Play fighting?!

SultanaRama

SultanaRama

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I am litterally at my breaking point here, someone please help me!

I have a 11month - nearly 12 month old Bugg (Boston Terrier X Pug) Called Pringles and we have just got a 8 week old 3/4 pug 1/4 JRT called Luna

now pringles is a very friendly and happy dog, never seen any aggression from him his whole life but he can get quite jelous, now i have taken steps to make sure i am not favouring the new dog, making sure he gets new toys when she does that he is still getting all the attention he did before however, when it comes to toys he just takes then off her, toys hes not played for in months, he will drop whatever hes got to take a toy of her, and then they start play fighting and niping and im not sure if i am supposed to just let them play fight, pringles who has been in training classes 80% of his life just will not listen to me when im trying to get them to stop, i just dont know what to do, am i supposed to allow them to 'play fight' it out so they can find who is dominent or train them not to?

please help!
 
Play fighting is natural behaviour, my 2 Dobes do it and they are over 3yrs old. Just make sure your puppy is not overwhelmed and tired out to the point of exhaustion.

As CC said take toys out of the equation.
 
My two year olds play fight lots, always nicely. I think it's normal. The older dog is exhibiting jealousy/dominance by taking the toys. I believe that's normal, he's stamping his authority over the baby and showing him who's boss.

Give the big dog time out with you, crate the puppy. He probably feels most put out to have a baby suddenly chucked at him.

My older dog was horrified and he was given big dog privileges of time with us etc.
 
Definately take toys out of the equation.

When we first got Elsie (adult Rottie) at Christmas I posted on here about my worries about her play fighting with our Staffy and JRT. If toys were involved the fights got quite nasty, no toys and they still play fight, especially the Rottie and JRT, but it is just play fighting.

To the outside observer it might look and sound as if the Rottie is killing the JRT, but the JRT has the upper hand all the way :D
 
We have an almost 4yr old JRT and we've just bought a Lhasa x JRT puppy- for the first day she guarded all the toys, then slowly the puppy was allowed one or two of them, and now they'll happily play tug together :) We always have toys out for them as I feel it's unfair to tell a puppy off for chewing furniture etc unless they have something that they are allowed to chew as well. It is obvious that the older dog is dominant, she will take a toy off him if she wants it, but as long as both dogs get some 'alone time' and they are not hurting each other or exhausted, then playing is good fun- ours play fight rather vocally now, even when they aren't interested in toys!
 
It's good to remember that very few dogs have that concept of 'the red thing is mine and the blue thing is his' - most dogs are possessive of objects and will just want what the other one has, no matter what it is. Dogs do not think like us.
 
Mine do this. One will decide to pick a toy up and the other one (who could have been in a deep sleep at the time!) will shoot over and try and snatch it off the other. But there is never any aggression or noises from them. Just wagging tails and they start playing tug of war. But when enough is enough il step in and remove the toy and they settle down.

If i were you id maybe take away the toys for the next couple of months and try to minimize this sort of protective behaviour, have them on an even basis and maybe slowly reintroduce toys at a later date, but with you supervising.
 
CaveCanem said:
No shared toys. Toys do not belong to dogs, they belong to you .......
Click to expand...

Entirely correct. I'd go further, beyond teething eruption, I'd remove all toys. Toys are there to assist with the removal of milk teeth, in my view. Others may see things differently!

Play fighting? It's an interesting question. I have two 12 week old, and bought in pups. They are kennelled together, and whilst they're as good as gold in the kennel, outside, they are starting to become a bit too strong with each other. This morning, they both ended up with a modest slap! Play is starting to shift its axis, and moving towards aggression. That wont do! ;)

The second pup, who arrived by default had been a present for a 10 yo child. She had her a week, and there was total rejection. I wondered why, until I picked the pup up a day after she arrived, and she flew at me! I love spirit, but that earned her a serious slap, and since then, she's been a sweetheart.

OP, take control of your dogs, now.

Alec.
 
I think I agree with horsemadelsie, our dog always has a toy that he can chew whenever he likes, the others are privileges, and the two player toys eg tug are for special occasions. I think it's good for him to have something to chew whenever he feels the need...
 
Everything in the house is mine, dog food, bones, toys etc, and i'm happy to let my EBT and mastiff x lurcher playfight as now at 19 month I have set the boundaries for them. I have had to, otherwise I may not have two dogs to come home to, and the EBT would be the looser, and I brought them to the house on the same day, and neither has had any different treatment from the other. Are they both neutered/spayed? You need to intercept and remove any issues before it gets to the point of a fight, listen to the tone of the noises they make and watch their body language, and when you're not there remove all toys entirely.
 
Thank you for all of your responses and opinons on thiis subject, I find it very interesting that alot of people are saying to take the toys away and i can see what benefits may come from that, however i must agree with those who have said dogs need there toys to chew and play with to make sure i dont end up with half a carpet and holes in my slippers, the dogs are not aggresive towards each other and do play tug of war with each other, my older dog is now actually taking toys and putting them in her face to play with them and getting the little one to chase him - hopefully energy levels with drop once i can start taking her out on walks!

as the general opinion seems to be to let them play fight supervised then i shall be doing this, i think the bigger dog is even starting to like the pup, if she cries and they are not in the same room he soon comes running in to see if shes ok!

again thank you everyone for your opinions!
 
My younger terrier and my 13 lab x puppy playfight all the time. It always more of a wrestling match, and a good way for the pup to learn about how sharp her teeth are! I wouldn't intervene with my two as I know from the sounds they make and the speed of it that its just play and not a fight. Mine have toys and chews about the place but seem ok with each other. We have a tight hierachy though with the old bitch being top dog and then the younger ones in age order.
 
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