(Slightly) evil things we do our dogs

[brembo]

1. Faux throw. Being smart dogs, it only works occasionally. Sure is funny when Banjo yowls at me when I do manage to fake him out tho. He'll go for the ball in my hands after a faux throw, he's entitled to that at least. I have to warn folks that toss a ball for him NOT to fake him out unless they want a GSD in their grill.

2. Tickle pads. I get a serious flea nibble for this great game. I don't laugh much, not my personality, but when he's had enough of my jackassery his reaction (clamp down on my hand and hold it) makes me belly laugh.

3. Tickle ears. Very similar to number 2.

4. Cover head with towel/shirt/sheet/etc. I combine this with a good hollar when I do this. He can't get the thing off his head quickly enough to see what I'm yelling about. Running away is also acceptable, tho I get a pant-leg tug normally for this activity.

5. Headlock. In and of itself he's fine with this...maybe tolerates it I guess. However I throw in a good belly slap and hold on for dear life. Much gnashing of teeth and posturing, typically a play-bow and a fakey lunge followed by arm mauling.

6. Screwing with his yawns. If Banjo yawns I stuff my hand in his mouth, grab his tongue, squeeze his nose...etc. If I get my hand away quickly enough he'll cut circles and expect me to smack him around some.

It might sound like I have an out of control fully grown land shark, it's in fact the opposite of that. He is able to get the "bities" out of his system with me, someone he trusts completely. Around other people he is very very well behaved, only nosing for that extra rub sometimes. Some people try and get him torqued up but I can see that he's only messing around, none of the intensity I get is in evidence. He knows that if he gets too rough with me the only consequence is a yelp on my part and that I'll come back harder and faster. Yes, he has an off switch. I'd be crazy to not have conditioned one of those, we all know how effective a GSD is with it's mouth. I always thought I could handle any dog if it was aggressive....well I know better now. Banjo PLAYS with me, he's holding back a huge amount. If he were to wick it up there is no way I could hang, he's faster, has better reflexes and in some ways is more powerful than I. I can only imagine what a properly bred working line GSD is like. Buzzsaw with legs? Mine is a softie, one of those hard dogs would likely make me poop myself.

Anyway, got any ideas on additional ways to annoy my mutt?

[APBTLove]

Those made me laugh. It drives me crazy to see people doing that to their dogs who actually don't like it and get upset or fearful, but then there are crazies like mine who love it. J is very ticklish, and it's our game to see how long I can tickle him before he breaks away and makes laps around the house/yard and then comes back for more.

The way me and my dogs play has always made people look at us funny. I play with them like they're dogs, that's how I grew up and some people will tell you it's wrong and will teach them bad things, but until I see proof of it with my animals I'll keep doing it, because it's fun for both of us.

[Good_Karma]

I play peek-a-boo, where I cover Niko's eyes with my hands. It gets him riled up and he enjoys it. He'll start "mooing" and mouth my hands a little, which is usually when I stop.

[Greydusk]

I screw with Blitz's yawns, usually by poking his tongue, he'll make a face and look at me like I ruined his day.

[GSKnight]

I let Viktor on the bed the last couple nights... feet moving under the covers freaks him out.

[LoveEcho]

Originally Posted by GSKnight

I let Viktor on the bed the last couple nights... feet moving under the covers freaks him out.

I LOL'd at this I give Echo his pills in peanut butter and "accidentally" smear a little on his nose... I think of it as the treat that keeps on giving... I also blow in his face when I'm eating something tasty. He whines but his tail goes a million miles an hour. He loves being tickled, and if I tickle him while he's stretching he falls over He then rolls onto his back for more..

[Freestep]

I like to play "got your nose" with my dogs. They think it's funny.

[NewbieShepherdGirl]

Originally Posted by brembo

2. Tickle pads. I get a serious flea nibble for this great game. I don't laugh much, not my personality, but when he's had enough of my jackassery his reaction (clamp down on my hand and hold it) makes me belly laugh.

3. Tickle ears. Very similar to number 2.

4. Cover head with towel/shirt/sheet/etc. I combine this with a good hollar when I do this. He can't get the thing off his head quickly enough to see what I'm yelling about. Running away is also acceptable, tho I get a pant-leg tug normally for this activity.

5. Headlock. In and of itself he's fine with this...maybe tolerates it I guess. However I throw in a good belly slap and hold on for dear life. Much gnashing of teeth and posturing, typically a play-bow and a fakey lunge followed by arm mauling.

6. Screwing with his yawns. If Banjo yawns I stuff my hand in his mouth, grab his tongue, squeeze his nose...etc. If I get my hand away quickly enough he'll cut circles and expect me to smack him around some.

2) I get a major talking to when I do this. At first she just pulls her paw away, then starts the talking. Occasionally I'll get a punch in the face for this one lol!

3) I do this, or sometimes I'll gently blow in them when she's not looking and then when she turns around I look away like nothing's happened. Pretty soon she starts snapping the air and usually ends up in a play bow ready to rumble.

4) I love this. Usually when she gets it off her head she starts thrashing it and really has a good time; I get the big tail going then.

5) I do this very very occasionally. I'm always afraid I'll hurt her neck though when she goes to get out of it. Usually if I wrap my arms around her neck she thinks it's time to play.

6) I put my hand in her mouth sometimes when she's yawning, and I she usually gives me a very confused look and then starts kissing me.


In addition I also mess with her tongue sometimes when she's on an obsessive licking kick. I'll just gently grab it for a second everytime the tongue comes out. Or if I've had enough I'll start kissing her face with as much intensity as she's licking me. For a while the intensity of the licking gets stronger and stronger and then she's like, "Ok you're obnoxious" lol.

There are also things I do that are not done to bug her but do. She doesn't like it when I sing. She gets a little fussy. Worse yet is when I dance. She goes nuts I imagine the little thought bubble goes like this, "STOP!!!! YOU CAN'T DANCE! Whoever told you you could was WRONG!"

I'm sure there are other things but I can't think of any right now. We have a good time. I make sure I never do anything that really ticks her off or anything like that.

[LoveEcho]

I have also been known to dress him up from time to time...there are countless pictures of him wearing shirts, hoodies, hats, sunglasses, reindeer antlers, scarves....

[vicky2200]

I like doing all these things with my dogs. I wouldn't do it if they didn't like it. I think it also helps them when a little kid comes up and does weird stuff. They are used to weird stuff. ( Only one of my 3 dogs is okay with kids, so this didn't work as well as i hoped.)