Playing or Fighting? Dog question

MSeel1984

So a lot of my pals here on MFP know I recently got a boxer puppy.

Thursday marks her 11 week birthday. She's getting bigger every day and is now pushing 20 lbs.

I have an older boxer named Booker. First few days he avoided the new puppy...but now they play together regularly.

I had a question about their behavior lately. They share toys, water bowls...they even nap together if they're both in the mood. But sometimes when they are playing together I can't tell the difference between fighting and playing. My puppy LOVES to bite my older dog's neck...she pulls on the loose skin around his collar. He usually just stands there-no growling. Once in a while if she gets too intense, he barks at her and she'll stop for a second, then go right back at it.

When allowed to play for a while, sometimes my older dog will pin the little one to the ground on her back and bite at her neck. She never cries-she sits there and paws at his face and they growl at each other...run around, continue growling, bite at each other, bark... You get the picture.

How can I tell if their biting has gone too far? I know dogs need to learn bite inhibition-and understand what is hard biting and what is playful/what is ok and not ok.

Any advice or guidance? I bought a Cesar Millan book to learn some of this stuff...but I wanted to know if you all had similar experiences in this area.

Thanks in advance for the advice.

TylerJ76

They are playing..

I don't know how to explain it, but you will know when it turns to something different..

iLoveMyPitbull1225

If the puppy starts to squeal and cry, then shes probably in real pain and its going too far. I dont see anything wrong with whats going on, as you said both dogs get along, share things, etc. Thats a really good sign. To me it just sounds like they are playing. Pay attention to body language, this can be an indicator of mood.. I would do some internet research and see if there is anything in the Caesar Millan book, he is pretty good. I think your on a good start with that.

Obviously from my screenname I have a pit bull and sometimes when he plays with his puppy friends its seems a little scary because they jump around and bark at each other, but thats how they communicate.

BeachIron

They are definitely playing.

Just don't tolerate the little one biting you.

DavPul

Playing

Alatariel75

Definitely playing. You will know when they get serious!

MSeel1984

She knows not to bite us. She still tries to nip and chew (she's teething right now and you can tell she wants to just chew). She's easily re-directed to chew on a toy or bone and she knows "no bite"-usually will back off if I say that.

They both do "play bows" (especially the puppy, but once in a while, Booker does too). Zuzu just seems so high energy compared to Booker. Booker does run and play (mostly in the yard)...but they also play tug of war together...

I just know that Zuzu was the dominant one in her litter and she's already getting bigger...when she's full sized, I'm afraid my older dog may not be able to fight back if it does turn into something.

Thanks for the great advice.

melaniecheeks

They're playing. You're lucky they share toys - mine dont understand the concept of "this big ball is for you, Max, and this little ball is for you, smaller pup".

And I've also started feeding my 2 where they cant see each other, as that was giving rise to a few tense growls.

EmilyOfTheSun

It sounds like they are playing pretty normally. People who don't personally know my dogs, and who saw them playing, would probably think they were trying to kill each other lol. They growl and sound so ferocious, but their tails are wagging.

We have three dogs in my house. When the newest was first introduced, the oldest dog of the house would often pin the newbie down and growl in her face....I think he was trying to assert his dominance. Now that they're all great friends, he doesn't really pin her down like that anymore, but they still play rough! Sometimes I think one dog might nip the other a little too hard, which results in a whimper, but the offending dog seems to get the message and realize that they may have been too rough, and they'll tone it down.

MSeel1984

They're playing. You're lucky they share toys - mine dont understand the concept of "this big ball is for you, Max, and this little ball is for you, smaller pup".

And I've also started feeding my 2 where they cant see each other, as that was giving rise to a few tense growls.

Well the older dog still steals her toys. I bought tiny rawhide bones for her and the older dog will steal them. It's laughable. he's a 60 pound boxer chewing a bone small enough to be a toothpick for him...she will just take a toy he's not playing with and go about her merry way.

We give him the jar of peanut butter when we are done...he has actually dropped it and allowed Zuzu to have some. He will pick up one end of his rope and she grabs the other...they pull each other around.

Even around food there is no problem. She wants to eat his food but she's easily distracted when we give her her own bowl...we do feed them on opposite sides of the kitchen though.