Getting a dog to play with toys

Hey all,

while this seems like a simple question, I'm a bit stumped. We adopted
an approx. 1 yr old Whippet/Rat Terrier mix from a pound about 3 weeks
ago and things are going pretty well except for two things. She is a
bit shy and tends to hide when new people are around although she does
become adventurous after an hour or so and begins to warily
socialize... we can work on that, but my toughest challenge has been
getting her to play with toys.

TOTE...

Is this important to you, or to her?

She will chew a squeaky toy every now and then in the morning by
herself, and she will lick the peanut butter out of a Kong for a bit,
and things like that on her own... but she will not chase a ball or go
after a toy when thrown, instead she will come to you and rather be
petted or just content to lie down by you. How can I get her to play
with toys with us? It seems like a strange problem, but I'm at a loss
to get her interested in fetching a ball or chasing a toy I've tossed.

Alison...

She sounds a sweetheart. She needs more time to settle and gain
confidence. Do you know anything of her past?
Let her approach visitors in her own time, tell them to ignore her when
they first come in. They can offer her a treat if she approaches them but
not to maintain eye contact.
She might not have learnt to play or be interested in playing. But more
likely she is too unsure and not relaxed enough to play yet. She might
prefer soft toys.
Alison

TOTE...

Let her be who she is. Let her settle in, and get comfortable. When she
is comfortable she may or may not ever be interested in toys. Whippets
are pretty well known for completely losing interest in toys that aren't
actually moving - when the ball lands it is of no interest. Some figure
out early on that when that moving thing lands it will be boring and they
aren't even interested in thrown toys. Don't expect her to love to
"fetch" - she might or might not ever develop an interest in it.