# Help - puppy prefers playing alone



## cgott42 (May 15, 2012)

We're getting a golden for our son, and visited the farm a week early (7 weeks old) before picking it up - to spend time with it. The farm is great and has tons of socialization as kids come by all of the time to play with the puppies.
However, when my son played with the puppy (e.g. chasing each other), he (the dog) easily got distracted with something else (e.g. a napkin) and went off to do his own thing with the napkin. Then my son (seeing the dog wanted to bite on things), got a stick and gave the dog the stick to bite while playing with it trying to pull it away, and play fetch. however after a little bit of this (very short) the dog would then go and find something else to play with. 
likewise when my son sat down and put the puppy on his lap, petting it, after a short time the puppy wanted to get out.


I notice that the puppy's parents also tend to be running to do something else, i.e. they're great dogs, and will come over to you to get petted, and then after about 10 seconds of that, will run away to something else.


I'm looking for a dog that will focus on my son (like a service dog) and not be off doing it's own thing.


Is this normal for the breed (goldens) - should I be looking for a different breed of dog? Or is this something specific to this particular puppy/parents and I should go to a different breeder? 


thx!


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## cgott42 (May 15, 2012)

quick responses appreciated, as need to pick up this week - thanks.


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## puddles everywhere (May 13, 2016)

I'm sure there are people on this forum with lots more golden puppy experience but can tell that I had the same concerns. 

There were 3 puppies to choose from so I sat in the floor to interact and it took about 3 seconds of curiosity before they went on their way. One of the pups had a very push personality and one was a little smaller and VERY distant, I picked the middle of the road personality. She was the only one interested in my shoe laces. She did allow me to turn her on her back and play with her feet & ears.
For weeks I was convinced she hated me, no eye contact and had no use for me other than feeding time. She was perfectly happy to amuse herself in the yard and had no interest in interacting with me... other than trying to eat me! Very nippy.

I did some games with kibble and finally got her to look at me and to follow me. Because of this I did not use a crate, she slept in the bed with me. It took a couple of months but she became my shadow, still cuddles with me at night. She still prefers to be outside but now she wants me out there with her. She has a wonderful personality and greets people with the usual wiggles and happy expression. We just turned 6 months.

I don't know if they are all like this and was disappointed she didn't make the connection right off. No puppy kisses or "happy to see you" but with time I now have all of that. She made me work for it.


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## Pipersmom (Aug 2, 2016)

Our puppy was more into doing "his own thing" until he was around 9-10 weeks. Could have been his age or just that it took time for him to get attached to us. He wasn't shy, but wasn't overly interested in us when we picked him out. Few errks later - He's been a great puppy!


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## Pipersmom (Aug 2, 2016)

Pipersmom said:


> Our puppy was more into doing "his own thing" until he was around 9-10 weeks. Could have been his age or just that it took time for him to get attached to us. He wasn't shy, but wasn't overly interested in us when we picked him out. Few errks later - He's been a great puppy!



Few "weeks" later


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## cgott42 (May 15, 2012)

Pipersmom said:


> Our puppy was more into doing "his own thing" until he was around 9-10 weeks. Could have been his age or just that it took time for him to get attached to us. He wasn't shy, but wasn't overly interested in us when we picked him out. Few errks later - He's been a great puppy!


Thanks encouraging to hear. Interested to hear more experiences - and whether we're better off getting an older dog (past this stage) and also to know what their nature is and not guess.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Puppies that age have a very short attention span, it's totally normal for them to be easily distracted by anything and everything.


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## Pipersmom (Aug 2, 2016)

cgott42 said:


> Pipersmom said:
> 
> 
> > Our puppy was more into doing "his own thing" until he was around 9-10 weeks. Could have been his age or just that it took time for him to get attached to us. He wasn't shy, but wasn't overly interested in us when we picked him out. Few errks later - He's been a great puppy!
> ...



As an interesting side note:
Our adult dog, who was a rescue frim a shelter, was very interested in us when we met her. Once we had her home, we quickly discovered she LOVED us, but was afraid of nearly everyone and everything else. I think if your breeder has doNE a good job with the pups, you're 100 steps ahead. (But our shy girl is a delight also at nearly 2. She'll probably never be the type that loves new things, but I wouldn't have not picked her if I could go back)


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## lashanda1080 (Aug 24, 2016)

I think it'snormal for the puppies at those age. So do not worry


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## Piper_the_goldenpuppy (Aug 26, 2016)

I don't know what you ended up deciding to do, but that sounds totally normal!!! Puppies have like a 2 second attention span. I've never seen a puppy that sat down in a lap unless they were going to sleep. If there is more than one thing happening in a room (i.e., people playing with a puppy, and a napkin rolling around on the ground), your puppy will get distracted. It sounds like there was a lot going on there, if your son had a stick, but wasn't giving it to the puppy for him to play with, and there was a lot of other stuff going on, he probably got distracted, or found something else that was more easily accessible. The things you want to watch out for are a dog that appears fearful and not interested at all in people or the environment, doesn't play, or seems aggressive when you put them on their backs. When my puppy was 8 weeks old, she would play with one toy for about 20 seconds, then another toy for 20 seconds, then go sniff something, then come get a cuddle, then go drink some water, then attack my ankles, then go investigate something, then play with a toy, etc.


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## cgott42 (May 15, 2012)

thanks, that's very encouraging to know. Our 8 week pick up date was today, but we're holding off due to family needs (an entire separate thread) and when that settles down we hope to pick him up (he's staying with his mother by the breeder in the interim). Hopefully, it'll just be another week.


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## Kalhayd (May 4, 2016)

Good luck! That sounds like very normal puppy behavior. They have the attention span of a gnat on a good day!


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