When should you intervene in dog play?

Always watch dogs that are playing too, in case their play turns more serious. 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. 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. Since they’re not playing, they’re also not going back to one another for more play. Dog wrestling can be fun when playing, but it’s also something that should be monitored. Especially if the breed is small and a larger breed is trying to wrestle with them. Always watch your dog to make sure they’re not being “ganged up” by a group of other dogs. If your dog does get into a real fight, don’t attempt to separate the dogs by grabbing a collar or using any part of your body. A loud noise might distract the dogs. Keep a small air horn in your car. If a hose is available, spray their heads with water. At home, find something big and flat, like a piece of plywood or a baby gate, which can be put between the dogs. The best way to avoid a fight is to recognize the signs of potential conflict and act quickly and calmly to separate the dogs before the situation escalates and everyone can continue having a good time.

When dogs are 'playing' we need to watch their body language in order to truly see how a dog is feeling about that 'play' and to ensure that both dogs are enjoying the interaction. 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, 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, 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'. As dog guardians, we must monitor their interactions and intervene if we feel it is necessary so that your dog and the those they are playing with stay safe and only learn appropriate play behaviour. It is worth mentioning however, that 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. Therefore, 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. This is especially important with puppies as it's up to us to help them learn appropriate play behaviours and that means stepping in and stopping play if we see any of the inappropriate points above during puppy play interactions.

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. Calmly interrupt or stop the play at this point. The more aroused dogs become, the more likely it is that even appropriate mock battles will turn into something more serious. Teaching a reliable recall and calling the dogs back before things get too rowdy will give them time to calm down before resuming. 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.