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What are good games to play with EM's

babyjoemurphy

Well-Known Member
We just adopted a 2 1/2 yr old EM and need ideas on good games to play with him. Murphy does not give up his toys and after having him for 5 days I am starting to work on that. He does well playing on his own but we would like to share the fun with him. We have 3 kids{over 10yrs} so that has to betaken into consideration. We have been told teaching EM's how to play tug a war is NOT a good idea. So any help would be great
 

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ravendarat

Well-Known Member
I was told that tug was fine but only AFTER you have a very strong well working "leave it" or "drop it" which you admitted you do not have yet.
 

babyjoemurphy

Well-Known Member
No we have not a strong leave it or drop it yet. He went to obiedience school being that I adopted him I have no idea if it was taught or used at his previous home. But Murphy is so smart and already learning to allow a "trade up" when he has something he is not suppose to have. So we are on the right path. He is just starting to show his true colours by getting more playful and using his voice(bark)more often. But I don't want him to get bored and my kids would love to play games with him.
 

Marrowshard

Well-Known Member
We adopted our EM, Oscar, at 3-ish years old and discovered he wasn't always sure what to do with toys. It's improved over time, but I got in the habit of playing Hide & Seek. We've got a lot of large trees in the yard, so I'd discretely step behind one when Oscar wasn't looking, then make an obvious noice like "Hey!" or "Over Here!". We don't run from him, but when he "finds" us, he gets pettings and such. Since you've got older kids they should be able to play the game without running or squealing or otherwise "overdoing" it.
Also, with the weather getting warmer there's the possibility of kiddie pools and sprinklers. I haven't tried it out on Oscar yet, but I've known a lot of dogs to go all wiggly at being able to run through/bite/lick moving sprinklers.
Do you take walks with him at all or just play in the yard? Oscar has a lot of bonding time/fun just going to state parks and getting to smell and experience new things. We discovered he'd never been in a river recently and it was a blast watching him get used to running water up to his chest.

Congrats on the new family member :)

~Marrow
 

Mamie2shoes

Well-Known Member
ours loves the water hose sprayed at him and sprinklers. Also, hide and seek. Show the treat and let him smell it good. Then we take it touching it to the ground every step and hide it then let her find it. The kids love this, just make sure you don't mind the couch getting drool on it. lol
 

babyjoemurphy

Well-Known Member
We are still trying to figure out what his "triggers" are and have not taken him to a park yet (we are on day 6 of having him) He take him...well my husband takes him for a morning and night walk due to the fact that he is way stronger then me and if anything happens he will have full control. Murphy has been to obedience school and it shows but he doesn't know "leave it". He so far scared the crap out of a guy on a bike, a women walking her baby in a stroller and lunges at school buses, and only when they are coming at him. We had a very good walk this morning. A women was walking a little scottish terrier (that I found out was a rescue) and she hesitated at first but then continued walking at us seeing my husband had full control of Murphy. She got about 15 feet away and asked her dog to sit and allowed Murphy to calm down from being excited. Once that happened both dogs came together and Murphy went into a playful bow and the terrier started playing.....Poor little thing started off black and ended in a sloppy wet mess. As soon as we started walking Murphys attention when right back to the task at hand....his walk! I was so happy and by the way they both got a treat.
As for playing he will not give up his toys and he grunts and places his toy on you so he can chew it. Im in the process of stopping the toys on people and trying to "trade up" with him when he has something he is not suppose to have like a rock lol. I can't wait to take him to a park but he have to get the need the CHASE out of him and establish our heirachy. For now we just need at home games we can play in the backyard. I am use to a sheppard that can go and go, but this guy isnt suppose to be jumping and being he came from a home with no kids I don't want to over due it too quickly
 

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babyjoemurphy

Well-Known Member
Thats so funny my 15yr old loved playing hid and seek with our Sheppard. It was their favorite game. As for the sprinkler I haven't tried that yet but maybe today being that we have been in a horrible heat wave the last few days and have kept Murphy in the house as much as possible. Today being only hot not humid the hose might be the game today. Have I mentioned how much joy this guy has brought to my house, my kids, my husband and especially me since my Sheppard past away a few months ago. I do believe that Mr Murphy was placed in my path for all good reasons. I am not a believer in "things happen for a reason" because there was no good reason for my Sheppard to have pasted. He went from happy, healthy, at noon and died at 2am. No good reason but this guy came at the saddest days for me. I wake up and once again can't wait to see what the day will bring with Murphy as I did with Moses!
Boy do I sound so silly
 

musicdeb

Well-Known Member
I play hide and seek with Titan. I also freeze treats in a water. He has to figure out how to get the treats out. He's learned to throw it up in the air to break the ice. I put him in the kitchen, I hear "plunk" "plunk". So funny.

Titan loves playing tug of war with a dish towel, actually his fav toy. He'll play "run after the ball" and he brings it back to me.
 

Mamie2shoes

Well-Known Member
musicdeb, the ice trick is genius, I am going to try that one tonight. As a matter of fact, Mamie is passed out on the floor after 30 min of sprinkler time. My rugs are gonna smell awesome. LOL
 

Kelly

Well-Known Member
Yeah a treat in an ice cube, i like it! have to tell my daughter, her boy loves to play with ice cubes.
 

Ursa

Well-Known Member
I'm gonna try the ice cube treats too. 3 of mine love ice!

I also play hide and seek, hide the treat, and fetch (good idea to teach bring it and give it if Murphy doesn't know those). I hope this doesn't make me sound like the most boring person ever but all of mine love to train! The combo of my undivided attention and some treats (mostly the treats I'm sure :)) makes them ridiculously happy! Bonus: it tires them out and helps them bond to me. Would the kids enjoy teaching Murphy a trick or two?
 

Marrowshard

Well-Known Member
Ursa, we've found that's a good idea for Oscar too. It's not "work" when it's also fun so we work our off-leash commands in the yard after some run-around-like-a-demon play time. It doesn't have to be repeated Sit, Stay, Down either ... it's a nice safe place to practice off-leash Heel and Leave It (since there's usually lots of interesting things to be left alone ... cow patties, rabbit holes, etc.). I agree with you, babyjoe, until Murph is super-safe with the kids don't provoke him with running games or on-the-ground stuff like wrestling. Lowering yourself to the dog's level is an easy way to upset their ideas of hierarchy. When we first brought Oscar home he had to roll him a few times to get the message across but after that he quickly picked up where he fit in the ranks.

~Marrow
 

musicdeb

Well-Known Member
I have to admit, I cannot take credit for the fabulous idea of the treat in ice. I found it on Victoria Stillwell's board. She has the show, "It's Me or the Dog" on Animal Planet.

I found the great idea under the topic of mind stimulation because dogs need mind stimulation as much as physical exercise.
 

Jeri

Well-Known Member
I love the treat in the ice idea! When Camo hears the ice maker he comes running in and does a sliding stop sit for his ice cube! We're working on the pecking order here too,,Camo has begun to think he can just jump on me. We've had a few "roll him on the floor with me the victor" episodes! I also will sit on the floor to watch tv sometimes so he knows he can't maul me when I'm lower than him. Thank God he's a quick learner,,I'm getting too old for wrestlemania!!
 

aaronl

Well-Known Member
Ours loves strawberries so we put cut up strawberries in her ice cube treats. I bought so many strawberries that i had to freeze them and now frozen strawberries straight up are her treat of choice. Just watch the carpet and extra drool.