Is this too aggressive play? Video link!

[Louise501]

I rarely intervene also, I find if I attempt to get between them it makes matters worse, they are all finding their place. Angel has developed this little girlie barking when Luka and Ruby are playing, she's so funny

 

[SandyHG55654]

They looked like they are working it all out on their own. It was pretty cute! You could tell Luka is pretty brave but knows when playtime is over! I would just keep an eye on them for any real altercations and let it run it's course, didn't seem agressive to me just a lesson learned, until next time that is!

 

[Joe-ICT]

maybe it is just me, but i sware that white puppy looked almost like a fake dog. too cute of a dog you got there

 

[Donna1969]

Geez Louise (heehee) if you ever saw/heard Echo and Carson playing you'd think they were so aggressive they needed to be put down. They sound so vicious when they play and they are SO nasty to each other. What I saw with Ruby and Luka looks like what my Blizzy and the pup we puppysat for would do. The pup trying to push the older more mature one, the mature one putting the babe in its place. I don't see any problems with your two and their play.

My hubby actually commented that they sounded like Tazmanian devils fighting..and they do.

But they are the best of buds 80% of the time and the "fighting" always ends up with the 2 cuddling in the bed.

 

[harlie'smom]

Your babies are absolutly gorgeous. Mine play like that too and i also wondered if they were getting to ruff. I guess not. What if the hair goes up on there back, what does that mean?

 

[Louise501]

What if the hair goes up on there back, what does that mean?

I think it means that they are excited in play, but I have also seen this happen with aggressive dogs in the park. I'm sure someone else might know more specifically

 

[ladyluck_t]

What if the hair goes up on there back, what does that mean?

It's called Piloerection (hair standing up ) and basically it means they have reached a high level of arousal, the trigger for the arousal state may be fear, anger, pain, or excitement. It is an autonervous system response to stimuli. or as dictionary.com defines it: "involuntary erection or bristling of hairs due to a sympathetic reflex usually triggered by cold, shock, or fright or due to a sympathomimetic agent"

So it could mean that they are afraid of something, getting too excited in play, about to start a fight...etc. To tell the difference, you have to look at the overall body language. What postion are the ears? what does their muzzle look like? where are they putting their body weight? etc.

Now, my girl gets a "mohawk" when playing with my male or with a foster. To me this is a signal that things are getting out of hand or may get out of hand quickly. So I call a quick "training time-out" ask everyone to come to me, sit/down/shake, then give each a pat and send them back to play. Breaks the arousal chain and keeps things from escalating quickly. But that is my choice, made mainly for the safety and my sanity when fostering

 

[harlie'smom]

Ladyluck thanks for all that great info. She does seem to be more irritated than excited when that happens so i think im going to follow your lead and see how that works. Thanks again!

 

[brendayour]

It looked like perfectly normal play. I didn't see anything to worry about!

This is great to know as my two are the same!!!

 

[victelstoria]

I loved your video and your Babies are so cute.