# Dogs won't stop playing!



## iBaman

How do you keep your dogs from playing ALL the time??? We can take Sheldon for a 3 mile run, and he'll STILL play with other dogs like he just woke up! Now that we have Lola in the house, I'm going to go crazy if they play ALL the time...how do I let them know ENOUGH is ENOUGH!!?


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## qbchottu

I trained mine with "enough". When I say enough, they knock it off and go to nap or play alone. 

Initially I had to crate when I wanted them to stop. Another thing you can do is take away toys that encourage play. Separating with doggie doors is another idea.


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## Lilie

With the new puppy in the house, who wants to play 24/7, I have to crate him when my other dogs (or me) have had enough. I'll say 'enough' and give him the chance to back down first. He's still young and doesn't get it. Normally when I say 'enough' he thinks that means I'm fair game. So it's in the crate with him. 

Note: this is AFTER I've taken them out for their exercise in which case the other dogs come back panting and wanting to rest. Sometimes I think all I've done was charged the puppy's batteries!


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## iBaman

Haha, they don't play with toys, they just rough house. I finally put Lola away, and Sheldon is out. Later, I'll bring Lola out and put Sheldon away. If the wind will stop blowing, I'll take them and let them run to their hearts content, but it's super windy right now. =[


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## kiya

I don't allow ruff play in the house. When Lakota was a baby she would always be playing with Kiya, at first it was cute but not when she got bigger. So I started discouraging that kind of play and gave her chewies, stuffies or the ball. It didn't take much for her to get it.


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## iBaman

I wouldn't mind the rough housing, cause they're not super rough...but my venus fly traps aren't in the greatest of areas right now, and I'm afraid they're going to knock them over. phew. Dogs be crazy, yo!


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## shaner

Like others said, use commands and/or crate time, but that can't be a substitute for real exercise and real mental stimulation. A 3 mile run is nothing for a GSD, especially if it's flat ground. That alone won't tire out a GSD. Try a much longer run, but go hiking on uneven ground, perhaps swimming (not in the winter obviously), then come home play a bit of fetch in the yard, then go inside and engage them mentally. After that, if they're still play fighting, that's when a command and crate should be used to stop them. 

I personally let my dogs play fight in the house most of the time, although sometimes I make them relax.


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## DJEtzel

Is one of the dogs new?


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## iBaman

3 miles at 9 months old, and it's super hilly. it's a nature trail. can't hike right now, too muddy, and he does get fetch time and training time. it's not that he's not worn out. he just has oodles of energy


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## iBaman

Yeah, Lola is new. But he's like this with my parents dogs, and he sees them all the time


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## DJEtzel

I've found that any "new" dog is a novelty... Frag and Bailey both usually take three weeks or so of the dog being there all the time to calm down and stop playing... When we visit dogs they've known forever, it's the same.. new novelty. I use the bedtime command to calm them down in the house and just wait it out. We have a new puppy so we're going through this right now..


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## TrickyShepherd

...we have the same problem here with Z, and Duke is getting to be just as bad.

I make sure they are mentally and physically tired... and at that point, if they don't stop, they are given 1 chance to stop before they are kenneled for a bit. I tell them "Enough!"... if they don't stop... kennel.

I don't mind the dogs playing quietly in the house together, but I absolutely will not have 2 large dogs running around my house knocking stuff over in their wake. It's not allowed here. Indoors is for peace and quiet... outdoors is where they can run, play, jump around and be complete idiots.

....it's still a work in progress.... and we've had Duke for a month.  Good luck with your two. If you find anything that works really well, shoot me a PM with it! lol! I could also use help around here!!


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## BlackGSD

I also don't allow playing (with eachother) in the house. Roughhousing is for OUTSIDE. Mine learn as baby puppies that they don't need to act like wild animals indoors. They are encouraged to play with their toys instead.


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