Guess what Rosie did today?

[Ritz459]

She played tug with Chloe and I!

That may not sound like such a big deal, but I don't think Rose has every played with a "toy" toy her entire life (and she'll be ten this fall). She is very insecure around other dogs and thus has developed fear aggression, so she doesn't get along well with Chloe anyways. Getting her to step out of her comfort zone and actually TUG on an object made my day.

I had Chloe out on her chain and I went outside with her plush squeeky ball to play fetch with her. Rose heard the ball squeek and showed some interest in it so I threw it at her. Rose went and grabbed it and then was parading around with it, perking up her ears when she made it squeek. lol After she dropped it I took it back and went over to Chloe and started playing fetch....long story short, Rose didn't like the fact that Chloe had the ball and she didn't, so she would try to grab it from Chloe when Chloe brought it back to me.
Eventually I got another toy so Rose could have one and Chloe could have one. Rose, however, again didn't like the fact that Chloe was the one getting the attention and not her so she came over and was just standing by me.
Chloe and I were having a blast and I wanted Rose in on it (as she's a pup at heart) so I started to push Rose with my hand while going into a "play bow" and I kept saying, "You wanna play? Huh? You wanna play?" Her tail slowly started wagg'n and she started getting antsy and when I offered her a part of the toy Chloe and I were tugging on she grabbed it! We had a three way tug of war going for about a minute, and then Rose decided she wanted to stop....but she played!

Wow, that actually makes me feel bad that it took me this long to get her to play with a toy. I'm going to go to Petsmart tomorrow and pick up some new plush/squeeky toys (Chloe's been needing some new ones anyway) and I'm going to try to make a point try and get Rose to join in more often, as I think that will be a huge confidence boost for her.

And Chloe was doing a very good job at sharing her toys, as well as not being a butthead towards the dogs. She would also releases her toy whenever I hold it up close to my body. She'll hang on for a couple of seconds (like, "Maybe if I tug one more time!") but then she'll let go. Yey!

And Blackie in all this was happily chewing on a bone a couple of feet away, gladly ignoring us. LOL

Just thought I'd share.

[Candy317]

awww. I love it when dogs share interest in toys when the usuall don't. Didi was like that. She wasn't toy-crazy, but liked a good cuzz or tennis ball ever now and then.

[Jamila]

How fun

[Rivsky]

It's always such a great feeling when you get them to do something you thought would never happen.

[Lunachick]

Good for Rose! Yay!

[Ritz459]

I think she is just jealous with Chloe. Today I was playing fetch with Chloe with two baseballs (I throw one, she brings it back, I throw the other one so she'll drop the one she has...) and Rose came over and took Chloe's baseball and started carrying it around. That dog has never once shown any interest in a baseball and here she was prancing around with one. Crazy girl.

[Swiftwind]

That is so cute! I know how exciting it can be, because Harley rarely plays with toys these days, but once in a blue moon he'll get all puppy-like and want to play games.