Why is my dog not interested in playing with me?

If you're thinking that your dog isn't affectionate toward you, don't take it personally. It's likely not about you at all. There are many reasons why dogs don't show a lot of affection. First, if your dog was adopted, their former home may have improperly cared for them — or worse, abused them. If so, your dog may have trust issues or even feel afraid of humans. Additionally, just like some humans, your dog may enjoy their personal space. Dogs can also be territorial or consider another member of the family as their best friend. If your dog shows affection toward other members of the family, or you're being introduced to the dog for whatever reason, it just may take some time for them to warm up to you. Your dog may simply be showing their affection for you in other ways. They’re likely already showing you in a different manner. Dogs Show Affection in Many Ways. It could be as simple as chasing and retrieving a ball or stick. By playing along, it's as if your dog is saying, "I have brought you this gift of a slobber-and-dirt-covered ball because I care about you." Do you come home from work to see your dog staring out the window, waiting for you to return. Do they bring you a toy or treat to share with you in moments when you aren't playing. Though your dog may not like to cuddle on your lap, they may be trying to show you how happy they are in your presence — just look for the clues.

There are two main reasons your dog doesn’t find toys rewarding: The dog was never trained to find toys rewarding. The dogs have access to the same toys day in and day out. Most dog’s wont have to be trained to find toys reinforcing. Instead, all you have to do is mix up what toys your dog gets, when they get them, and for how long. If you only have one or two toys for your dog then go over to DogProductPicker.com to look for some more that your dog will love. Combine Toys Two toys on their own may not be that interesting to your dog. So! Take two toys and put them together. If your dog still isn’t loving their toys, then it’s time for some quick and easy training. Pair your dog toys with things that your dog already finds reinforcing. Does your dog like to play or “rough house?” Grab a toy and start the fun! When we place intrinsic reinforcement after toys (or any secondary reinforcer we are trying to make more reinforcing) we show the dog that good things happen when they interact with the toys. What most people do is, feed their dog and then give them a toy. When you do that, you can make food more reinforcing and you can actually decrease the value of a toy.

Your dog may be less interested in playing with you due to social maturity, as roughly between the ages of 2-3, dogs become socially mature. And, as a result, we fully expect some changes in their behavior. Typically, we should expect our adult dogs to play less in general, be more selective about who they will play with, and be less tolerant of what they consider rude behavior. Why should dogs be expected to play with every other dog who shows up or to put up with rude behavior, we know that it’s unrealistic to expect them to. If your dog is healthy and not afraid, it’s absolutely okay for her to simply not want to play as much.

Dogs have extremely different personalities, regardless of the breed they come from, and they can develop traumas the same way we do. Sometimes, even if your dog comes from a breed that is supposed to be very friendly and playful, he can turn out to be very shy and not particularly playful. Maybe they suffered a trauma when they were young, and that’s why they don’t feel comfortable playing with humans. Maybe Your Dog Doesn’t Know How to Play. While most of us believe that playing should come naturally for dogs, this isn’t a rule. Accept that Sometimes they Aren’t in the Mood to Play. Just because you want to play with your dog, it doesn’t mean that he wants that too. Sometimes, there’s nothing you can do to make your dog play with you, especially if your dog isn’t particularly playful. All you can do is to wait until your dog is in the mood and play with him then.

There are many reasons why a dog may not instinctively engage in play with its human owners. A dog kept in a kennel for breeding may have little positive interaction or experience with humans. A rescue dog may have been injured by its owner, or a puppy may simply be shy. One common reason is a lack of early socialization. Some dogs don't play simply because no one has ever engaged in a game with them. Another reason is that their instincts may drive them to do other things. For instance, a border collie may have the drive to herd your children together in the yard rather than engage in a game of fetch.