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Permalink Reply by Beth on March 23, 2011 at 6:06pm

Whoops, posted on the video instead of the discussion, so I'll repost!

 

Looks like play to me.  Jack can get really wound when playing and make a lot of noise, and if Maddie doesn't like it she just hops on the couch.   I've only intervened if he tries to follow her up when she walks away.  It did get a little snarly at the end, but many dogs play that way.  I would have seen where it went.  If it gets too rough or too real usually one of the dogs will yip really loudly and that stops it.  If they "shake it off" (like Lance does at the beginning of the video) that's also a good sign it's play.

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Permalink Reply by Beth on March 23, 2011 at 6:22pm

Here's a good link that shows two dogs playing (they are actually very gentle compared to how my Corgis play) and then two dogs fighting.  Notice the stiffness of the fighting dogs, they way they pause to try to jockey for position but hold themselves stiff when pauses, the hackles, and the tenseness.  You can feel the tenseness just watching it.  

http://trainingkoopa.blogspot.com/2010/04/puppy-play-vs-puppy-fight...

 

Jack was charged twice, and Maddie got into a squabble with a female Boston Terrier, and there is NO mistaking that it's a fight.  Generally speaking, if you ask yourself "Are they playing or getting out of hand?" the fact that you are asking means it's all still just fine.  When two dogs go at it, the tension level rises so high so fast that everyone in the area knows it's a fight.

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Permalink Reply by Jane on March 23, 2011 at 6:57pm

It looks like play to me too. Luke sounds absolutely ferocious sometimes when he and Henry wrestle.

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Permalink Reply by Becky S on March 23, 2011 at 7:01pm

Hey, that's tame compared to our two and it's usually Brodie (the much bigger one) who is jumping up on the love seat for a time out because Lilly gets a little "ferocious" Both of their necks end up sopping wet, but they both have a great time and tire each other out. 

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Permalink Reply by Rebecca Marie O'Bryan on March 23, 2011 at 7:21pm

at puppy playtime at petco thats how all the dogs play. dont worry thats normal=). and u can really can tell if it truly is a fight. teddy gets loud like that all the time especially when playing with his friend(an akita)

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Permalink Reply by Bev Levy on March 23, 2011 at 9:32pm

I think they are just playing but I have to admit I discourage much rough housing inside. With three dogs at my house it just gets to be too much. They can have fun outside!

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Permalink Reply by Melissa and Franklin! on March 23, 2011 at 11:19pm

it looks like play but at the very end it looked a little more aggressive. Nothiing to be worried about, just new playmates setting boundaries of how rough they each can get. I wouldn't intervene and just let them sort it out. A lot of times when two dogs play the play will escalate to almost looking like a fight but then one dog will correct the other with a loud growl or lunge and things usually settle back down.

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Permalink Reply by The Geek's Wife & her Corgi Ein on March 24, 2011 at 3:22am

I agree with what everyone else is saying, it looks like play to me too. I probably would have discouraged it at that point also though, cause you have to worry about your belongings when they rough house inside like that. You can always teach them an "enough" or "outside" command when their play starts to get rowdy like that, or you can just keep a close eye on your stuff and watch it play out. You'll know if it ever turns to real aggression. There's no mistaking that. As long as they're both participating it's fine. Your boys are so adorable. They must sleep good at night if they play like this on a regular basis.

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Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on March 24, 2011 at 8:46am

Hi Nat, I am not so sure towards the end, it is hard to tell without knowing what happens next.

 

My pack plays much rougher than this, my little one would drag the older one (relaxed) by the neck, sometimes she bit a little too hard, causing my older one to yelp or give a warning bark / bite back. Little quarrel is okay, as long as they have the space to work it out in a timely fashion.

 

In my opinion, dogs rarely truly "fight", there might be blood from teeth knocking in each other's mouth, nasty growl, lip and ears pull back....etc. But often times it's just a quarrel. The only time I witness a real fight was a corgi biting a poodle's leg, jaws locked on, he kept yanking and would not let go, I had to pry the corgi jaw open to free the poodle, I strongly believe that dogs DON'T MISS in a "real fight", there's no mercy, they will bite to immobilize the opponent and to kill.

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Permalink Reply by Solomon & Naomi's Page on March 24, 2011 at 9:43am

Solomon is use to playing rough...maybe he is use to playing rough also.  I didn't interrupt this as anything but play.  Solomon is also VERY loud!  Very loud, we sometimes stare at him like he is crazy because he gets so loud!!!

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Permalink Reply by CorGeek on March 24, 2011 at 10:09am

We call Oliver and his sister Zoey "the Badgers" when they get going. It sounds horrible...but it's all play. :)

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Permalink Reply by Natalie, Lance &Tucker on March 24, 2011 at 6:15pm

Thanks everyone for your input, I appreciate it, puts my mind to ease.  It just makes me nervous when I hear it getting noisy!!    I guess I need to learn to relax a bit.

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