Dogs playing is it too rough?

J

Jennypenny

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I have recently got another girlie dog for a companion for my boy doggie. They are both roughly 18 months old.

They get on really well. When they play (which is a lot) They wrestle each other, hump each other, pull at each other. They are two bulls in a china shop. My boy dog had a little cut in his ear today, nothing serious. My boy dog is a really big dog and my girl is half the size of him about collie size. It is usually her that starts it and goads him to play. She is always on the go and cant get enough of it. No aggression between them, it just looks a bit rough to me. Or am I just a worrying over nothing.

I think this is quite normal? or is it not? I have never had two dogs before. Should I be worried or be happy that they are enjoying this?
 
I've got a male Ridgeback and collie/Lab cross bitch. She is teeny compared to him and they play so rough. It is pretty much always her that instigates the play and he usually wants to stop before she does.

They get really rough too - obviously if he wanted to he could really do her some damage. I think it looks worse than it is, it makes me laugh cos she nips his ankles when she wants to play but he is ignoring her
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This is my first experience of owning two dogs so will read your replies with interest. I've always assumed that one would be put in their place if things got too rough. Although I would add that I do seperate them when I think they have been playing for too long cos she is so feisty and would just keep going until she dropped down dead I think
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At one point I had 5 whippets, they would practise choke holds on each other, until one nearly passed out. They would also purposely collide at top speed and knock each other over. They did not fight, but it was all practise for hunting. The favourite game was high speed pursuit through pine forest. The danger of this game, was that one day it was played with my sisters lurcher who got it wrong and hit a pole and broke her back.
 
The other game my new girly likes is to play is with the cat, the other day she was playing with him. He would chase her up the stairs, she would come back down, he would hide behind the door jump out and they chase her back up the stairs again. This went on for about 40mins, my doggie was so excited she wet herself. It was a game, her tail was wagging and she looked as if she had a great big smile on her face. The cat is loving his new fan. Upsets me she loves the cat more than me! hee hee. If the cat is in, none of us gets a look in. My boy doggie, sits on the sofa just looking at her do this. It is quite funny to see.
 
In a pack, this type of interaction is very important, and if play exceeds it's boundaries, then a higher ranking dog would put the weaker member in it's place, this would, where 2 dogs are determined, get pretty nasty, and 1 dog would come out as the dominant dog, if you ever feel they have passed the play rough boundaries, then as leader, step in and reprimand, otherwise allow them to get on with it.
I only ever step in, when a fight breaks out and lasts more than a good few seconds, and both dogs are going at each other, or when another is showing more dominant behaviour, like humping, or the play is one sided rough play, i.e one has had enough or does not want to play or interact.

I have 10, and they play very rough, unbelievably, the smallest(my tiny whippet) is a sod, and takes play to the extreme, by hanging off my rotti's cheeks, and basically targeting anything that moves, and it's one way, as none of the dogs want to interact with her, for this, she is placed back on the lead, as much as the other dogs ignore her fly bites, it annoys me
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The others, inc a mix of lurchers, rotti, staffi and bigger whippet, play very rough, and clearly enjoy it
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I got a male Yorkshire Terrier rescue dog when he was 8 months old. My female Springer Spaniel was 4 years old. When we were checked out by the rescue centre they saw my spaniel charging round the garden full of it as usual and said the puppy would love her.

When he arrived, I thought at first they had got it very wrong, as they fought a lot. But observing more closely it was obvious they were both submissive to each other even though they were really going for it! They both roll on their backs a lot, and they put their jaws around each others necks but don't shut their mouths.

So now I love to see them fight, it's their way of playing, and it's obvious how well they get along
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Definitely works best to have a male and female dog.
 
I have 10 dogs, 8 bitches and two dogs. Some of them play more then others.
It is perfectly normal for dogs to play fight. Leave them to it unless they start to get aggressive or dominant over each other. For example with ours they just get louder and start to sound aggressive, thats when I split them up.
Nickie
 
Like this?

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It sounds pretty normal for happy dogs to me. I think that I would only worry if the playing turned to bullying or serious scrapping.

Mine are a 2.5 year old dog and a 14 month old bitch and they NEVER stop, even in their bedroom I can hear them thumping around bouncing off the walls. The bitch hangs off Boston's ears, neck, back, tail, anything she can get her teeth in to, he gets cross sometimes and growls, she drops to the floor then off they go again!

My problem is that they run every ounce of fat off, the Vet said that the male should run in the Iditarod he is so fit. I want them a little bit fat through winter - not happening.
 
Our little terriers play with our lab and other bigger dog and it gets very rough, the big dogs are very funny as they are quite careful but it does look rough!
 
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