a border collie that doesnt like to play!

Question
2 months ago i took on a rescued border collie, Lebelo (which means swift) When she first came to us she was very timid and nervous, her whole body posture tight and held in.  With lots of walks and love shes opened up very quickly and its like the puppies coming out in her.  she now will play with us, chasing us and playing hide and seek but has no interest whatsoever in toys, fetch or games that will help to mentally work her.  Have you any advice? my knowledge of the breed led me to believe these games were something collies loved.  She came from a home where she had little contact with her owners and was rarely walked, she dug holes and barked and so they re-homed her, we haven't had these problems at all and have been careful to give her a routine and plenty of exercise,shes been ignored a lot of her life and i would just love to know if there were any ways we could help to encourage her to play and see life as something to be enjoyed. My second question is, in the first few weeks of having her she would bark incessantly whenever separated from her.  we did lots of exercises that have now stopped that but the barking for attention when she's not sure still continues.  For example, if we are at my parents-in-law and playing fetch with their dogs, lebelo will sit behind me barking at me.  Have you any suggestions of how i can reassure her without rewarding her? she doesn't want to play, but just doesn't want me playing with them! She will also nip their ankles if they play with us, but doesn't seem to want to herd them.  I would really appreciate any advice you can give, thank you!  

Answer
Hi Emily,

You didn't say how old Lebelo is. Adult dogs who were poorly socialized as puppies sometimes have no interest in playing with toys, though it's really good that she'll now play with you.

You can try a different sort of toy. Try a Kong, is a tough rubber toy that you can fill with treats. The dog has to work at getting the treat out, so it mentally occupies the dog for longer period of time than a rope toy or ball would. Other similar toys are: Buster Cube, Atomic Treatball, The Tricky Treats ball, and Busy Buddy Tug-A-Jug, amongst others. These sort of toys are excellent when you need to leave the dog alone at home, because they keep the dog occupied. Only giving your dog the toy when you leave the house, and changing the treats you put inside, will keep it interesting and entertaining.

Because you only have Lebelo for two months, her jealousy of you playing with other dogs might lessen over time, as she gains more confidence in herself.  When she tries to nip at the other dogs ankles, you need to correct her the moment she starts to chase, as that can get out of hand, and develop in a full fledged attack. Firmly tell her "No!" and make her sit (then reward when she complies). When she misbehaves, she doesn't need reassurance, she needs correction.

Having your dog obey a command, such as telling her to "sit", after she's misbehaved, and the praise or treat that follows will help her learn the correct behavior. When she obeys it helps her feel a sense of accomplishment, and that's a great confidence builder.

Enrolling in an obedience class with Lebelo would be an excellent choice.  It's a lot easier, and more effective to learn under the guidance of a professional trainer, than it is to read about how to solve the problem on your own. You will learn how to control, and she will earn how to obey.  So much of dog behavior is about the order of the  "pack", and following the alpha pack member. Obedience classes helps the dog learn it's pack position, as it reinforces your dominance. Obedience classes also are an ideal way to socialize your dog with other people, other dogs and new experiences.

Ask your vet for a referral to an obedience class, or find one in your yellow pages.


Best of luck,
Patti