Puppy play at the dog park - questions.

[graceomalley]

My 6 month old 'hunting' dog (she's a mix of breeds, from a rescue - has never gone hunting in her life and never will) loves going to the dog park to play with other dogs every day. There's a group of another 8 other dogs who all play together. My dog is boisterous (understatement) but the other owners are all great - they push her straight down if she jumps and they give a strong command if she nips (we're working with a trainer to get her to stop this). It's a play thing - she was dumped so she didn't get the chance to learn much from her mother or siblings. She has never growled and has never shown any signs of aggression at all, so I'm not too worried about the nipping (we're having success with the training and it happens rarely).

She's really good at listening to other dogs and will play respectfully with the dogs who want a bit of space, but she has lots of tumbling fun with the dogs who initiate rougher play.

A new dog came to the park recently and he's a similar breed from the same rescue - lots of hunting breeds mixed together - and they've just begun to play pretty rough games together. Their tails are wagging the whole time and the other dog is starting to do a playful growl noise while they're tumbling, but I was wondering if this is something I should discourage? I want to do what's right by my dog (and other dogs/people she comes into contact with) and I'll ask our trainer about it too, but is there any chance that this could somehow build aggression? To an outsider walking past, I don't know if it could look like they were fighting (but really, with playful noises, wagging tails and no bared teeth, I'm not sure that's realistic).

If she wasn't a hunting breed I probably wouldn't care so much about it, but I'm really aware that people see her and immediately assume she's a dangerous dog.

[slimkins]

I have a boxer and she does not do well at the dog park for this reason. She does fine at doggy daycare when there are only a few dogs and this keeps the playing calmer. Some dogs tend to play very loudly (with growling, running and jumping all over each other) and can easily sound aggressive to people that are not familiar with it. I had to be around boxers playing on a regular basis to truly believe hat they were just playing. Also some other dogs do not actually react well to that type of play, so you might be best doing personal play-dates with the dog that your dog really enjoys playing with. I'm not sure if this is common with just "hunting" breeds or dogs that have a lot of energy and are very boisterous. Since I haven't seen the way your dog is playing I can't say for sure. I did find a video on another dog forum that I go on that is typical boxer play. Even when my dog plays like this with other dogs that have the same playing style it never escalates into anything more.

boxers playing

[graceomalley]

Thanks for that video. The playing between my dog and her friend isn't as noisy (the other dog's play growls are a lot softer and not as frequent) and there isn't as much running around (more tumbling on the ground) but yeah that's basically what I'm talking about. It doesn't seem to bother the other dogs there because it's a huge dog park (I live in Australia and dog parks are different here - it's about half a mile wide and a mile or two long with a river and woodlands through it, plus a fenced off area for sight hounds). The play doesn't usually happen around other dogs but you raised a good point and it's definitely something to consider. Thanks

[Ola_]

One of my dogs adores "jaw jousting" with a play mate. There is lots of teeth, drool, and rolling around on the floor. Perfectly harmless in our case and that's what it sounds like you are describing, but hard to say without actually seeing it.

I've heard that in real play you will see the dogs take turns being the top-tumbler and bottom-tumbler. If one is always on top it may be a sign that the other is not enjoying it as much.

However, keep in mind that wagging tails aren't always a sign that the dog's intentions are good. A high, stiffly wagging tail can be a very bad sign.

[graceomalley]

Thanks for the tip about the tail wagging, I didn't know that. Their tails are relaxed (dip in the middle, curving upwards), but I'll keep a close eye on it.

I watched them carefully today and they're spending an equal amount pouncing and being pounced on, and they're also spending the same amount of time on the top and bottom. They really do seem to love it. Thanks for giving me these tips on what to watch for so that it stays fun for them (and the other dogs at the park).

[Miasmamma]

My dogs play together so loudly and roughly that it does sound like a dog fight in my living room. It's just their nature. If one of them gets too rough, the other one lets them know it and things cool off for a minute and then they are back at it. For example, they were playing for the past 10 minutes, and now they are both crashed out on the floor sleeping. Get to know your dog's body language, it can tell you everything about how they are feeling. There is a world of difference between playing and fighting. And just a question, I too have hunting breeds, why would someone think they were dangerous?

[graceomalley]

That's exactly my question! Why on earth would people think she's dangerous? I suppose because in Australia, hunting dogs are seen similarly to pit bulls (from what I understand) in the US.

The most human aggressive, frightening hunting dog I've ever met was a red cattle dog - a breed traditionally known for herding, not hunting (or fighting).

A friend has let me borrow a DVD about dog body language - I'm looking forward to watching it.