Aggression Vs Play

[aussielover]

My puppy attends a puppy class. She plays beautifully with most of the puppies there but there is one which she plays really roughly with. It is so rough that its hard to tell whether they are are actually fighting or just playing very rough.

She makes very intense growling noises and her hackles are up.

I do not like her playing like this and I am wondering if this puppy is upsetting her and we best keep them seperate. It is quite a "spirited" little pup and will come up to Mindy aggravate her.

Last week we sat next to each other and this little dog kept coming into Mindy's space (it was on a loose lead)and annoying her when she was sitting calmly. I felt I couldn't really ask her to control her dog (thats the instructors job?) as I am not a confrontational person and kind of shy. In future I will try not to sit near them.

So, how do you tell if dogs playing are just playing rough or actually being aggressive?

[W Sibs]

My little girl is a feisty little thing. She growls when she plays and put her all in wrestling with other dogs. At puppy school, she was known as the bossy one and the pup who doesn't back down. There was a lady who did voice her concerned about her puppy and Emmy playing together... Emmy scared her puppy with her play growls (Emmy scared 2 little dogs in puppy school with her attitude).

Emmy was only allowed to play with the bigger pups and a little staffy puppy who plays rough like Emmy. These 2 could wrestle with each other from the start of class to the end of class.

If you don't want your puppy playing like this... you should definitely talk to the instructor about it, so the instructor know not to let them play together again.

I have yet to hear an aggressive growl from Emmy and she has a lot of different growls...

I think you will definitely know the difference between playing rough and an aggression (leading to a fight)... dogs body languages changes and things get tense.

Edited June 23, 2010 by CW EW

[corvus]

More importantly, how is the other puppy interpreting it? I pay attention to the other dog. If in doubt, hold the one on top back and see if the other one comes bouncing back for more when it's not being pinned to the ground by a growly puppy. My boys play so rough the little guy makes the big guy yelp. He's a big wuss, but if he's yelping for more than a second or does it several times in a short period I declare that the game is too rough and everyone needs to lie down and calm down.

[dandybrush]

just be aware that high excitement leads to aggression...so they are prob playing fine together but it cant hurt to separate them when they get tooo high strung settle them both down (wait for them to completely relax) then let them play again doing that occassionally will stop either dog becoming aggressive during the game.

also raz was the boisterous one in my puppy play group he was moved up to adolesent dogs early so he could play with the bigger ones

at the dog park now he is nearly 2 and if i see another dogs excitement going too high i catch raz and do not let that dog near him until raz and it have calmed (raz was obviously showing excitement signals to the other dog)

[dandybrush]

also watch your dogs tail if it or his play mates goes between their legs they are not enjoying the game and as the parent it is your job to separate them so your little one learns to trust that you will be there to look after him. and by separating them you are giving the dog only positive experience instead of scary ones that can traumatise him

[Nekhbet]

I'd be socialising that pup with some older dogs that have good dog body language. She will soon learn that behavior will not be tolerated. Meanwhile if she starts that grab her out of play and calm her down. If she's having a good go at another pup there is nothing wrong with scruffing her to teach her enough is enough and she really crossed the line

[Stitch]

If you don't like what is happening then it is up to you to say so!

I take every pup I run on to puppy preschool and I now have no hesitation in removing my pup from any situation I am not happy with.

After all you have to deal with the aftermath ie. the damage rough play or a fight may do to your dog, the psychological damage being dominated may cause your dog, the changes in behaviour it may cause your dog etc. etc.

And after you have removed your dog, tell the instructor why you removed it and let them advise you on how the situation could be handled in the future.

Some instructors do not have a clue and others just need a bit of a 'prod' to get them thinking that they need to do something!

They won't know you are uncomfortable if you don't say or do something!!