How to tell when dogs are playing too rough?

If there's a lot of rough housing, running and crashing into each other, that's too much for me. If there is throwing a paw over the back, holding a head over the other's neck, stalking, I stop that immediately. I don't let dogs play "tug" together. I feel like that tends to incite challenging or escalating behaviors. There should be a lot of running and even biting and jumping on top of each other, but no aggression. If one dog seems to be running away with their tail down the majority of the time, then it is time to step in and give the more shy dog a "break" from the other one. If you see the dogs growling and going face-to-face, it's usually more fighting than playing. You should see a healthy amount of give and take. One dog chases for a little, then turns and allows the other dog to chase. As long as there is no actual fighting, I would let them go for it. They are both high energy breeds who can really play hard, so unless you hear yelping or attacking, they are probably just fine.

If two dogs are wrestling and it seems too rough to you, with all that growling and snarling, body-slamming, and biting of each other’s necks, should you intervene. How can you tell if dogs are playing or fighting. There are different physical cues that signal that dogs are playing. If they have a big, silly, open-mouthed grin, that’s already a good start. Often, their movements will be exaggerated: bouncy movements, and even exaggerated growling. Dogs who are play-growling are over-exaggerating their snarls, which may make this noise sound scarier than if they were actually fighting. If dogs voluntarily make themselves vulnerable by “falling” down, they’re probably playing. By exposing their bellies to another dog, they are being particularly vulnerable. Dog play and dog fighting can sometimes look similar, but there are tell-tale signs to differentiate between them. Dog’s bodies when they’re upset or feel threatened by another dogs will become very stiff. Their hackles, which is the hair on their upper backs, are raised. Their growls will be different too. They will have low warning growls, closed mouths, and curled lips. A dog that feels threatened will have quick and efficient movements. They won’t be bouncing around, and definitely won’t be “taking turns” like they did when they were playing. If dogs do end up fighting, it will hopefully be a short encounter. Unlike playing, the “loser” won’t stick around, and will try to leave the area.

Normal play between dogs will involve a lot of rough and tumbling, often high pitched ‘yips’, growls and snarls. Play fighting may involve leg nipping, neck pulling and lots of tumbling from both dogs – and if you watch carefully dogs will take turns at being ‘winners’ and ‘losers’. However, if the play seems one sided, it is time to step in and calm the situation down. Here a few behaviours to watch for that may indicate things are getting a little too heated. Growling becomes low, long and ferocious sounding. Stiff posturing. Lip curling and glazed stares. Running away with tail tucked up. Distressed yelping. Lip licking, turning away, retreating. If play turns too rough, dogs can become mildly stressed. Therefore, it is a good idea to separate the dogs for a short while so that tension levels can drop. It is also important to be especially observant if the dogs at play of differing sizes. It may seem obvious, but a larger dog can quickly easily hurt a smaller dog, even in normal play.

Dogs have different play styles depending on their breed, age, and other factors, but they generally understand each other’s body language. When dogs are romping happily together, their bodies are like limp noodles. Tails may wag in loose arcs, and mouths may hang open. When a dog becomes tense, his body stiffens. In play, although the tail is wagging, it may be held high and be moving stiffly from side to side, be lowered and moving quickly back and forth within a small radius, or even be tucked between the dog’s legs. When a dog’s body goes stiff and that “happy mouth” closes, this is called a “freeze.” Watch for freezes in your dog and others, along with the other body language mentioned. As far as the play itself, one thing to be wary of is speed and intensity. It is a lot easier for play to boil over into aggression when things are becoming fast and furious. Are the dogs racing around the park, the more dogs that are involved, the more potential danger. Also, the more vertical the play gets, especially where dogs are standing on their hind legs and mouth wrestling, the more potential for danger. And, watch for actions dogs may take offense to, a few to watch for are humping, hip bumping or slamming, and placing a head over another dog’s neck or shoulder area. If you notice a freeze or tense body language, stay alert and ready to intervene if necessary.

It’s totally normal for dogs to play-bite, bark, chase, swipe, and lunge, as long as it’s in a gentle and friendly manner. But sometimes growling, biting, jumping, barking, etc. can shift from playful to aggressive. To prevent you or your dog from getting injured, it’s extremely important to be able to identify the signs of aggressive behavior. When dogs play, it often takes the form of play fighting, play biting and wrestling. Although it can be fun and harmless, sometimes this can intensify into unsafe and serious scraps if you do not observe your dog closely. To prevent playing turning into fighting, it’s important to watch carefully for stress signals and warning signals. Some of the most common warning signals are: Stiffness – when a dog becomes tense and stressed, they usually appear rigid and stand in a stiff-legged stance. Their face is another indicator, so look for muscles tightening or furrowed brows. Direct stare – another indicator of a stressed pup is when they intently focus on another dog without blinking or engage in excessive and aggressive stalking. Growling – Sometimes dogs will growl during play, but these growls are accompanied with loose, relaxed body language. When growling is followed by any of the above behaviors, or is a deep and low, it may be a sign of aggressive behavior that needs to be addressed.