teach old dogs to play with toys?

[Ivan]

Last night I watched Buddy at his new indoors game... He pounced on a cricket, and taunted it like a cat would, eventually critically wounding it. Then he hunted all over around the family room, esp. nooks & crannies, and then plunked himself down in an unusual spot, facing the bookcases, with his nose below them, straining to reach underneath. Then he waited for another cricket to hop out from hiding. Pounce! It seems his nose works quite well indeed! Maybe we gotta let in more crickets? :-)

[areese]

Laika likes toys that move....most often they aren't dog toys but I go to the goodwill and buy her silly kid toys that wind up or have buttons you push to make them move or make noise. she has to be watched and generally wrecks them but it's worth it!
Also-hook a leash to a stuffy toy and run right by the dogs with it. Laika and segue (chi) go nuts for that. You can stand in one spot and drag it around in a circle so they can chase it.
Just try to go with the interests they already have...and build on it. I also use real fur toys (for cats, usually) with mine. again, they are destroyed and they have to be watched but it's fun for 20 minutes or so and it might trigger some play drive in them

[Alex's Mom]

I wonder if he'd enjoy doing earth dog trials? Might be worth trying with him!

[wawailc]

I'm amazed! I thought most of the doxies here were big players. As a matter of fact I thought Jack and I were strange because he doesn't play all day. It's quite a relief to know that he's a normal doxie. He plays with his stuffies but only when he feels like it. He does not like balls at all. You gave some good suggestions anyway. (Always learning...)