Playtime getting too much?

Lady La La

Lady La La

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This is a shout to the experienced larger breed owners out there, Please gimmie some advice!!
We've recently 'fostered' a dog through people called rescue remedies. She was found as a stray, put in kennells and has now come to me to be fostered until someone can give her a home for life. Her breeding is well. Off putting. They believe her to be American Bulldog X Boxer and around a year old. She is a SWEETHEART though, and seems to have the loviest character despite being a rescue. She loves people and other dogs and is good in every aspect, however her 'Playtime' with Tyson is getting a little worrying.

I introduced Tys to you a few days ago, hes a 10 month Husky X GSD and is 'bouncey' but lovely. They start off nicely and then it seems to escalate into a teeth bared no holes bared kind of situation, which obviously I put a stop to (usually by distracting them with a squeaky toy or something similar to deflect their attention off one another) But my concerns is that
a) We dont know this girl at all well yet, and although she has been assesed in the same way that we have there is only so much the rescue people can do,
b) She is a bull breed and could quite easily lock on if she wanted to,
and c) When I'm not there to defuse the situation, What if it escalates?

I appologise if i sound like a novice numpty at this point, but I've never owned a breed like her before and although, if i really begin to feel out of my deapth I can return her to rescue I really dont want to have to do that :(
 
Do you use crates? It would be helpful if each dog could have an area like a chill out zone where they can have some peace to themselves.
I would not be leaving them alone together at this stage - you don't know what might happen and crates are ideal for this as the dogs can still be in the same space.

It is hard to know without seeing and hearing what exactly is going on...my two can sound like they are killing each other barking, growling etc but it's harmless enough, just posture, play behaviour.
Please be aware that this is a young bitch in a new situation, she is probably not very sure of herself and there is a big buffoon jumping on her all the time :p so understandably this may be a bit annoying for her.

Distractions are good, you can use your voice (calm, deep, loud, authoritative, not high pitched and exciteable), your physicality (make yourself big, step in or advance towards them) or sharp noise (I use a slip lead slapped against a welly :p) if you think things are escalating. But do it when you see the situation turning, not when it is already in full flow, IE allow gentle, normal play but when you see body language or sounds getting worse, then step in. Send each dog away, or apart from one another for a few minutes and then reintroduce positively.

PS are either of them neutered? Even better reason to keep them apart, if your boy is not!
 
Hi, thanks for the reply, Very helpful.
Yes, they are both neautered! And i totally understand why she might be feeling a little put out, and to her credit she's coping very well with it all!
Its just, not knowing her like I know Tyson worries me!
I guess crates are going to have to be the solution. I've never crated Tyson before, and I guess he's not going to be overly impressed by it!

Thanks again for the advice.
xx
 
Give CAYLA a PM - she has a crate training guide and it may end up saving the rest of your furniture :p
It's not meant as a punishment, it's a 'den' or fun, safe place for a dog to go and chill out, while you are there at home as well as when you are not, not a place where they get shut in only when you leave or are cross with them!
 
What others have said really, you must step in

My GSD and terrier cross used to play and they'd get a bit heated, I'd get a rolled up newspaper, which they NEVER got hit with so not sure why I got the reaction I did, maybe it was just my voice, I use to say to them RIGHT thats enough, roll up the paper and they'd just go oh ok then and calm down, it was prob nothing like yours are doing, it was like brother and sister squables thats all

You have a difficult situation but I'm sure it can be dealt with, cages are a brilliant idea then at least you are not putting them in seperate rooms, then you'd get the whole excited to meet thing every time you came back
 
slinkyunicorn said:
What CC has already said but maybe also consider taking her to agility classes to really burn up her energy both physically and mentally - boxers are full on when they are younger so it may help get some of her excess energy channeled in a more productive way for all of you.:)
Click to expand...

Yes, Great idea! I've wanted to do it with Tyson for aaaages, but I dont think he's quite old enough yet, so boring old dog training it is :)
 
Ok do you know for sure that it is fighting because bull breeds play in a VERY different way to other dogs. Its sounds horrible but no damage is done.

Also she won't "lock on".

Also agree with the crate idea and you should also research how to break up a real fight safely.
 
I take it this is the post rleated to the crate PM :D:D

As suggested bull types breeds are like mini rhinos in play:D they do not know their own strengh and are very OTT and boisterous, in this scenario your lad is a big boy and I personally would not be overly worried she could damage him any and doubt being a bitch/dog mix it would come to that, but in saying that you also need to tell them when they need to stop and cool it, as Katey mentions to be fair they do not lock on as such, they can hold on pretty well "hence them swinging off things with their own body weight not even making them drop" :D but small terrier can do the same.
So when it time out from play, it "TIME OUT" and you "enough" and thats it, and yes a crate is a perfect solution to keep them togehter when you are out and for a play fight not to turn into scrap, its more likely to come via a telling off from your lad when he gets sick of her being a hoon when it does happen.
 
Also you should only need a crate for one, and if indeed she is a boxer x Amb, I can guarantee he has the advantage in the damage via the gob stakes, she prob has a typical over shot predator (thats how I describe them) type mouth.:D
 
katielou_houston said:
Ok do you know for sure that it is fighting because bull breeds play in a VERY different way to other dogs. Its sounds horrible but no damage is done.

Also she won't "lock on".

Also agree with the crate idea and you should also research how to break up a real fight safely.
Click to expand...

As far as I'm aware, its still playing and hasnt got to the fighting stage yet, I just want to be able to prevent that from happening.

As for the locking part, Sorry I didnt realise this wasnt true. I certainly feel better knowing that!
 
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