How much play is too much play?

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Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

How much play is too much play?

Post by Erica »

Short background - we have a nearly-6 year old female German Shepherd named Opal, and I recently got a now-3 month old standard poodle puppy named Delta.

Daily schedule tends to be Delta gets up around 7:30, we go outside for potty, come back in and feed him, back out for a poo, a lot of play, and a short walk. When we get back it's normally around 8:30 or 9. Then Delta wants to play with Opal for a while, which I want to allow because it allows me time to make and eat breakfast. :lol: Then around 9 we separate them and I play/train/entertain him. At 9:30 Delta will go to sleep (with potty breaks every now and then) until lunch time, around 1:30, when he eats, poos, then will play with me for about 15 minutes before I need to leave for work and he goes back to sleep in his pen or crate. He gets potty breaks but is typically sleeping until I get home from work, around 6:30, when he eats, poos, I play with him outside for a while, and then we go inside, where he wants to play with Opal for a while - about an hour max while I again make and eat my dinner. Around 8:30 they transition from romping to laying down, tooth-fencing play. At 9 I typically get ready to go to bed and we're asleep around 10. Training is sprinkled throughout the day when he's awake. Lately he's been staying awake for longer so these times may be a bit off.

The issue is that my dad thinks that Opal and Delta are playing too much. It's a total of 1.5 to 2 hours a day in two sessions. Is that something to be concerned about? He's worried that Opal is getting "too tired." :P
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
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Nettle
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Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 1:40 pm

Re: How much play is too much play?

Post by Nettle »

Opal will say when enough is enough. It's really good of your Dad to be concerened, and any time you think Opal needs a break from puppy you go ahead and create that break. Most adult dogs are good at telling puppies it's time to do something else now. But this sounds quite all right, although of course we can't see if Opal is getting stressed - but you can and you are very experienced :)
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Erica
Posts: 2697
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2011 9:35 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: How much play is too much play?

Post by Erica »

I do know Opal will say "ENOUGH" when she has had ENOUGH. :) Usually I start to try to get D to calm down when Opal starts shoving toys at him (am I anthropomorphizing when I think she's doing what we do - trying to get him to bite toys instead of her?). The two of them are good at setting limits and saying "that went too far" or "that hurt" but I try to chill them out before either get so tired that their tempers get short.

Thanks for the response!
Delta, standard poodle, born 6/30/14
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