Two dogs not playing

[Allfurcoatandnoknickers]

We have a female JRT cross aged 9 who went had from a puppy and male Romanian rescue aged 3 who has been with us for 15 months. When he first came they played after a few days and now almost never play together. They sleep close together and run around a little bit together outside but that’s it. He seems quite submissive around her as she can be a grumpy bag and is the fun police when he gets giddy about walks or feeding times. Anyone else had this? It would be nice if they played together but I do wonder sometimes if the younger one particularly is missing out on play. He’s nervous and reactive around other dogs so not even having much of a play on walks

Not all dogs like to play - she's quite a bit older than him and may not be interested, really. It also could be that his nerves/reactivity have put her off at some point?

I wouldn't worry about it, but if you do want to get him socialised, you could try sending him out with a dog walker? They could maybe build up to him being in a group situation, or at least with one other dog?

A lot of dogs lose the urge to play with other dogs as they get older. Even at 4/5 mine plays a lot less with other dogs than he once did (which I'm a bit sad about!)

Yes it might be partly a breed as well as an age thing - she's JRT cross collie and prefers to play with a ball way more over playing with other dogs. She has huge amounts of energy for her age, and he's more of a one walk and run a day type of dog and spends a lot of time asleep!
He currently goes out with a dog walker who is also a trainer once a week as she specialises in reactive dogs - she thinks he's very nervous but he is starting to come out of his shell with her. It would be great if she could build up to a group/other dog situation.
I have noticed that she will try and engage him in play sometimes by play bowing etc., if she did this outside he would definitely play with her, but is very cautious of her in the house and will walk away from her when she play bows. There's no aggression at all on either part thankfully, they just seem to have different play needs/styles!!

Some dogs like playing a lot and some don't. My last dog never wanted to play, in fact he never really wanted to spend time with other dogs at all. My previous dog was the life and soul of the party. There is nothing wrong with either, just different personalities.

Mine is only 4 and definitely not a playing dog, if it's the right dog, he'll play for a nano second and then looses interest pretty quickly

My dog never plays with other dogs. She's 10 years old now and over the years I can remember a couple of dogs that she would play with regularly when she was younger; she was just very selective.

She still likes to play with her ball with me and will play with certain other toys - again she's very selective with the toys she likes to play with - but when it comes to other dogs she can pretty much take them or leave them and much prefers people, who she's always willing to say hello to if they stop and talk.

Some dogs like to play, some don't.

Yes these are two dogs in the same household that had subsequently played together . I think they just have different needs, and now our new rescue has settled in at home he’s just not that bothered any more. He’s dog reactive out and about but still likes a chase with our dog when they’re outside which is at least something

Sorry, yes I did realise that they were both in the same house, so it's probably different than meeting other dogs outside.