# Dog pushes toys against me



## Jen2010 (Feb 12, 2013)

My dog keeps bringing her ball over to me then pushing against my leg and chewing on it. I think she wants me to play with her, but this happens outside where her toys are dirty and she gets me covered in dirt, mud, and grime! It's very frustrating!

I've been trying to get her to sit before I throw the ball for her, but if I ignore her or don't want to play, she comes and pushes it against me. It's usually the soccer ball, so it's not a small toy. If I turn away or walk away, she pushes it against the back of my legs.

How can I teach her not to do this?


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Dogs and dirty go together...I guess to me, it's all part of the package. 

You might try completely ignoring any attempts to play when she does this and not rewarding that behavior and instead teach her a trick to do when she wants to play, like sitting and dropping the toy, bowing, or whatever it is you'd like her to do to signal that she'd really like to play. Then, I'd reward any time she does that, even if I don't have time to play at that moment. Also, teaching a default settle or a command for her to go to her "place," when you're busy could be helpful. Inside, the "place" could be a dog bed, a spot on the floor, anywhere that she's out of the way and comfortable. Outside, you could have an outdoor dog bed or cushion or just a designated "spot" that she knows to go to when you give the command. (I think there are videos on this.)

Basically, right now, she doesn't know what she *should* do when she wants to play with you, beyond bugging you with toys. I'd teach her what you do want her to do to ask to play as well as where to go when you're too busy to play and reward her a lot for both.


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## LuvMyAngels (May 24, 2009)

Sounds like she's asking you to play. My big guy will chew toys while shoving them against me if Im not paying attention to earlier cues that he wants me to play with him. We wash, dogs wash, toys wash...life is too short to worry about dirt.


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## Jen2010 (Feb 12, 2013)

Yes she definitely wants to play, but she does this even when I AM playing with her! The problem is, I let her play in the morning before I go to work. So I'm wearing my dress pants and can't go to work with them covered in dirt. Then it's the same when I get home. I let her out right away so she can run around and burn off some energy.

She is learning to "go to bed" but it's not really useful outside especially when it is her play time. I just want her to learn to play without pushing her toys against me. Plus sometimes when she tries to get a better grip, she gets some skin in her teeth :-(


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

outside+dog=dirt
don't get too attached to your clean clothes lol.
teach her to drop the ball at your feet or something similar before you throw it. throwing it becomes it's own reward and other behaviours get her ignored (absence of reward). it'll take awhile but eventually it'll click and then you can become a little more attached to your clean clothes again.


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## MonteCristo (Apr 19, 2013)

Sydney does that to me too, which I just took as her asking to play. The only time it really annoys me is when she does it with her nylabone chew bone...that thing is usually sharp and slobbery, and we don't play with it anyway, so I don't know why she does it. I think she wants to chew on me but know she isn't allowed, so this is her way of getting as close as she can...crazy dog. I've been trying to train her to drop the toy at my feet when she wants to play, but it is definitely taking time to sink it.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

I don't play with my dogs if I'm dressed up fancy. When I worked at jobs where that was a daily thing, I changed right before leaving the house and changed again when I got home. Dogs just are messy by nature and about all you can do is manage the mess. If it's happening when you're playing and you're getting your dress clothes dirty from it, then I'd suggest not playing in your dress clothes.

As far as the teeth issue while playing...whenever my dogs touch skin with teeth during play, the play stops and we take a time out. They learn to be more careful. I don't mind a little mouthing now and then, but nipping in play, unless it's a rare accident, just doesn't fly.

But yeah...a live dog is not going to be without messiness and the occasional mouthiness. The only dog that will never get your clothes muddy or drool on you...is a stuffed dog, but they really also can't love you back, either. Cats are much neater, cleaner, and convenient pets, but I kind of like the way a dog makes me re-evaluate my priorities.


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## Flaming (Feb 2, 2013)

packetsmom said:


> I don't play with my dogs if I'm dressed up fancy. When I worked at jobs where that was a daily thing, I changed right before leaving the house and changed again when I got home. Dogs just are messy by nature and about all you can do is manage the mess. If it's happening when you're playing and you're getting your dress clothes dirty from it, then I'd suggest not playing in your dress clothes.
> 
> As far as the teeth issue while playing...whenever my dogs touch skin with teeth during play, the play stops and we take a time out. They learn to be more careful. I don't mind a little mouthing now and then, but nipping in play, unless it's a rare accident, just doesn't fly.
> 
> But yeah...a live dog is not going to be without messiness and the occasional mouthiness. The only dog that will never get your clothes muddy or drool on you...is a stuffed dog, but they really also can't love you back, either. Cats are much neater, cleaner, and convenient pets, but I kind of like the way a dog makes me re-evaluate my priorities.


Tell that to my cat, lol. She's almost as messy as Manna. (the cat decided to get into something sticky and stinky this morning when she bolte out the door)


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## winniec777 (Apr 20, 2008)

I like it when my dog does that--it shows me she wants to engage. I think it's cute. But then, I gave up on having clean clothes a l-o-n-g time ago. I started keeping lint rollers and towels handy so that I could do a quick brush up before walking out the door to work. You could tie a long chef's apron around your waist to keep the worst of it off.


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## Jen2010 (Feb 12, 2013)

Thanks for the suggestions, I might try the apron if I can't get her to drop the toy first


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