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Play style

Got a new, young, furry love in your life? This is the place for you to ask all of your questions-big or small! Just remember that you are receiving advice from other dog owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a vet or behaviorist! Most important is to remember to have fun with your new fur baby.

  
Moose

I love sitting- in laps		 
 
Barked: Tue Mar 27, '12 7:06pm PST 
Walking Moose today, I bumped into a neighbor and his 2 yr old Boxer. She's only about 45 lbs and a sweet heart.
We let the pups play as they were on the lawn we were standing near.
Moose doesn't have a rough play style. Mostly he likes to chase, lick lips and then lay down on the ground and play from there by whacking other dogs with his giant paws.

Well, this Boxer has a very rough style of play. Lots of jumping on Moose and lots of growling. The growling was obviously play, but man, it sounded as if she was attacking him.
She looks as if she's going to bite, but then closes her mouth and muzzle wrestle. Cute, but way more intensity than I like.
At one point she got super worked up and that muzzle wrestling turned into biting. Nothing hard, but she was starting to play too rough for my liking and her growling and aggressive play style got super amped up.
I stopped play and finished my conversation and went home.

I don't want Moose playing with dogs that play like that. Is that something I should keep Moose from? My fear is Moose will learn this play behavior and no way, no how do I want him to play like that. Especially once he's full grown.
He out weighed the Boxer by a good 30lbs and she was definitely the one dictating the play style.

If I can help it, I'll keep him from playing with dogs that rough. Am I wasting energy worrying this?
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Sakari

Divas can get- dirty too !
 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 5:54am PST 
Sakari plays rough and sounds like a grizzly bear most of the timelaugh out loud
She also knows when its time to settle down and has never moved into the biting phase, though she does "mouth" other dogs she doesn't apply any pressure. Different dogs have different styles of play.
Personally I've never avoided another dog because of the way it played, if it was showing aggression of course we stay away, but as long as their are no signs of aggression I say go for it.
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Kenzie

I'm a Ninja		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 8:03am PST 
Apple is very vocal when she plays with my GSD and all of my dogs use their mouth when they play.
Dogs know how much pressure they can apply when they play, if it's too much, the other dog will yelp. I don't think you have anything to worry about.
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Zephyr

1213425		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 8:32am PST 
I think you'll find regulating play styles is best left to the dogs themselves. Given Moose's propensity for laying down I seriously doubt he'd develop a really intense play style anyway.

Zephyr and Jax frequently sound like they're killing each other but they're having fun. It has escalated twice when one was done playing and they are not shy in letting the other know they are finished. Very occasionally we run into dogs who don't get the memo and they are told off in no uncertain terms by the dog disinterested in continuing to play.
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y

dog-sitter in- charge.		 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 9:12am PST 
Yes, you're worrying about nothing.. that's how dogs play. dog
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Tyler

Whippy- The- Whipador
 
 
Barked: Wed Mar 28, '12 2:51pm PST 
As long as Moose is't uncomfortable in any way, i'd leave them to it personally. It's a different story if he was actively trying to get away and was not appreciating the play style.
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Moose

I love sitting- in laps		 
 
Barked: Sat Mar 31, '12 10:04am PST 
Moose did try and get away a few times and hid behind me and a friend. Moose was having fun playing, but it was very clear when he was overwhelmed and wanted a break by hiding behind us. The Boxer just kept comin' and comin'.

Watching Moose play with my other neighbors dogs a month or so ago was interesting. Two of the three dogs he was playing with played super rough, but only by themselves. They never tried to get Moose to play like that. One in particular played keep away and chase with Moose, but then would go tackle her buddy. And once they got to playing rough, Moose would go up to them and bark at them. He did that a few times at puppy class too.

I just (in my nervous mind) can't have a ginormous dog body slamming a cocker spaniel to the ground and continue to tackle it in play. Moose will learn what dog is receptive to what type of play style I'm sure.

Tonight I'm heading over to a friends house and have to take Moose with me because I'll be gone for many hours. These are the friends who were at the beach with their dogs. I know Moose will enjoy playing with their dogs.
I'm more worried about the dogs playing out in the backyard. The dogs will be put out there to run and play most of the evening, but my friend doesn't clean up the dog poop from their dogs and I'm not real keen on having Moose covered in dog poop from running all around the backyard.
Well, it's been raining pretty steady today and I'm hoping they can hang in the house and play. Although the house is small.
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Rusty

Champion PPH		 
 
Barked: Sat Mar 31, '12 10:18am PST 
Boxers box, that's just how they roll. They enjoy a body slamming type of play. And yes, some dogs are very vocal in their play. You just learn to read their body language and see that it's just their play style. Moose can figure out if he likes that style of play. If he doesn't, he'll learn to give a small correction. He needs to learn how to react to other dogs and you can't always do that for him.

Bitey face is very fun for most dogs. My 25 lb Cocker does it with a 50 lb Belgian, and they have a great time. I used to have a hard time watching him play with a very physical Sibe, but he keeps inviting that type of play, so I just let him roll with the punches. When he's had enough, he comes to me, and I stop their play for a rest time.

Pups play. It's good social interaction, and it tires them out. Let Moose be a dog. He'll be OK.
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Moose

I love sitting- in laps		 
 
Barked: Sun Apr 1, '12 12:12pm PST 
I took Moose to a dog beach today and I'm no longer freaked out by other dogs rough play style. Moose can handle himself.

Two small dogs (one a JR mix and a tiny English Bulldog puppy) were really playing rough and when the Bulldog tried to engage Moose, he ran with his tail tucked. (And there were other instances with other bigger dogs).
But, when the other two were going at it, he stood right there barking at them. And barking and barking and barking and barking.

So, I'm chill. I just had to find my "I have a normal dog" groove. meditate

This outing, without friends and their dogs for support, took a huge weight off of my shoulders.
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