Keep play fun and safe.
There are few scenes in the dog world that are more smile-inducing than that of two dogs engaged in reciprocal and energetic play. It’s a joy to watch dogs and puppies wrestle, chase, and romp together.
How dogs play together
Dog-to-dog play involves a series of active and repetitive behaviors that have different meanings when performed in other contexts but help dogs develop important life skills and experiences that promote good physical and mental health.
Play begins in puppyhood and helps puppies develop good coordination while allowing them to practice a series of exaggerated behaviors that promote social ease. The beauty of play for dogs is that most dogs continue to want to play with others into adulthood.
Dog guardians usually enjoy watching their dogs play with each other, but it’s important to learn more about it, for your dog’s sake.
It is easy to misread the language of dogs interacting with one another, whether it's incorrectly mistaking innocent play as dangerous fighting, or taking too lightly what is actually aggressive behavior. Learn the difference between appropriate and problematic play in order to keep your dog and his playmates comfortable and safe.
Signs of appropriate dog play
Play works best when both dogs know the rules, maintain a low level of arousal, and are willing to play at the same level and with similar styles.
- During appropriate play, conflict is avoided as long as each dog allows the other to take turns "winning" and "losing" the game.
- Appropriate play sometimes looks very rough but human intervention is usually not needed.
- Good players are confident and actively seek out other dogs to play with, maintaining order during play by using clear signals so that other dogs do not become too aroused or overwhelmed.
- Most dogs play safely with each other by relying on a series of cut-off signals that communicate their peaceful intentions. Play bows and displacement behaviors such as sniffing, sneezing, yawning, itching, and licking occur for brief moments throughout play to communicate that any future action is still just play.
Signs of inappropriate or over-arousing dog play
It’s a nice thought that all dogs can work out conflicts or play issues on their own, but it’s just not true.
Dogs have their own limitations and temperaments, based on their genetics and experiences, and they don’t always possess the needed social skills to work issues out safely. That’s where you can help, by paying attention to the signs that a dog’s play is inappropriate or becoming problematic.
- Vocalization during play can be normal, but if the vocalizations continuously increase or one dog is giving appeasement signals and trying to get away, it is time to intervene. Calmly interrupt or stop the play at this point. The more aroused dogs become, the more likely it is that even appropriate mock battles will turn into something more serious. Teaching a reliable recall and calling the dogs back before things get too rowdy will give them time to calm down before resuming.
- If one dog targets another dog by chasing, stalking, or always playing roughly in a one-sided manner, this dog should leave the play situation. This type of interaction isn’t usually fun for the dog on the receiving end.
- Dogs that tend to play rudely, body slamming, mouthing too hard, mounting, and generally causing mayhem can provoke negative reactions that lead to fights and injuries. If a dog is repeatedly pushy or plays too rough, even after intervening and giving breaks, the dog should leave the play situation, and possibly not interact with other dogs until he learns to greet and play nicely. This can be facilitated through taking parallel leash walks together, limiting play to a few minutes at a time, or playing with the dogs separately but in sight of each other.
- Because play relies on the ability to read vocal and body signals, dogs that didn’t have the opportunity to learn to play as puppies aren’t always as skilled at communicating and identifying these signals. If this describes your dog, learn more about dog body language so you understand what the dogs are saying. Consider contacting a positive trainer who can help you decide what is safe and appropriate for your dog.
Bottom line
Understanding how dogs play ensures that play remains a fun and healthy activity for everyone.
