Rough Play

[Leo&Abby's Owner]

I have 2 labs - a 1 year old male and a 10 month female (both desexed). Lately, their 'play' has seemed to get too rough (for me at least).

They *both* seem to be grabbing each other's faces / ears / necks in play. After a little while of this, the play escalates. When I am there to stop it, I will stop them - either physically or by distracting them with a toy. But when I'm not there, the play escalates and at times I've come out to see that either one has nipped a strip of fur from the other one.

For me, when this happens - it's gone beyond fun play and could escalate again to become something more. Am i being overly concerned? Are they just setting boundaries for their behaviour? or is it something I can work at to stop?

I will say that despite this - both dogs sleep curled up with each other, don't fight over food / me, aren't afraid of each other and both use 'play bows' in their play. But it comes back to me being a concerned owner - I'd like to nip the behaviour in the bud, as it were.

It's been difficult to write about, but I would appreciate your (constructive) feedback / experiences / advice etc

[Paulp]

When I first got my second lab (i have one male and one female of about the same age) and they started playing like this it caused me quite a bit of concern but everyone said that is just the way labs play. My two sound like they are trying to kill each other at times. I discourage it in the house but just let it run its course outside.

[Leo&Abby's Owner]

When I first got my second lab (i have one male and one female of about the same age) and they started playing like this it caused me quite a bit of concern but everyone said that is just the way labs play. My two sound like they are trying to kill each other at times. I discourage it in the house but just let it run its course outside.

Hi, see that's been my attitude so far - lots of people have said "Oh, it's just play" but when they rip pieces of fur off one another, I feel terrible for letting it happen

[RubyStar]

My 2 Labs play much like you mentioned - nipping at each other's faces and necks, then it gets a little wilder. If they do it in the house I put an end to it or shove them outside to finish up, but the act of putting them out to play where it's more appropriate behaviour usually stops the play in its tracks as they want to be inside to do it I rarely step in due to it being too rough, I just leave them to it (outside) to sort it out, but it isn't aggressive, just highly excitable Labrador play! When I take them out to the park and they have an offlead run together, they chase each other at the speed of light and topple each other over and sound like they are going to kill each other. I sometimes call them back to get them to stop just because I'd hate to think what others think of the sound!

[RubyStar]

When I first got my second lab (i have one male and one female of about the same age) and they started playing like this it caused me quite a bit of concern but everyone said that is just the way labs play. My two sound like they are trying to kill each other at times. I discourage it in the house but just let it run its course outside.

Hi, see that's been my attitude so far - lots of people have said "Oh, it's just play" but when they rip pieces of fur off one another, I feel terrible for letting it happen

I'm no expert or trainer, just a Labrador mum - but if they're at the stage where they're ripping fur out of each other, I'd step in too. They are still young so I wouldn't worry too much if they show love for each other in everything else they do

[huski]

Sometimes Daisy gets a mouthful of Micha's fur, but it's not because she was being rough - he'll drop coat in a light breeze

[Leo&Abby's Owner]

I'm no expert or trainer, just a Labrador mum - but if they're at the stage where they're ripping fur out of each other, I'd step in too. They are still young so I wouldn't worry too much if they show love for each other in everything else they do

Thanks RubyStar, unfortunately the fur ripping stage doesn't happen while I'm there, I've never witnessed it. If I'm there and they start grabbing each other's neck, I verbally stop them.

[RubyStar]

Sometimes Daisy gets a mouthful of Micha's fur, but it's not because she was being rough - he'll drop coat in a light breeze

I often cop mouthfuls of Labrador hair and I'm definitely not nipping at their necks! Damned moulters

[GoldenWei]

my goldens play like this as well... the older one generally has wet ears and stuff by the end of it... makes him look most untidy. Phoenix sometimes gets Indy's hair in his mouth as well, but its generally loose anyway as they both shed a lot, and Indy more than Phoenix because of his coat type.

[Sankari]

My goldens play like that too. I just let it run its course. They arent as bad now. I have had Zoe (2yrs old) for nearly 4 months now. Neither end up with fur in mouth but Charlotte (older one 4yrs) chases Zoe and bites her bum. Real facination there. Zoe nips Charlotte's ears and Charlotte's ears always look most untidy.

I would just let them sort it out themselves unless it gets severe i never step in.

[Aussienot]

When two dogs are playing, they will change positions constantly. Mouth grips will be repositioned quickly. You will see one dog be the attacker and one dog be the attackee, and every few minutes they will reverse roles.

As long as both dogs are moving, and the play seems to be equally balanced, there's no reason to worry that they will hurt each other. Fur grows back. They are grabbing fur to avoid grabbing skin.

But if you see one dog dominating for the entire game, or if one or more dogs freeze or look away from the other dog, then I would break it up and give each dog a breather in separate areas. Play can tip over into actual aggression in some dogs, especially those who need to learn self control.

As long as the play stays clean, I think it's up to you to determine how rough and tumble the game can be in the house. I have a "timeout" T handsignal that I give, and both dogs know it's time to stop.

One thing I don't allow is for them to knock into me (or bowl over the cat) when they are playing. It's disrepectful.

[Leo&Abby's Owner]

Aussienot, thanks for your reply.

I don't tolerate this behaviour at all inside (they're mainly outside dogs, so coming in at night is a privelege). I've decided to increase the amount of exercise my bigger dog is getting, as it does seem to happen when they both have energy to burn.

I've also decided to not tolerate these behaviours while I am with them. I'd be interested to hear more about how you trained / taught your 'Time Out' gesture.

[Blitza]

My aussies are like this , though makes it hard when you try and play fetch with them at the park,as my puppy is going through the chase,attack mode at the moment, and turns the adults off from the ball.

[sandgrubber]

I wouldn't worry about wounds, which heal even if someone bleeds a bit, but I would be worried about skeletal damage. I once sold sibling lab pups to someone and they played so rough that one of them ended out needing elbow surgery. Yours are getting past the stage of maximum danger . . . but make sure they aren't doing things like throwing one another off the stairs or other things that might end out with a whack or clunk . . . and a yelp.