Chewing At Other Dog, What Does It Mean?

[Taradiddle81]

I don't think this is a problem, it's more just that I was wondering what the behaviour is (ie is it trying to assert dominance, is it play, it is affection etc)

Bandit (8 mo rescue) has been with us for 2 1/2 weeks and for the last week or so he has decided that sometimes he should nibble at Elly's ears or bite her on the lose skin on her neck (when I say bite, it's more of a hold than a bite, IYKWIM). Elly doesn't seem hugely distressed by it, just annoyed sometimes when she goes to walk off and has to drag 30kg of Bandit with her hehehe Sometimes he will nip at her tail as well. On the odd occasion it does worry her, she gives him a bark like she means it and he lets go.

So, is he playing, or being affectionate or just trying to convince her that he is the boss? (He is pushy, and already he gets jealous when Elly tries to give me cuddles, he will weasel his way in and try to bunt her out of the way. I put him in his place and make him wait his turn though.)

Edited March 9, 2011 by Taradiddle81

[jazzy4]

I don't think this is a problem, it's more just that I was wondering what the behaviour is (ie is it trying to assert dominance, is it play, it is affection etc)

Bandit (8 mo rescue) has been with us for 2 1/2 weeks and for the last week or so he has decided that sometimes he should nibble at Elly's ears or bite her on the lose skin on her neck (when I say bite, it's more of a hold than a bite, IYKWIM). Elly doesn't seem hugely distressed by it, just annoyed sometimes when she goes to walk off and has to drag 30kg of Bandit with her hehehe Sometimes he will nip at her tail as well. On the odd occasion it does worry her, she gives him a bark like she means it and he lets go.

So, is he playing, or being affectionate or just trying to convince her that he is the boss? (He is pushy, and already he gets jealous when Elly tries to give me cuddles, he will weasel his way in and try to bunt her out of the way. I put him in his place and make him wait his turn though.)

my cav does this to our foxy, she follows him around the yard, and hangs off ALL his dangly bits, he does not seem to mind, when they play fetch, they bring back the toy together - it is obviously too heavy for one to carry , but if he moves to fast for her to help him carry it she just latches on to his tail and follows him back,

sometimes he does let out a yelp if she gets to carried away, but not often, i think they are just playing, i don't think it is dominance as come food time she will hoovers hers up and he takes forever, but he will not allow her near his food & she knows it, so she just sits in front of his food bowl very patiently, she knows that he is the boss

[Taradiddle81]

Bandit scoffs his food... we are actually feeding Elly inside, because Bandit finishes in half the time and then tries to get some of hers. As a result she has started scoffing again, so I let her in of a morning and feed her, and feed Bandit outside.

It is quite funny though, because sometimes he will do it and she will wrinkle her nose up as if she is going to snarl or bark, but she doesn't, she just winkles her muzzle (it looks so cute!)

[W Sibs]

I had one dog that he likes chewing on other dogs ear... we always knew which dog he has been playing with because their ears were wet with slobber. He never outgrew that weird habit of his.

Emmy likes to groom Charlie and as a puppy she liked pulling on his ears, tails and now sometimes she still likes playing with with Charlie's floppy ears. Charlie doesn't seem to mind, he just sits/lays there and let her do whatever she wants. Charlie is a pretty laid back kind of dog that puts up with a lot of Emmy's antics.

[jazzy4]

I had one dog that he likes chewing on other dogs ear... we always knew which dog he has been playing with because their ears were wet with slobber. He never outgrew that weird habit of his.

Emmy likes to groom Charlie and as a puppy she liked pulling on his ears, tails and now sometimes she still likes playing with with Charlie's floppy ears. Charlie doesn't seem to mind, he just sits/lays there and let her do whatever she wants. Charlie is a pretty laid back kind of dog that puts up with a lot of Emmy's antics.

that would look so cute,