# I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me how.



## thaliasmom (May 3, 2007)

I really don't want toys in my lap. Or, more to the point, I don't want to have dog drool ruin my laptop.









I *do* want my dog to want to play with me, and to tell me when she's feeling frisky. I'm fine with a toy at my feet + pleading stare.









Puppy is a very good dog, very trainable, and I'm missing something pretty basic, I think.


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

How old is she? How much playing/training/exercising is she getting per week normally?


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## thaliasmom (May 3, 2007)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*

Almost nine months. Daily walks + play time - enough that we can leave her home alone and loose and know that she'll sleep for hours on end, and still sleep soundly for 9 hours at night, too.









Still very much a puppy, though. And under-trained.


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*

Well, I'd amp up the play time a bit to a structured game like two toy and work in some recall to that. Two toy in opposite directions with a ball launcher or "chuck it" really get the tongue wagging. Beyond that, just make sure you do not EVER play with her or acknowledge her when she drops the toy on your lap. Have her bring you a toy and then have her down with it in front of you, then start to play with her. Repeat about 30 times. She will be conditioned to down with the toy to start play. Ignore if she puts it in your lap. You'll see it click when she comes up all excited with the toy and starts to put it on your lap, but then gathers herself and lays down. My 3.5 year old male REALLY needed (and still needs more) work on manners in regards to how to behave in order to get affection. He is like an 85lb REALLY STRONG puppy. Ignoring him until he sits calmly infront of me has done wonders.


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## thaliasmom (May 3, 2007)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*

That makes sense, I'll definitely give it a try! She already knows she has to sit and wait before she can go outside, so this should be just another version of the same. Thank you very much!


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## Cassidy's Mom (Mar 30, 2003)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*

Exactly as John said - stop rewarding it. Dena has trained my hubby to play fetch with her while he's laying on the couch watching TV. She brings him a toy and drops it on him, and he picks it up and chucks it to make her go away and stop pestering him. Duh -she brings it back! And the game continues.









You could simply ignore her until she walks away, and then call her back and play with her for a bit. She'll figure out that demanding play time doesn't work.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*

When your pup drops her ball in your lap, what do you do?


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## 3K9Mom (Jun 12, 2006)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*

When my pup used to bring me toys and drop them in my lap, if I ignored him, he'd try to put them in my hands; if that didn't work, he'd nose my hands. 

So I put my hands clasped behind my head and looked away from him. I continued watching TV, talking to Dh, or pretending to read my book (hard to actually read with a big furry head in my lap).

I made it as though my pup didn't exist. I didn't touch the toy or speak to him in any way (not even a "no."). After a while, he'd get bored with being ignored and he'd take his toy and go lie down and play with it on his own. At that point, I'd praise him and toss him a treat, or I'd then call him over to bring me the toy (but I didn't do this often because I didn't want him to think that it necessarily followed that being ignored led automatically to being played with.)

In other words, he learned that he can play by himself with his toys which I think is a valuable lesson for pups to learn. And he learned that he gets to play with me when I want to play with him, and instigate the play, not when he demands attention. 

Now, he'll walk up, sit about 2 feet away from me with his toy and wait for an invitation. If I accept, the game is on. If I don't, he lies down and plays on his own.


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## thaliasmom (May 3, 2007)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*



> Originally Posted By: lhczthWhen your pup drops her ball in your lap, what do you do?


Let's just say that what *I* do and what DH does are two, um, different things. And I'm not the one playing with her when she does it.


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## lhczth (Apr 5, 2000)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*

If you are reacting in any way that she might feel is play, then you are encouraging the behavior. To get her to stop you will probably need to just pick up the toy in a calm way and put it up. Only play if she drops it at your feet. OR don't have toys out for her to play with except when you want to play.


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## jinxieab (Nov 6, 2002)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*

My girl LOVES playing and brings me her toys often. If I wantto play, the game is on









If not, I take the toy off my lap and set it on the floor and say "not now" and then ignore her and she goes away.

I guess this doesn't solve your issue as she will still bring it over and drop it on me- but only ONCE. 

I DO think that if I caught her on her way over and told her "not now" she would probably stop because she KNOWS I'm not going to play when I say it. I'll try it today (I'm sure there will be an opportunity soon! lol) and report back.

The "not now" also works when I put on my coat and she thinks WE are going to go out and play. I tell her "not now" and she knows she cant' come. The sad pathetic look is almost heartbreaking but she will go lay back down and pout.


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## Shandril2 (Nov 26, 2003)

*Re: I really don't want toys in my lap! Tell me ho*



> Originally Posted By: Jinx&Trager
> The "not now" also works when I put on my coat and she thinks WE are going to go out and play. I tell her "not now" and she knows she cant' come. The sad pathetic look is almost heartbreaking but she will go lay back down and pout.


I HATE that look!


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