[TudareWQT]

we all play with our pooches, it's something that can't be ignored. Something that we can't help but enjoy, our dog's simple ecstatic joy over something as simple as a bouncing rubber ball is infectious. playing with them helps us bond with them and helps both parties involved blow off some much needed steam( it's extremely hard to be grumpy after a round of good old playtime with the dogs, even for us hardened cynics) No doubt about it playing with our dogs is great all around, but there are different degrees in which we play with them. some people are content to just let the dog's run while they stay still, some people will throw a ball or rope while they sit on a deck/lawn chair. these types of play are fun but are mostly letting the dogs have all the fun. this is the first degree of playing.

the second degree of playing is for the people who will grab a toy and run right along with the dogs, they will chase the dogs, roll in the dirt with them, play tug of war in the mud with them, this is a more intense type of playtime, but one I feel that REALLY lets you get to know your dog on a deeper level, something about being face level in the grass with your dog, watching the sheer joy on their faces,it makes that special playtime just so much more special and meaningful. and I believe it is a feeling that goes both ways.

how do you feel about playtime with your dogs? are you a 1st degree player? or are you a 2nd degree player? or do you mix it up? who do you feels benefits most from your playtimes?

[Virosponna]

Veronica and I are generally 2nd degree playmates; although truth be told neither of us like the mud very much.

But I do roll around on the ground with her and bite her bum.

[myhackingtosh_ws]

Both! lol. I go out on hikes with my girl with a 'chuck it' and while i'm walking i'll chuck the ball out for her to fetch (off leash yes but this is on a friends hunk of land and she has rock solid recall) but i'm also very happy to just chase her around in the dirt and act like a goof with her. Loki loves it and by the end of it i'm usually pooped and she's.. well.. still ready for more but at least it was a few hours of fun. lol.

[curcercanty]

Hahaha... this is great. We got our boy when he was already about 1 1/2, tried getting him to chase the ball but he's not interested... we both love a great game of tug of war and sometime I have to play get the food with him before he will eat... it's a great game we play. I am defiantly 2nd degree

[mussmicky]

I'm all in,..how ever or what ever I feel like doing or using to rough up my boys at that time. Sometimes when they're playing I can't help but get on their level and join in . There's way more dog laughs squeals, and zoomies involved then. Sometimes just before I bite one of them they'll freeze and watch me. They know whats coming and every time I move in they flinch. Like when they're trying to shake a fly or something off of their coat. They always have this look of on their faces like they just can't believe I did that. Even though they knew it was coming then its zoomy time. They both get to going, and jumping trying not to run into each other.

I love my boys!

[Unakjyfk]

Both, just depends on circumstances at the time as to which.

This man said it best:

In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog. ~Edward Hoagland

Every dog I've ever had has seen me crawling around on the ground with them, getting in their face and sniffing, barking at them, rolling around letting them stand over me licking my face, etc.

Every dog I've ever had has been undeniably my dog. Spend the time, build the bond, and that dog will do ANYTHING for you. For those who don't/won't, you'll never know what you're missing.

[Nashhlkq]

I mix first and second degree 'play' and do some 3rd degree play (downright wrestling and laying on them,tickling,kissing the face,rolling on the ground and doing ''raspberries'' on the belly.lol) I'm nuts,I know....but hey! it's fun!!!

---------- Post added at 07:36 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:33 AM ----------

Both, just depends on circumstances at the time as to which.

This man said it best:

In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog. ~Edward Hoagland

Every dog I've ever had has seen me crawling around on the ground with them, getting in their face and sniffing, barking at them, rolling around letting them stand over me licking my face, etc.

Every dog I've ever had has been undeniably my dog. Spend the time, build the bond, and that dog will do ANYTHING for you. For those who don't/won't, you'll never know what you're missing.

Hey,I do the barking at them,sniffing,rolling,licking thing and even pack howls at my house! It's GREAT!!!

[Gazeboss]

Lily doesn't understand how to 'play' with people. If you get on the ground to play with her, she'll just swallow you with kisses . It's pretty funny, and I get to roll her around and make her work for those kisses. Mostly, we play tug, and lots of it. Whether it be her flirt pole which usually works more as a spring pole with me being the spring lol, or with her jolly ball.
She and Liberty take care of the running around together, I simply can't keep up. Although the three of us do enjoy a game of soccer together. I love my girls.

[BPitt]

both, mostly actually 1st degree because Goren does not know how to play with me lol, he play bows and runs back and for a few seconds (like 2 steps left 2 steps right) then comes up and licks me. I guess he just love rough housing with other dogs. But we can sometimes get him going, I don't run with him because of experiences my fiance had with his disabled terrier (before he was disabled) where he has missed the toy a lot and gotten HARD bites out of him. I play a lot of tug, fetch, and get him to wrestle a bit. My fiance also picks him up and truly wrestles with him lol, and he LOVES it, over the shoulder he goes softly landing on the bed, a fake chokeslam...He comes back for more every time its pretty funny to watch but he is really careful with him and guides him down to the bed.

[Unakjyfk]

I think Elliehanna and LilianaLove both brought up a good point. There are some dogs out there that just don't know how to deal with an owner that "goes doggy" on them.

[Virosponna]

I think Elliehanna and LilianaLove both brought up a good point. There are some dogs out there that just don't know how to deal with an owner that "goes doggy" on them.

And then there are dogs like my V.; who love their owner going "doggy" - but can't handle playing with an actual dog.

[Donadoni1809]

I do both. Depends on my mood and the dog.

Casper is a great dog to roll around on the ground with and wrestle with.

Ripley would think I was killing her. Ronon doesn't wrestle or really play with anything for that matter. He is a Greyhound and play like that is beneath him.

Jasmine loves it, but takes it too far and you always end up hurt. Although Casper has given me a few concussions when are heads collided. He chipped my tooth too once. But not as bad as Jasmine.

The others are too small to really play with. Pongo when he was younger liked to play with you in the floor. He is 13 now and likes to left alone!

[BrodiKennedy]

i'm a first and second degree player.i throw the ball while standing still than i run after the dogs just for the joy of it and play with them.i like to play with my dogs simpley because i think it helps you grow a bigger bond with them.when you threw a ball notice your dog is more bonded with the ball than with you.everytime the dog sees you the dog might show excitement but if you bring out the ball the dog will go extrmemly nuts.to test out my hypothesis i want you to try this.have someone roll the ball down the hall of your house while in an area the dog cant see you but you can see the dog.watch their reaction.than have you walk down the hallway and watch their reaction also.only do this if you are a first degree player when it comes to your dogs.second degrees you guys can do this just for fun

[Acalsenunse]

Both.

[Vmysobfi]

I'm definitely a first degree player. However it comes from the nature of my dogs rather than my dislike for rolling in the dirt (who doesn't love mud?!).

Since my two older dogs are Fila Brasileiros we have to treat things a little differently. The last thing you want is a really mouthy Fila. We do a lot of dog activities with them that go well beyond throwing a ball though.

We have an agility course set up in our backyard that my husband built that we regularly run through - it gets changed up a lot as we move the pieces around or add new ones.

We do search training with them, weight pulling, bite work, and herding. When Fila's play they play hard and I don't really fancy getting black eyes and bruises. I'm not sure what it will be like with our pit as she is only 9wks of age or the deaf boxer we are adopting next week!

Bea
Kaylee: 2yr old Fila Brasileiro
Keegan: 2yr old Fila Brasileiro
Augustine "Auggie": 9wk old Pitbull
Kimya "Kimmie": 8mo old boxer

[VrQsgM7c]

Well neither of my dogs are really much for playing. Jersey simply doesn't know how to play with humans, as she was never properly socialized as a puppy. (Ran with a pack till she was 8 months old), and Boston always follows Jersey's lead, so if she doesn't play then neither will he. I will go outside with them and throw the ball and Boston will run after it, and then stop, look at it, and run back to me. So often I just run back and forth with them in the yard, until I get my legs knocked out from under me, because Boston refuses to look up when he runs.

[Muramoursuard]

First degree all the way. My dogs have absolutely no interest in playing with me.

[opelonafqe]

2nd. for sure. My dog lives to play hard and rough and we play right along with her.

[TudareWQT]

I'm all in,..how ever or what ever I feel like doing or using to rough up my boys at that time. Sometimes when they're playing I can't help but get on their level and join in . There's way more dog laughs squeals, and zoomies involved then. Sometimes just before I bite one of them they'll freeze and watch me. They know whats coming and every time I move in they flinch. Like when they're trying to shake a fly or something off of their coat. They always have this look of on their faces like they just can't believe I did that. Even though they knew it was coming then its zoomy time. They both get to going, and jumping trying not to run into each other.

I love my boys!

lmao that made me giggle! i never thought of biting my dogs.. but its a good idea

my boy Rocky loves to be flipped over..he will do it himself most of the time but really loves it when one of his humans grabs his front paws and helps him over, then he lays back and lets his feet and belly get played with

[gogona]

the title of this thread had me scared for a minute...
but I play hard with my dogs... sometimes they think I am just a bigger, smarter dog...
GG will hang with me, but sometimes Buddy gets scared and backs off..
and I usually have a scratch and am bleeding somewhere....