Playing on the floor

[JPmoney]

Hello, All of you have been great in helping me with my new puppy Zeus. But I do have one little question. Is getting down on the floor and playing with him ok? I thought I read in another thread that you should not do that. Because right now up here in New York the snow machine is starting and it get's quite cold out and little zeus get's cold quickly playing outside. Also he seems more interested in licking the snow on the ground than doing anything else. I don't think he is thirsty, He has water whenever he wants it

[Judi W]

What kind of play are you doing that requires you to get down on the floor? Fetch, tug, run and hide, and training games can all be done with the person upright, bending over for treats and praise. Personally, I think it best if the people remain physically higher than the dog.

[JPmoney]

I thought it would make it a little more fun if I was a little closer to the dogs level (I stand over 6 foot) and zeus is tiny still. But if you suggest that it is not the greatest idea then I will go with that advice.

[Judi W]

Well, sounds as if even if we chop you off at the knees you'll still be plenty taller than the pup..... play away!

My reservation is when people sit on the floor and allow the pup to climb on them ,etc.

[mijpa]

judi what do you see wrong with getting on the floor and playing tug / rough houseing as long as when i say the game is over it ends?

[WorkinDogz]

Rough-housing is counter productive (IMHO) 100% of the time.

It doesn't "toughen them up".....it does the exact opposite.

If you're going to sit on the floor; play a productive game.... roll a ball and encourage retrieving... use the time to teach the "out" command.... do puppy imprining with play training... Tug 'o war is great if you know what you're doing. It's a game I don't suggest people play unless they know "how" to play it though.

I know everyone loves to play it.....I just feel there are plenty of other things that can be done that comes with less "risk" for creating negative behavior later on.

[Caesarsmom]

Once again, Judi has hit the mark.

I made the mistake (only once) of getting on the floor with my male. I don't remember his exact age at the time of the incident....I'd guess close to 2 years old. We came in the house, and as was customary, he immediately went into a down-stay on the living room floor until another command was issued from me. On the spur of the moment, I decided to lie down next to him.....oops!!!!!!!! His demeanor IMMEDIATELY changed, and I realized I'd made a mistake. He broke his down-stay, and rose above me with a look in his eyes that I'd not seen before. I grabbed his collar, gave it a twist and pulled him back down, along with a stern "NO!" I never, ever did that again, and he never tried to push the envelope in that same way.

I did rough-house, play tug, etc., with him.....but always standing or kneeling. Curious thing tho.....after that incident, he did not want to physically challenge me. He'd body slam the girl rotties, and jump on my husband (in play), but if I initiated the "let's play rough" game, he'd only half heartily participate.

Take Judi's advice and be very careful........

[RottiMomCT]

I think it all depends on HOW the dog has been raised as to whether you can or cannot be on the same level with the dog. I can play with Ben sitting on the floor and lay next to him and he won't say a thing (he's almost 3, neutered).

I did, ONCE, have an issue with him over a bone, but that was quickly remedied and I can now take anything from him if I want it.

I also rough-house with him...helps to expend his extra engery when I'm too much of a wimp to go outside and play with him (it's cold in CT!), but he also knows that when I say 'Enough' or OK, Calm Down', I'm done. He'll go find a tennis ball for me to toss down the hall.

[mijpa]

rottimomct, i agree with you he's {moto } only 18 weeks old and i've been doing this for awhile with him he seems to like getting the extra energy out and i don't mind playing with him that way, i was wondering what took place with the bone issue you had and how did you resolve it?

[RottiMomCT]

Originally posted by mijpa
rottimomct, i was wondering what took place with the bone issue you had and how did you resolve it?

Ben was given a yummy prime rib bone with alot of meat on it from a wedding reception we went to. He was starting to break off bits of the bone and I thought that he should have it anymore (I had about 6 others in the fridge for him to get the meat off of) I asked him to 'Give" and he didn't look away from chewing, just growled and kept gnawing away.

I promptly did something I know now could have gotten me bitten, but it worked as I think he was surprised I did it at all. I put my foot between his head and the floor and pushed him away from said bone. I took it and he immediately sat in front of me as if to 'ask' for the bone again.

I let him chew the bone a bit while I held it, gave it to him, told him to "Give" and when he gave the bone to me he was prasied heavily and given the bone back to chew. I agian asked him to give the bone a few minutes later and he did, without incident. I then gave him a fresh bone to get the goodies off of.

Ben knows that we (his 'mom & dad') are the rule makers in the hosue, and I think he views all people that way. Even my 10 & 12 yr old nieces can rough house with us to an extent (I always call the shots there!) and he's always stopped when the girls tell him 'That's Enough!' or 'Leave It!". Plus, the kids have been around a goofy Golden Retreiver for the past 8 yrs and he's knocked them down plenty of times while playing!

[mijpa]

Originally posted by RottiMomCT


Ben was given a yummy prime rib bone with alot of meat on it from a wedding reception we went to. He was starting to break off bits of the bone and I thought that he should have it anymore (I had about 6 others in the fridge for him to get the meat off of) I asked him to 'Give" and he didn't look away from chewing, just growled and kept gnawing away.

I promptly did something I know now could have gotten me bitten, but it worked as I think he was surprised I did it at all. I put my foot between his head and the floor and pushed him away from said bone. I took it and he immediately sat in front of me as if to 'ask' for the bone again.

I let him chew the bone a bit while I held it, gave it to him, told him to "Give" and when he gave the bone to me he was prasied heavily and given the bone back to chew. I agian asked him to give the bone a few minutes later and he did, without incident. I then gave him a fresh bone to get the goodies off of.

Ben knows that we (his 'mom & dad') are the rule makers in the hosue, and I think he views all people that way. Even my 10 & 12 yr old nieces can rough house with us to an extent (I always call the shots there!) and he's always stopped when the girls tell him 'That's Enough!' or 'Leave It!". Plus, the kids have been around a goofy Golden Retreiver for the past 8 yrs and he's knocked them down plenty of times while playing!

i'm glad you didn't get bit, moto pretty much listens when i tell him that's enough he still a puppy and i figure if he grows up doing this we should be alright