Playing dogs

[Clodagh]

Pen and Ffee play a lot. It is very funny, one (usually F) will take a find, like a glove, to P and prod her. Pen gets up, they leave the room and go and play in the hall. Playing is very rough with much wrestling, and bitey face and yowling.
F was spayed yesterday so the dynamic was completely different. Pen and Tawny played a bit but it was interesting how much more ritualistic the play was. They can always be a little careful with each other at doorways and getting in the car, although P is snipier than T if necessary T tells her to do one and P does immediately. So the play was very low impact, a bit modern dance, with much bowing and following all the preagreed steps necessary to ensure that there were no misunderstandings.
So is this because P and T are higher in the pecking order? Or on a par? Or is it just coincidence?

 

[Moobli]

I've no idea but I am sure there will be someone who knows more or has a theory.

I have always found my dogs relationships to be fairly fluid, in that there has never been one pack leader (if you will) in all situations but more context changes how those relationships play out. It can even be different between my two in the same or very similar scenario but on a different day.

From your description it does sound like Pen and Tawny are less good mates, more respectful of one another so hence why their play is less robust.

 

[twiggy2]

Just different personalities, my 2 bitches had a 'debate ' about me when I was sorting food about a year ago, Reeva would like me to be hers and no-one else's, Belle just wanted to be near to where I was preparing food, Reeva has spent until the last month or so 'policing every game tht Belle is involved in, she doesn't overstep the mark as she is kept in check, we don't seem to have an issue anymore and Reeva is not longer Belles fun police.
Its great seeing how all of ours interact and play or police each other, they all play differently if someone is missing too.

 

[Clodagh]

Thank you both for your replies, Reeva and Bella sound similar. We used to call T the fun police but she lets the young ones play now, I think she just can't be bothered anymore.

 

[FinnishLapphund]

I would say that it's a combination of things. The latest research that I've read suggests that the dogs personalities plays a big part, especially when teenage/adult dogs play. Regardless of their so called rank, how much or little a dog likes to play varies, and some clearly preferred to play rough, whereas some preferred more respectful playing.
Some individuals also clearly preferred to play with others who were consistently assertive with them.

It also showed that some have favourite playmates already as puppies, one example was in a litter were puppy A initiated play with littermate B more than twice as often as she initiated play with any of her other littermates, whereas B didn't show any favouritism.

So I would say that P and F is play favourites who likes the same rough playing, whereas P and T plays because it's fun with a bit of playing, but they're not as compatible in preferred play style, so therefore the playing doesn't last as long.

My 3 prefers respectful playing, and can/could do that for a long time, but at 15½ Jonna is more for short play sessions these days. Blomma have always been much more playful than Beata, she doesn't mind playing in, or outdoors, and makes play invites to most dogs she's allowed to say Hello to. But Beata clearly prefers to play outdoors, and is much more picky with who she invites to play.

 

[Clodagh]

FL - there is a neighbour with a standard poodle bitch and Tawny just LOVES her, so while Shirley and I chat Tawny does embarrassingly cheesy zoomies around the poodle with her tail tucked in, desperate to play. The poodle just stares at her!
I suppose like us they hit it off with some and not others.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

Our Rottweiler (6 yrs old at the time) fell in love with the black Lab pup as soon as she saw her. We introduced them very carefully and she wasn't allowed to play with the pups until they had been here about a month. Rottweiler has a very different relationship with the yellow pup, even though the pups are over 18 months, she treats them both like babies, cleaning them and cuddling them but plays much more roughly with the black one, who is a tougher character than the yellow.