Anyone have 2 dogs. . .

[jaybo_77]

I just have a quick question. . .

I was wondering how rough you let your two dogs play?

I have a boxer (2.5 yrs, female) and a Doberman (8 mo, male). I do not let them play rough at all. Whenever they are nipping and biting each other I put a stop to it (because they get really, really rough). I have read a couple of posts a while back and it seems most people let their dogs go at it. I know they are just playing, but Bruno (the dobie) is already aggressive enough (maybe not, maybe I'm just used to my gentle boxer). And I do not want him to think it's OK to be so aggressive. I know I should let them work out the dominance thing but I think he's already got that down. T-bone is already submisive to him. Just wonderig what everyone else does.

Oh yeah, off the subject . . . I was taking T-bone for a ride last night, and I pull up at a stop light and a lady gets out of the truck next to me so she can pet t-bone. She actually got out of the truck, in a really busy intersection to pet her. Her freind thought she was nuts! But she said she had a boxer at home and could not resist. Boxer owners are the best. I think we are a unique breed too! All my freinds think I'm nuts too.

 

[Mandy1155]

I have wondered the same thing! My dobie and boxer really go at it. I worry because he pulls on her scruff and it looks like it hurts. If she cries he will stop, but I watch them and it bothers me. I try to let them play because at least they do that now...the dobie used to not like her too much. She will get lumps on her scruff from the dobie or my friend's husky dragging her around. She seems to LOVE it! She will not give up if they get tired. I wish I could answer for you, but I can't tell how much is too much either!

 

[lmyhand]

I have worried about that too. I have Baxter and my boyfriend also has a boxer and they tend to play really rough together, boxer growls and all. Then when they go to dog parks, my boyfriend's dog especially, always dominates dogs when he meets them. Other owners I know get put off by the boxer growl but neither of them have ever hurt another dog so I know they are OK. Other owners though, sometimes fear for their dog's lives! LOL. But-seriously, I think dogs need to play aggressively with one another and as long as they are not hurting each other (no whimpers, etc) I think play fighting is good for them....

 

[MJ&Sams_Momma]

I always let my two boxers play rough!! (well, Daphne is a boxer mix, but it's the same thing) They've never hurt each other and both have the absolute sweetest personalities. They get extremely rough with each other too, but as soon as one lets out a whimper, they calm right down and "kiss" each other. Too cute! Now when I let Sam play with my German Shepherd, I have to keep a close eye. What turns out to be harmless chasing (which Sam absolutely loves to play "hard to get"!!) eventually turns out that my Shepherd gets mad that he can't get Sam. So I keep a close eye when it comes to those two playing!! I don't think you'd have anything to worry about when it comes to affecting their personalities and thinking that they're going to be aggressive towards people. Even if my German Shepherd gets as mad as can be towards Sam, he has NEVER even attempted to be aggressive towards my husband, my four month old son, or myself. Relax, let them go at it!! It's so fun to watch them battle!! (play battle, that is!)

 

[Bumblebee]

I am no expert, but I think it is ok to let your babies play rough. Tobee and Jake play really rough. Every now and then, Jake will have a bald spot around his neck, from where Tobee bites on his neck. I think dogs know when they are playing too rough and enough is enough. As long as you can tell the difference between a boxer play growl and a real one, I would just let them at it.
I think it is good for them. Let's them get out a lot of pent upenergy.

 

[Billysmum]

Yes, we let our 2 play rough too. Billy is a Boxer and Tommy is a Rottweiler.

Billy is submissive to Tommy but they play fight great. I only stop them when Tommy starts biting Billy's back legs.

When they're not playing together they are usually to be found trying to sleep in the same dog bed together, or laying on the carpet with Tommy's head resting on Billy's neck.

 

[boxer4]

Yeah.. we let Caesar and Brandi go at it too. When my mother comes to visit she gets so nervous, she is afraid they are really fighting. I think I can tell the difference, they growl differently when they are really mad and they have a whole other look in their eyes, they have never got into a real fight but I`ve seen one of them get mad when the other nips too hard and thats when I tell them to stop.

 

[GG-CG-AG]

Yes, I am one of those people who lets their dogs "go at it". My girls LOVE each other to pieces. This is evident in the way they sleep on top of each other, lick each other, and how upset they get when the other one is not around.

However, when playtime comes around... it sounds like they are killing each other. It looks like they are killing each other as well. I wish I could remember the post I read where Tulsa-Dan said something to the effect of 'they always seem to survive all the leg biting, flew pulling, neck chewing, etc' (TULSA-DAN- if you read this, please tell what it was that you said if you remember what I'm talking about--- it was wonderfully said) Anyway, my point is that dogs have a different way of communicating than we do. This is probably just play. If you notice, they will RARELY draw blood. If they were really fighting and really trying to hurt each other then they defintely would draw blood because they have the strength and the sharp teeth to do it with.

I'm no expert, but you may actually be doing more harm than good by not letting them 'have it out' so to speak. Maybe you could ask one of the trainers or moderators on the boards as they might have more information as far as that goes. This is normal dog behavior... and I don't think you have anything to worry about. Sometimes I think my girls are going to KILL each other during a session of 'Canine WWF' in my living room floor. If one yelps or whines, the play always gets a LITTLE less rough. Not much though!

 

[Jen&Scott]

We have a boxer and two giant schnauzers and we have always let them play rough. I can tell the difference in the sounds they make between play fighting/wrestling and a dog that is actually mad. I can count on one hand the number of times that any of them have ever really "gotten into it" (real fighting).

Even the couple of times that Marley, our GS female and the alpha dog, has snapped at one of the other dogs, it's been to put them in their place and has only lasted a second. They've always worked out hierarchy problems quickly -- the submissive dog backs down and everything is back to normal in a matter of moments.

I've noticed that when they play fight/wrestle, that if you watch them sometimes the dominant dog will be on the bottom and the submissive dog will be on the top. At that moment they're okay with it, I think BECAUSE it IS play.

Jen

 

[Tulsa-Dan]

Was this it?

Dogs have much tougher skin than we think. My two (1 and 2 years old) play with each other every day in the park and they both constantly have bite marks and scratches where they wrestle with one another and their necks sometimes look like they've been through a thrashing machine. But they've never gotten infected (actually, no real blood has been let yet, just scratches) nor has either of them seemed to be bothered in the least by the other biting her neck, pulling her by the jowels, punching, body slaming, tripping, etc., that they do to one another. Boxers play really roughly, especially with other boxers. Pretty normal, but it does take some getting used to by US, because it seems so rough and sure looks like it hurts.

Let 'em play. Mine have yet to yelp or get seriously hurt. Some scratches and nips, but that's all. Sometimes I stop them just because I'm trying to hear the television over all the racket!! But otherwise, I let them do their dog thing.