Hi,

I have been searching for another post on this topic, but have not found one.  My corgis play great together, but I am wondering a few things about their play etiquette.  I have a 2 yr old pembroke corgi, Leia and a 4 1/2 month old cardigan, Luke.  We got Luke at the end of May.  Leia has adjusted very well and seems to really enjoy having him around.

Play:

They chase each other around the house and yard, make little snorting sounds as they play their strange little game (I think it might be a dominance game since the winner is always the one that rolls the other).  They stand next to each other and push each other around with their shoulders while making the snorting sound and barring teeth.  It's not aggressive and both seem to really enjoy the game.  After some time, Luke will just start licking Leia all over her face and then they will settle for a nap.

Toys:

Leia will not play tug with Luke.  She drops any toy she's holding that he goes for.  She does the same to an 8 month old Shih tsu that comes over during the day.  Luke and the shih tsu love to chase and steal toys from each other - they have created their own game.  Those two will play tug, but not Leia.  She loves to play it with me though.  I always win when we play, but she enjoys the game regardless.

Chewies:

I can give each dog their own and Leia will happily relax and chew it, but Luke will always try to get hers.  Later, both dogs will leave the chewies and come back to them later.  I usually pick them up at that time, but sometimes get busy and forget.  When they come back for them, they are both possessive of them.  I will separate the dogs or pick up the chewies to solve the problem.

I would really like for them to chew their chewies without it developing into an issue.  Have any other multi corgi households found a solution or am I just setting the bar too high?  And why does Leia always drop the toys and refuse to play with the toys with Luke?  I know lack of toy aggression is not necessarily a bad thing, but shouldn't she have at least some inclination to keep Luke from taking the toy she is currently playing with? How do your corgis play with each other? Any advice, stories, or information on this topic is appreciated. 

Lindsey

Luke & Leia

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Hi Lindsey, what you describe is quite normal, an older dog will either not share its possession and teach the younger dog a lesson, OR let the little one have its way. You cannot control the pack order  between them and it will switch as they age.

sounds to me like she doesn't want to play tug  games with the pup because she knows she'll will and that's simply not fun.  she's playing other games and is teaching him "whatever she's teaching him"   As he gets older she'll teach him more, much like we teach our children more as they get older.

Yes, that makes sense.  I have no experience in a multi dog house, so I'm not quite sure what to expect, though I have done some research. I think they are off to a really good start and I am really enjoying watching them play and bond.  It almost seems too good to be true right now.  I hope they continue to be so good together.  Thanks for your responses.

They sound pretty normal to me. My two insist on "switching" their chewies mid-way through...which is really annoying if one doesn't want to give theirs up lol. Then I get the pleading eyes of "mommmmm it's time to switch and he won't!"

Lindsey, when did you start letting Luke socialize with other dogs (besides your own)? Some people say socialize your dog right away and some say wait till fully vaccinated (16 wks).

I agree with Sebastian --- Start the socialization of your pup.

"When people talk about puppy socialization they are generally referring to the first 16 weeks of a dog's life. This is the window of time in our puppy's lives that determines who they will become as adult dogs.

The temperament, character and behavior habits of your puppy are developed during this socialization period - and will last a lifetime. It affects how your puppy will relate to his family, strangers, animals and the environment in which he lives."

Other thing is that, make sure your older dog has its some "special time" or privileges with you alone. So she won't get offended as the pup came into the house. To be fair to both of them regardless the age. Meanwhile, you may want to play with the pup to build the bond b/w you two, especially during this young age. You might not want the pup ends up bonding with your older dog, not you --- I would play the tug with the pup, (Luke, right?) and he can ONLY play the tug with me. Since you want to be at least one of his fun resources.

When my pup was very young, I threw her as many toys as possible, and of course, she learned to play with herself. Now, she is 8 months old, I have to lock all the toys and work REALLY HARD (being like a lunatic dancing and jumping around my pup...) to encourage her to play with ME. Even though I do this for the agility purpose, but I do feel that it helps bond the relationship. Again, you want to be the most wonderful resource to him in the world.

Hi, thanks for the response!  I am sure to give each dog time with me, time with each other, and time alone.  Luke came from a fantastic cardigan breeder and was socialized well with his litter mates and the other adult cardigans he owns.  The other dog that comes over during the day has always been current on her vaccinations (so has Luke) and my friend and I share the same vet.  Luke plays very well with Portland (shih tsu) and with Leia, and he does great with people.  He is really easy going and happy to oblige whatever anyone tells him (still in the well behaved puppy stage too!)  I'm not sure what to expect as he grows up with Leia.  I think they have really bonded well in the last 7 weeks that Luke has been with us.

My puppy does really well with all the dogs he is meeting, however he will NOT stop biting at their legs.  He has not shown any aggression to other dogs (or humans) but with all his nipping at the other dogs it annoys the other dogs and they get aggressive.  Is this normal?  Will he learn his lesson and slow down on the nipping?  I am afraid he is going to get hurt.

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