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Normal dog play

10 replies

ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 14/05/2013 15:56

Bear with me, I'm new to this multi-dog household thing.

The puppy has been here just over a fortnight. For the first few days, Jas was distinctly growly/snappy/lunge-y. Then, he ignored him entirely. Now, he wants to play. They play tuggy with various toys (which usually involves the pup being whizzed around the floor like a mop), which is fine. They also gently mouth and roll about a bit (also fine). However, today they have started more 'vocal' play. It looks quite rough to me. Jas will mouth the entire pup's head, bark, growl etc. The pup will hide behind my legs, and then leap at his face, bite his ears, growl, snarl etc. No injuries to either party, but the occasional yelp from either dog as a tooth catches something delicate. When it all feels like a bit much, I am sending Jas to his bed and putting the pup on his blanket with a chew to cool down. Jas gets very excited during these sessions and I see his 'prey face' (Total and utter focus, dilated pupils etc). Is this normal? Should I intervene? Or am I better off letting them get on with it? Any advice appreciated.

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Yonididnaedaethat · 14/05/2013 16:22

I have 2 and sounds about right to me, when mine are out and taken off the leads the noise they make towards each other is actually embarrassing as it really sounds like a huge fight it breaking out. Mines are 5 now and it's always been the same since the puppy stage.

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Booboostoo · 14/05/2013 16:22

Normal dog play can be extremely loud, very physical and a bit loopy! On the plus side it's a brilliant babysitting tool for your puppy who should be exhausted after all that.

The best way to tell if it's play is to observe the puppy's behaviour. Is he submissive, worried, attempting to disengage, yelping? If yes then you need to intervene. If the puppy is engaging with the play, e.g. 'attacking', runnind and chasing, jumping up, etc. then he is playing and you should leave them to it.

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ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 14/05/2013 16:42

Ah, thanks. I thought it was probably ok, but just wanted to check. They are both conked out on the rug at the moment still clutching one end each of a rope

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MissTweed · 14/05/2013 16:50

Mine are now 3 and 5 and still play like that (constantly!! Never get two working cockers - nightmare!) sometimes they sound like hey are killing each other but you can definitely tell when one of them has had enough and the other knows it. The only time we separate them is when we are trying to watch a film then one of them gets sent up to bed!

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Whippoorwhill · 14/05/2013 17:00

My two idiots are 8 months and 4 months now. The youngest is about a quarter of the size of the older one and they play so wildly that I was convinced that she was going to get seriously hurt. I used to intervene in the beginning but in fact it's the little one who gets over excited and the big one that gets hurt. :)

These days, unless the furniture is going flying, I leave them to it.

Right now the big one appears to be chewing the ears off the little one and she's shrieking like she's being killed but every time the chewing stops she throws herself at the big one and offers the side of her head for chomping. I presume that means she likes it because if she actually gets hurt she gives the big one a proper telling off.

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needastrongone · 14/05/2013 17:32

Our friends little rescue makes the most astonishing noise when playing with their Vizsla. Like a helicopter taking off..... constantly...she assures me it's perfectly normal but will admit to only being able to stand it for half an hour before calling a halt to proceedings

Someone said that if they go back for more then all is well

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ChickensHaveNoEyebrows · 14/05/2013 18:52

Hmm. Had to separate them a moment ago. The pup was having a go back, but Jas had him in a corner. Far too hyped up.

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topbannana · 14/05/2013 23:27

Sounds like things are ok your end chickens :)
GingerDog is still at the ignoring stage, sitting po-faced and dour looking while the pup does his level best to winkle a shred of fun out of him. The pup has taken up playing with the cat instead, the cat gives as good as he gets and even stalks the pup while GingerDog glares disapprovingly on though I suspect this friendship may fizzle out as the pup gets bigger :o