the Difference Between Play and Aggression
Playful puppies often growl, bark, and nip. This is normal! But if one puppy looks scared, avoids the other, or consistently yelps, it’s time to step in and pause the play.
2️⃣ Encourage Polite Play
Look for balanced interactions. If one pup is too rough or overly dominant, gently redirect their energy with toys or a break. Play should be a two-way street!
3️⃣ Use a Safe Word or Cue
Teach a phrase like "That's enough!" to calmly interrupt if play gets too intense. This helps puppies learn when to self-regulate.
4️⃣ Give Regular Breaks
Puppies can get overexcited or overtired quickly. Provide water and rest breaks to keep play sessions short and sweet.
5️⃣ Positive Reinforcement is Key
Praise and reward your pup when they play nicely. This reinforces good behavior and builds their confidence in social settings.
By guiding your puppy through healthy play interactions, you’re teaching them essential life skills that will help them grow into a well-balanced adult dog. 🐕💛
Have questions about managing your pup's playtime? Drop them in the comments below! 👇
#PuppyPlay #Mindfulness4dogs #SocializationMatters
You know when your big puppy dog has been desensitised to your vacuum cleaner when they can't even be bothered to get up.
If your getting a puppy, large or small getting them to be ok with household noises should be on the top of your list. Check out our Online Puppy course to show you how : - https://courses.mindfulness4dogs.com
I've finally found a purpose for all those paper bags I get when I forget my shopping bags. Just need to teach the Groodles to use a dustpan and brush now and I'm sorted!! I recon Maggie would be able to do it...
🐾 The Joy of Feeding Our 10 Dogs with Snuffle Mats! 🐾
People often ask, "How do you manage feeding 10 dogs?" Well, the answer is Snuffle Mats! 🎉 These little wonders keep mealtime calm, enriching, and SO much fun for everyone! 🐕✨
In this video, you’ll see how our family —Star, Twinkle, Stella (from Penteronda BorderCollies), Pixie, Lala, Tizzy, Fred, Billy, and George, Maggie (from Bellawai Dogs NZ Golden Retriever, Retrodoodle, Golden Shepherds NZ) — each get their own mat. It turns feeding time into a mindful, slow-paced activity, where every dog can explore, sniff, and enjoy their meal at their own pace. 🌟
Snuffle mats aren’t just about feeding; they tap into natural foraging instincts, keep their minds active, and help with impulse control (because let's face it—feeding 10 excited dogs could be chaos without a plan)! 🤣
It’s a small, daily routine that helps keep the peace in our household and makes mealtime something special for all of us. Such an enriching experience for the dogs. ❤️🐶
Have you ever tried snuffle mats with your pups? Let me know how you make feeding time fun for your furry family! 🐕💬
Checkout The Snuffle Shop, that's where we get our mats from.
#SnuffleMat #10Dogs #FeedingTimeFun #MindfulFeeding #HappyDogs #ForagingFun #DogLife #MindfulPaws
🐾 Why Multi-Dog Play is Paw-some! 🐾
Watching Papia and our 9 dogs playing frisbee together is a joyful sight! Multi-dog playtime not only keeps them physically active but also strengthens their social bonds. It’s an excellent way for dogs to learn about cooperation, communication, and even self-control.
The Benefits:
🐾Physical Exercise: Keeps those muscles strong and energy levels balanced.
🐾Social Skills: Dogs learn to read each other’s body language and establish their roles within the group.
🐾Mental Stimulation: New games and challenges keep their minds sharp.
Potential Issues to Watch For:
🐾Resource Guarding: Be mindful of toys and treats that could trigger competition.
🐾Overstimulation: High-energy play can sometimes lead to scuffles, so watch for signs that a break is needed.
🐾Size Differences: Be cautious if there’s a significant size difference among the dogs to prevent accidental injuries.
Tips for Happy Play:
🐾Supervision is Key: Always keep an eye on the group to step in if needed, especially when some dogs get really excited.
🐾Set Boundaries: Teach your dogs playtime rules to keep things calm and fun.
🐾Regular Breaks: Ensure each dog gets some downtime to avoid overstimulation and overexcitement.
Enjoy the video of Papia and our family showing how much fun multi-dog play can be!
Our Family Dog Breeders :
Penteronda BorderCollies
Bellawai Dogs NZ Golden Retriever, Retrodoodle, Golden Shepherds NZ
I'm in the UK, in Cornwall visiting my Mum. But I need my Dog fix!! Luckily Mum has a beautiful Border Collie called Bruce to keep me busy. He's a little rescue dog they took on a few months back, so still lots to learn about him. I took him out for a little walk today. It was great to see the Camborne streets again after 10 years away from the UK.
If you remember a few weeks ago we started desensitising Maggie and George to a mecanical diggers. Well it's all going well and both dogs have made great gains in their understanding.
But it's important to realise that all dogs learn differently and at different rates. I always remind myself to 'train the dog infront of me today'. That way I don't take anything for granted.
Although George, who is a little more extrovert than Maggie, is very comfortable around the machine, you can still see Maggie is still a little bit apprehensive. She's pacing and her breathing is quite shallow. A sign that she is beginning to become overwhelmed.
Although dogs do learn better under a little stress (just like people), too much exposure can set your training back weeks. Thankfully for Maggie I realized this quickly and a few minutes later she was tucked up in a blanket by the fire inside decompressing.
How often does your dog overwhelmed by the situations you put them in?
Sometimes it's just nice to sniff and play...
I am presently the President of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers New Zealand - APDTNZ.
