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Originally Posted by zoedo  I'll try to be patient and wait for her to tire herself out. She doesn't get excited when we come home and is content with staying in her pen with her crate. When she's out all she wants to do is play with her toys. I was sooo hoping by this time (tomorrow she will be 12 wks) that she would have grown attached to me. :-( |
Play is the best way to bond with your dog. Are YOU more interesting than the toys? Play with your puppy, teach her that you are the best fun in town. All puppies like to tug, so play tug with her. They have packs of little tennis balls in pet stores that you can buy. Get one or two sets of the six packs, roll the balls (don't throw at first) away from you, then when she gets there, call her to you and do it in the happiest, most fun voice you have. You may have to bounce the next ball or wave it around to get her attention. When she gets to you, give her a tiny special (not everyday) treat and make a big deal over her. Play train her to come to you. Convince your puppy that YOU are better than toys alone. Have fun with her and let her have fun with you.
Give the toys a name. All the stuffed toys here are "babies," balls are "balls," and I have a fleece tug toy that I refer to as the "tuggie." When you want her to play with you, ask her "where's your tuggie?" Start looking for it and repeating it. When you find the tuggie, hold it up and tell her "I've got your tuggie." Drag it along the floor and let her get it. Then play tug with her. Engage her and get her interested in you. Part of what puppies learn the longer they stay with their family is how to play. So, what you have to do, is teach your puppy how to play with YOU! Teach your puppy, don't expect her to learn everything you want through osmosis.
Believe me, if your puppy believes you are fun and interesting, she will bond to you like glue and want to be with you more than the toys alone and more than boring other people!
Start looking for puppy obedience classes, you would be amazed at how much fun they can be for you and your puppy. Find a class where the emphasis is positive reinforcement, but wait to start until a couple weeks after your baby has her last set of shots.