Guest hankodie Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Does anyone know why dogs like to play bitey face? I've been observing my 2 playing recently and they are growing more and more fond of this game. One will usually initiate it when the other is lying down, then they lie there for ages biting each other on the face and biting each other's limbs. Sometimes it will escalate into a game of chase but not always. They take turns lying on top of each other and "attacking". Sometimes one of them will take it too far and the other will let out a small yelp, they stop immediately to break and then they get right back into it :laugh: It doesn't seem aggressive at all so I'm not too worried, despite my dogs being very different in size they generally tend to be quite good when they play. I'm just curious as to why they do it. Is it a sign of affection? Is it healthy play or should I be discouraging it? Do anyone else's doggies love playing bitey face? A video of my 2, this has become a morning ritual before breakfast :laugh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq1SQRsAUTs&feature=youtu.be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 :) Think about it ..dogs don't have mobile and sensitive fingers to touch , tickle, play ... and they have to play :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackJaq Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) Mine do it a lot. Sometimes we even end up with a bitey-face trifecta or a doggie pile up... I think it is just lazy play, better than chasies inside a house or on a hot day ETA: Mine are all very noisy during this kind of game, had some people ask me if I am going to break up my dogs when they have done it in public lol Edited December 21, 2013 by BlackJaq Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iggy mum Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Beau and Peanut play exactly like that quite a lot. They are both very gentle about it so I watch but don't worry. I think it's cute and more likely to be affection.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotdashdot Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 My two do it :) Cleo will just lie there with her whole mouth over Nala's head, not biting just enveloping. I love how she lies down to play the game, like "you're so little, I have to lie down to play with you" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulesP Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 This is how mine play too. They rarely play chasies, it is always bitey face. All my borders have played like this. The oldest dog has always been the one to lay down too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasels Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Poor Weez lost all his doggy friends when he left WA and it takes him a long time to make new friends, so my husband takes pity and will play bitey face with him on occasion Dog-people eh :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Hahaha Weasel that's very funny. Lewis and Wilson play bitey face all the time - with lots of noise!!! Rommi is the fun police so it is not something her and Lewis have ever done. I think Lewis thinks that is the sole reason to have kids - someone to play bitey face with. Interesting though as Wilson has been teething, very occasionally it has looked like someone has tried to rip off Lewis's legs and cut his throat :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hankodie Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Haha interesting to see how many people have dogs who do this :D Hank (my golden pup) is so polite around other dogs that he would not dare attempt a game of bitey face with anyone other than Odie which I find interesting, I like to think it's their version of a BFF secret handshake :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hankodie Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Poor Weez lost all his doggy friends when he left WA and it takes him a long time to make new friends, so my husband takes pity and will play bitey face with him on occasion Dog-people eh :laugh: that's adorable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaCC Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Nova loves bitey face which almost always turns into a chase, but is also weird and likes to lick other dogs mouths, until his entire head in inside another dogs mouth *Featuring MUPs horse puppy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Crazy Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Mine play bitey face a lot. They are very vocal while playing it, especially Stella. She is very growley & squeals heaps. Mine lay down & play it or sometimes run around playing it, biting each others face & front legs. Stella can get a bit too rough for Sonny & he will yelp out & they stop straight away for one second then they pick up right where they left off. It's so funny to watch. I love it. Perfectly natural way to release energy IMHO :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hankodie Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 I love Nova's expression in that photo :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Gifts Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) All three of ours do it and two of them are mouth lickers too. I thought that was a submissive thing but have also been told by a dog whisperer that it can be a calming thing - one dog sharing calm spit with another that is feeling a little wound up. This is a fantastic bitey face pic from last Christmas. Tempeh was constantly trying to pull off Stussy's Christmas elf apron fearing it would eat her alive, so they were crazy most of the day. Despite how ferocious Stussy looks she has never scratched or bitten anyone during a game of bitey face with those (slightly dirty) teeth. Edited December 21, 2013 by Little Gifts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hankdog Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Its the one game Jake plays. When I go get dressed before walk time he jumps on the bed and we play "bitey pillow" I think it must be quite a sign of trust between dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alibi Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 My mums new griff pup plays with my griff like this lol, she tugs really hard but my dog seems to not mind. My griff is now sporting some lovely scabey cheeks from their last play session. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertrude139 Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 My sibes play what I call extreme bitey-face. It looks so viscous but they never hurt each other and always go back for more :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuralPug Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 For some reason the Pugs think that bitey face is the game you play on your Pugslave's lap. Anywhere else the game is tug o war, or chasey, or kill the squeaker toy etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 Yep. Bitey face is a favourite here. I'll have a look for a photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 (edited) Here we go - Look at mah teefies! Edited December 21, 2013 by Aussie3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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