If your Pomeranian has not been given toys for some time due to missing teeth or has previously shown no interest in toys that you have offered, you may need to get things started by encouraging play. This can be done by:
1. Build up suspense.
When first introducing the toy, be sure that there are no other distractions. Make this exciting and suspenseful. Have the toy in a small bag. Use an enthusiast voice to say, ‘Ohhhh, what do we have here? What could it be?’. Slowly take the toy out of the bag, acting happy and surprised to see it.
2. Relay happiness.
Wiggle the toy on the ground in front of your Pom, toss it a few feet away and scramble to get it, or ‘hide’ the toy under a pillow then happily ‘find’ it to show your Pom that the toy is something to be joyful about.
3. Know that interest in the toy may need to build up over time.
Even if your Pom only pays attention to the toy for 15 seconds, this is a perfectly fine first step. The idea is to build familiarity. And, gradually, that can lead to the toy becoming a cherished favorite. Tips to make this happen include:
- If needed, repeatedly place the toy near your Pom’s area.
- Two to three times per day, relay happiness (previous point #2).
- Never show your Pom that you are disappointed if interaction is short-lived.
- If it will not cause your Pom to take pause, offer verbal praise whenever the toy is played with. But other than this, do not interrupt or distract.
4. Add extra enticement.
Poms that have missing teeth may need a bit more incentive to notice and interact with toys. A great way to offer this is via scent. With any non-porous dog toy, this can be accomplished with a few dabs of fish oil smudged onto the toy. You can do this with a paper towel or just with your fingertip. Fish oil is one scent that is highly alluring and essentially never ignored by canines.