How to teach appropriate dog play?
Play works best when both dogs know the rules, maintain a low level of arousal, and are willing to p Read More
What is unacceptable dog play?
Ollie Legros
2025-06-22 22:32:46
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These include: If either dog is running away or trying to escape or hide from the other dog, Continued or excessive yelping, Barking in the face of another dog, Escalating growling, Barring of teeth, Hard staring, Stiff bodies or tense body language, Pinning down (where a dog stands over another dog for a prolonged time), Continued mouthing, nipping, biting or holding, Standing or leaning over the head, neck and/or shoulders of the other dog, Standing up on hind legs for too long (this can be a sign the dog is trying to keep the other dog at bay), When a cornered dog starts air snapping, When large dogs don't self handicap and play too rough with little dogs leaving them feeling overwhelmed or even cause injury, Escalated arousal levels, Body slamming, Continued or relentless chasing with no role reversal.
Remember dogs should not be allowed to just 'work it out between themselves'.
It is one of my pet hates when a person’s dog is harassing my dogs and they say “oh don’t worry if your dog tells him off, he needs to learn”.
Well, yes, their dog does need to learn but that their responsibility as the guardian of that dog.
Rough play doesn't necessarily mean that you have an aggressive dog but just bear in mind that the way they play, could result in an aggressive interaction.
Always look for reciprocated, fair and even play and intervene if that play is appearing to be one-sided or where any party is looking more over aroused than the other.
Sam Nitzsche
2025-06-15 20:20:08
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: 18
Watch for neck or body biting and grabbing. Prevent barking in another dog’s face. Humping often indicates the play has gone on too long or they are trying to calm another dog down. Head-over-shoulders stance is confrontational and should be interrupted. Body slamming and pinning another dog to the ground are unacceptable. Prevent dogs from forming intimidating groups around another dog. Air snaps indicate a desire for more distance and should be heeded. Avoid unsupervised play.
A friendly dog should not be allowed to run up to a nervous or on lead dog. Stop play if one dog is consistently picked on or more than one dog gangs up on another. Prevent tugging or dragging by the collar, harness, or body parts. Interrupt if one dog tries to hide or escape from mismatched chasing.
If a dog is the chaser, recall them positively, if they don’t respond, keep them on a lead unless they can reliably come when called. If a dog is being targeted, intervene or ask the other owner to intervene or remove the dog from the situation, rewarding them for walking away from conflict. In any of these scenarios, intervene or recall the dog if play becomes inappropriate or if other owners don’t control their dogs. Reward the dog for returning to you.
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Berneice Grady
2025-06-09 18:32:05
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: 15
Dogs do this by testing one another's dominance and subservience, mostly through play and general interaction. They wrestle, tug, mouth, pounce, play bite, and even softly growl and yelp. And, this is all okay - as long as the dogs maintain self-control and do not allow their behavior to escalate into outright aggression. Either way, you as the head of the hierarchical structure need to establish clear rules, especially the rule that aggressive behavior is absolutely unacceptable. If two dogs have an issue with one another then they need to sort it out in another way besides using aggression. When it comes to play fighting, the key is deliberate intent. If two dogs are wrestling and one dog accidentally goes a little overboard, you should see that dog immediately back off when the other dog gives a little yelp, for example. If the offending dog doesn't back off, there's cause for concern. The ultimate goal with dog ownership should be to maximize our dog's quality and enjoyment of life, so we certainly don't want to be so strict and unaccommodating that we quench our dog's natural desire to wrestle and play tug of war with their bodies or other objects. We want to provide firm and consistent leadership, but also fair leadership. So, my encouragement is to first establish the boundaries of acceptable and unacceptable behavior and then simply monitor your dogs' adherence to these rules, stepping in only when necessary.
Kade Bogan
2025-06-03 13:27:34
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When boisterous dogs try to engage calmer dogs, several negative outcomes occur: The calmer dog experiences stress and anxiety that can build over time into fear of all dogs. The boisterous dog gets reinforced for inappropriate dog play behaviour, making them more likely to repeat it. The energetic dog may be told off by the other dog. This is unfair to the dog wanting to be left alone as sometimes even if they shout, the other dog isn’t listening. The other dog may even respond negatively by being told off and cause a very negative experience for both of them. If a dog displays any of these signs, they’re likely not interested in interaction: Appears elderly or moving stiffly, Shows nervous behaviour, Has their tail tucked, Is trying to move away, Turns their head away repeatedly, Freezes when approached, Lifts a paw, Licks their lips frequently. Just like humans, dogs have individual personalities, preferences, and communication styles. Some dogs love rough-and-tumble play, while others prefer gentle interaction or no interaction at all with unfamiliar dogs. If play isn’t mutually enjoyed, it isn’t play. Since when did it become acceptable to let your dog overwhelm another, whether they’re healthy or not? Think of it this way: You wouldn’t let a teenager wrestle a smaller child to the ground. You would guide them and teach them what play is appropriate. The same principle applies to our dogs.
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Peyton Hackett
2025-05-20 16:20:08
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: 17
Vocalization during play can be normal, but if the vocalizations continuously increase or one dog is giving appeasement signals and trying to get away, it is time to intervene. If one dog targets another dog by chasing, stalking, or always playing roughly in a one-sided manner, this dog should leave the play situation. Dogs that tend to play rudely, body slamming, mouthing too hard, mounting, and generally causing mayhem can provoke negative reactions that lead to fights and injuries. If a dog is repeatedly pushy or plays too rough, even after intervening and giving breaks, the dog should leave the play situation, and possibly not interact with other dogs until he learns to greet and play nicely. The more aroused dogs become, the more likely it is that even appropriate mock battles will turn into something more serious. It’s a nice thought that all dogs can work out conflicts or play issues on their own, but it’s just not true. Dogs have their own limitations and temperaments, based on their genetics and experiences, and they don’t always possess the needed social skills to work issues out safely. Because play relies on the ability to read vocal and body signals, dogs that didn’t have the opportunity to learn to play as puppies aren’t always as skilled at communicating and identifying these signals.
Josiah Bayer
2025-05-20 11:23:17
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: 25
Rude behaviors are: Neck biting and collar grabbing. Excessive barking and harassing another dog. Rude puppies often do this relentlessly at adult dogs that do not want to play. Body slamming. This is only fun for the slammer. Pinning. Bull breeds do this routinely, but others do it, too. Mounting other dogs. Both males and females do this and it is almost guaranteed to start a fight. Snapping. A dog that is scared or aggravated may snap; so may a dog that is guarding a toy or a bone. Standing in a “T” position (head over another dog’s shoulders). This is never play; it is always a challenge. Ganging up. Two or more dogs ganging up on one.
Wrestling can be appropriate but is questionable and should be interrupted if more than two dogs are involved, or if one dog is always on the bottom. Tug-of-war if one or both dogs become possessive. Stalking postures: These postures are not play behavior. A stalking posture is significantly different from play bow and is often the first stage of a body slam.
But, if one dog is being chased into hiding or is becoming defensive, interrupt the play.
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