Why will my puppy not play

by Karri
(Lanexa, VA)

We got our JRT just over a month ago from a breeder. She was 10 weeks old when we got her. She was the runt of the litter. So adorable...but it seems that all she wants to do is sleep. She constantly walks around with her tail tucked and her back hunched. She is so sweet when she plays which is not very often. She seems like she is so sad all the time. What could be wrong or what do we need to do. Right now she is about 16 weeks old. I thought that she should be a little more playful by now.

Comments for Why will my puppy not play

Average Rating starstarstarstarstar

Click here to add your own comments

Nov 03, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Emergency
by: Jacki

Please take your puppy to the vet right now - what you describe is definitely not normal - healthy puppies PLAY - you will never see a puppy that's feeling good that won't play. The hunched over posture could be an internal problem such as worms, which need to be treated.
Oct 26, 2010
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Jack Russell pup not playing
by: Tom

First of all, don't panic. It may simply be her own individual character to be a little shy - not all Jack Russells fit the stereotype of being hyper little maniacs. That said, it may simply be that she wasn't socialized well enough by the breeder.

If she is afraid of people, this should correct itself in time as you train her and play with her. Just make sure that when she does play, you make a big deal about it and maybe give her some treats. All in all, don't worry too much - her personality will continue to change over the coming months, so just keep things positive and begin some basic training and proceed as normal.

On the other hand, if she seems clearly depressed it may be an indicator of illness. If she's displaying other symptoms as well, it's probably worth a visit to the vet to know for sure.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Jack Russell Questions and Answers Forum.