Rescue Dog "Issue"

[migtig]

It's actually quite trivial, but it bothers me.

We've had our rescue dog since Thanksgiving. Over that period of time he has developed into a smart sweet loyal boy and I couldn't be happier. Not everything was easy of course.

However, from the very beginning, it's been obvious he has a fear of toys. Yes, toys. He no longer runs immediately away if he hears a squeaker go off, but he is obviously not happy. He growls and runs when one of the other dogs is playing with a toy. He will play, very gently, with one of the other dogs if no toys are involved. I've tried placing toys near where he lays, but he freaks a little. I've tried playing with him and adding a toy, but again, he'll take off. I've tried brand new toys (with no other smells), soft toys, no squeak toys, etc. and it's a total no go.

At times, it's obvious he was abused, but those fears are fading for the most part. I just don't understand why he's so scared of toys and would really like to get him past it. There are a lot of toys in this house!

Does anybody have any suggestions?

 

[getbent]

That's odd he's afraid of toys. I wonder if they had more than one dog and he was punished for playing with the other dogs stuff. Poor baby

 

[ICit]

It's actually quite trivial, but it bothers me.

We've had our rescue dog since Thanksgiving. Over that period of time he has developed into a smart sweet loyal boy and I couldn't be happier. Not everything was easy of course.

However, from the very beginning, it's been obvious he has a fear of toys. Yes, toys. He no longer runs immediately away if he hears a squeaker go off, but he is obviously not happy. He growls and runs when one of the other dogs is playing with a toy. He will play, very gently, with one of the other dogs if no toys are involved. I've tried placing toys near where he lays, but he freaks a little. I've tried playing with him and adding a toy, but again, he'll take off. I've tried brand new toys (with no other smells), soft toys, no squeak toys, etc. and it's a total no go.

At times, it's obvious he was abused, but those fears are fading for the most part. I just don't understand why he's so scared of toys and would really like to get him past it. There are a lot of toys in this house!

Does anybody have any suggestions?

positive reinforcement training.... high praise........ and alone....

an obedience class would really help bring that out .... really... look at what it has done for crackhead... she had no clue about a toy... she was afraid of them as well... but thrives off of them now to the point she finds comfort in them and will carry them around with her...

 

[frequentflier]

It's actually quite trivial, but it bothers me.

We've had our rescue dog since Thanksgiving. Over that period of time he has developed into a smart sweet loyal boy and I couldn't be happier. Not everything was easy of course.

However, from the very beginning, it's been obvious he has a fear of toys. Yes, toys. He no longer runs immediately away if he hears a squeaker go off, but he is obviously not happy. He growls and runs when one of the other dogs is playing with a toy. He will play, very gently, with one of the other dogs if no toys are involved. I've tried placing toys near where he lays, but he freaks a little. I've tried playing with him and adding a toy, but again, he'll take off. I've tried brand new toys (with no other smells), soft toys, no squeak toys, etc. and it's a total no go.

At times, it's obvious he was abused, but those fears are fading for the most part. I just don't understand why he's so scared of toys and would really like to get him past it. There are a lot of toys in this house!

Does anybody have any suggestions?

Sometimes, it is a good thing they cannot speak. Our one dog, Dexter, still does not play with toys but he is no longer afraid of them. The other dog is all about play, play play.
It sounds like time and patience are important. And I agree with ICit- a good dog trainer may help.

 

[MMDad]

It sounds like toy phobia is way more common than I thought. What causes them to be like that?

 

[migtig]

That's odd he's afraid of toys. I wonder if they had more than one dog and he was punished for playing with the other dogs stuff. Poor baby

Actually, my theory is a bit worse than that. It appears that at some point somebody punched him in the face hard. Maybe multiple times. Several of his teeth have been knocked out /broken and his eyeball socket is damaged. He's just a little guy and it makes my blood boil when I think about anybody harming a defenseless animal. I wonder if he was severely punished for playing with something he shouldn't have. Many of us have experienced a pup picking up a shoe/sock/etc to play with.

His Christmas picture shows his wonky eye.

 

[nobody really]

ICit always has good advice, but have you tried unconventional toys, like an empty water bottle (very noisy, though), socks with knots tied in them, etc.

Just a suggestion, i had a dog once who wasn't afraid of the usual dog toys, probably just bored with them, but would play for hours with an empty water bottle and would take my rolled up socks that were in the laundry hamper and play with them, so i just knotted some up and she'd prefer them over her doggie toys.

 

[migtig]

BTW, he does look much better and happier and loved. I just would like for him to enjoy some toy time.

 

[nobody really]

Actually, my theory is a bit worse than that. It appears that at some point somebody punched him in the face hard. Maybe multiple times. Several of his teeth have been knocked out /broken and his eyeball socket is damaged. He's just a little guy and it makes my blood boil when I think about anybody harming a defenseless animal. I wonder if he was severely punished for playing with something he shouldn't have. Many of us have experienced a pup picking up a shoe/sock/etc to play with.

His Christmas picture shows his wonky eye.

poor baby, at least he's in a good home now!

 

[migtig]

ICit always has good advice, but have you tried unconventional toys, like an empty water bottle (very noisy, though), socks with knots tied in them, etc.

Just a suggestion, i had a dog once who wasn't afraid of the usual dog toys, probably just bored with them, but would play for hours with an empty water bottle and would take my rolled up socks that were in the laundry hamper and play with them, so i just knotted some up and she'd prefer them over her doggie toys.

I'll give it a go - at least the sock one. We did try an old leather glove that he seemed interested in, but he only wanted to eat it, not play with it.

 

[ICit]

It sounds like toy phobia is way more common than I thought. What causes them to be like that?

A negative experience.... and no confidence.


in order to change this... one needs to build the dogs confidence in a POSITIVE manner mainly thru obedience training... and then teach positive association with toys and build more confidence from there..


but why listen to me ...... why take my word .....

oh wait... cuz i have lived it.... i have worked a dog thru this and still have work to do with her... you saw Crackie..... when i got her there would be NO WAY i would have been able to take her out like that.....


OMG... I took her out to say hello to some friends and their kids... asked her to put her feet on the table to see the kids.... she just hopped up on the table ... NOW THAT IS WHAT CONFIDENCE IS...

 

[ICit]

BTW, he does look much better and happier and loved. I just would like for him to enjoy some toy time.

he looks very happy and not stressed.... this is a good step for him as he has traveled... and is in a unfamliar place

 

[migtig]

he looks very happy and not stressed.... this is a good step for him as he has traveled... and is in a unfamliar place

He did awesome. And he got loved on by strangers!

Back to patience on the toys I guess. I'll also try to get him alone and play. I'm not quite ready for a class with him. He's still uncomfortable with men and if I raise my voice past my happy voice...well, it sets us back a bit.

 

[ICit]

He did awesome. And he got loved on by strangers!

Back to patience on the toys I guess. I'll also try to get him alone and play. I'm not quite ready for a class with him. He's still uncomfortable with men and if I raise my voice past my happy voice...well, it sets us back a bit.

you would be shocked..... if you saw Crackie when i got her... you would not think its the same dog..

she was a hot mess...worst fear of men ever.... by the end of the night Jack had her coming right to him.... now she LOVES HIM.... and will go crawl in his lap...

 

[nobody really]

A negative experience.... and no confidence.


in order to change this... one needs to build the dogs confidence in a POSITIVE manner mainly thru obedience training... and then teach positive association with toys and build more confidence from there..


but why listen to me ...... why take my word .....

oh wait... cuz i have lived it.... i have worked a dog thru this and still have work to do with her... you saw Crackie..... when i got her there would be NO WAY i would have been able to take her out like that.....


OMG... I took her out to say hello to some friends and their kids... asked her to put her feet on the table to see the kids.... she just hopped up on the table ... NOW THAT IS WHAT CONFIDENCE IS...

LIKE LIKE LIKE!! wish we had the like button back!

 

[ICit]

LIKE LIKE LIKE!! wish we had the like button back!

LOL... I know

 

[Roman]

previous owners may have had small kids that left their toys out, and the over did the punishment after he chewed/played with them. Either way, it sounds like abuse to me, and that is sad. I am so happy he is with you now. Give him a hug for me will ya?

 

[acommondisaster]

previous owners may have had small kids that left their toys out, and the over did the punishment after he chewed/played with them. Either way, it sounds like abuse to me, and that is sad. I am so happy he is with you now. Give him a hug for me will ya?

That sounds like a logical deduction. As the adoptive parent of an abused dog, I'm so glad to hear he has a loving home now. Things still crop up now and then with Tucker. He's a little clown on his own terms and he loves to play chase through the house, though sometimes he doesn't seem to be sure if it's in fun and we have to stop and reassure him. Your boy looks happy - he may not need toys for play.

 

[Vince]

My dogs never played with toys with one exception, that dayum tennis ball. I would throw that thing til my arm fell off or the dog decided she was done playing.

 

[migtig]

My dogs never played with toys with one exception, that dayum tennis ball. I would throw that thing til my arm fell off or the dog decided she was done playing.

It's not that he's ignoring toys because they are boring. He's scared of a toy just laying there next to him. He will skirt and take the long way around any toy laying on the floor. I want him to get past this and help him see that toys can be fun, not scary.