Is Your Dog Playing or Being Aggressive?

Sometimes it’s a bit difficult to tell if your dog, or any dog, is playing and having fun, or if they’re being aggressive and getting too rough. Do you break them up or let the activity continue?

When dogs play, they rough house, it’s how they play with their humans as well as other dogs, and sometimes that rough housing looks a little too rough, when in fact it’s it’s all in good fun.

The problem is, dogs like children, can get carried away and the play can turn into aggression. As dog owners, it’s our responsibility to monitor “the good times” to know if it has turned too rough.

How to Monitor Your Dog’s Play:

• Begin by understanding your dog’s body language…is he giving a low sounding growl, showing his teeth, changing his body movement, speed of the tail way, position of the ears or the look in his eyes?
• Does either of the dogs make an attempt to escape the situation?
• Good play should always be equal: being chased or being the chaser.
• Does one dog keep the other one down too long? A dog should be in the dominant position for only about 5-6 seconds.
• Does gentle playing seems to get more intense?
• Don’t panic if your dog is barking, that’s just how they communicate and doesn’t necessarily indicate aggression. As in #1, you have to know your dog and what his different barks represent.
• Give them frequent breaks – if they return, it’s good play.

Don’t let things get out of control.

• If your dog starts to act stressed, it’s time top stop the situation. Separate the dogs and possibly get them treats to calm the situation. Be sure to provide them with plenty of fresh water.
• Don’t let the play go on too long…this will help avoid the play from getting too intense. A good period of time to calm down would be 5 – 10 minutes.
• If necessary put the dogs on a leash so they can calm down. If time and opportunity permit, their play can be resumed for another short period.

If it’s not possible to take your dog with you…Give us a Call!

BowWow Fun Towne is a dog daycare that takes the health and well-being of your dog seriously. We provide all types of exercise from playing with friends to swimming. We are experts at what we do and are dedicated to assisting you and providing the best care for your dog while you’re away.