Play Dates for the Girls

Choya isn't a high-energy dog, and neither does she play much nowadays. I don't bother fixing play-dates for her anymore. But dogs still need play. She would need to learn to hang out with different dogs. Aside from school, I do know which dogs she might/can get along with in the estate, and the friends' floofs. She needs dogs who can chill out with her, and who understands her need for space. 

We had Maya and Ivy over for a short bit that afternoon. That was the first play date at home for all three of them. No treats were dispensed. Choya can be a bit possessive (at home) when it comes to food. She's happy to share her toys though. She doesn't mind the girls taking her toys and chewing them or making squeaky sounds. These girls aren't that small, but they ignored the bigger toys and went for the small fluffies. Heh. I know Maya's temperament, and am just getting to know Ivy's. 

We can always take Maya out to wherever, and she'll be perfectly fine without her pawrents or her constant companion, her daughter Ivy. We know the dynamics between Choya and Maya. However, we aren't sure about taking three girls out on our own. Ivy, at nine months old, is still a puppy. She's still a tad timid, and needs time to get used to new people and surroundings. She sometimes has anxiety and excitement pee. It should subside with age, and as she gets more acquainted with how the world works. By now, Ivy is fairly familiar with us, but she still maintains a distance. So her pawrents thought to socialize her a little more. As this was her first proper visit to our home, we kept it short so as not to bring on Ivy's anxiety. It was a good 30 minutes of supervised play-time for the girls. 

The second play date was a tad longer — an hour. Maya was perfectly happy. Ivy learnt to have some fun, walked around a little, then settled down on the floor. I was pleased to see that. She didn’t lie down at all during the first visit. She did stare at the front door a number of times, and circled it. But she seemed okay. She knew that her pawrents would come back for her soon enough. 

Choya was awake and happy to see her friends. She has grown up with Maya and now, she has seen Ivy as a puppy and growing. She loves Maya, and maybe tolerates Ivy. Hahahaha. Choya would play for a bit, and then chill out, letting Maya do her own thing. Maya knows to leave her alone at this stage, or simply sniff her gently and such. Ivy got warned off a few times, and she quickly learnt Choya's boundaries. 

Treats were carefully handed out for the second play date. Choya had to be fed first. She's the tiniest, and she eats so slow. Yet she FOMO. When she was mid-way through, I gave the other two girls theirs. They're not as food possessive as Choya. Whewwwww. I'm just pleased that they can all hang out together without tantrums. Of course, their play-time will always be supervised.