Dog Fighting or Playing? How to tell the difference.

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In this Quick Tip Jamie talks about how to tell the difference between overzealous dog play and actual dog aggression.

[@christinaandme]

I got a feel for this around spring 2022..Some dogs do play rough, but that doesn't mean they are fighting. This guy says it all!!

[@DunbarAcademy]

It's definitely something that takes some time and experience to develop a feel for, but there are some clear cues to look out for. Glad you liked the video! -Jamie

[@lannibalhecters]

this is such an informative video! sometimes my two boxers genuinely sound like they’re in a fight to the death, but that whole tip of taking away the noise really helps to determine the actual nature of the situation. super well done and very concise :]

[@DunbarAcademy]

Why thank you! I hope you've subscribed, we'll try to make more videos like this in the future!

[@manuelapenela1924]

Thank you! We may think we know play vs. fighting based on experience but these very specific points about posture are great points to add to our toolbox. - a follower since a Phoenix seminar circa 1980-85.

[@DunbarAcademy]

I'm glad this was helpful!

[@allanomaly3488]

it’s also good to note that not every dog enjoys playing rough. My dog loves to run with others and maybe get a few bumps in but she doesn’t like dogs jumping all over her. I’ve never known my dog to bite but after a dog twice her size has jumped on her one too many times she gets her teeth ready and that’s about the time i separate her, and the others at the dog park look at me like i’m an ass.

[@DunbarAcademy]

A lot of dogs these days don't really know how to play in a socially appropriate manner. Unfortunately, a lot of dogs don't get the socialization they need, at the right time in their development, to learn the many rules of doggy etiquette for play. It's good that you're willing and ready to step in to interrupt play on behalf of your dog. No one should think that protecting your dog is bad, and I hope it doesn't bother you too much if they do. Of course, some people don't know how to interact with other people in a socially appropriate manner, either! -Jamie

[@Sharon-pf2te]

I have two large dogs and they tend to play rough together. When at the dog park I will definitely make sure that they don’t overstep their boundaries with other dogs if needed. Out of respect for the other dogs and their owners.

[@FartDude007]

My foster (malamute mix) and my shepsky play super rough with each other so I’ve been interrupting with a leave it before they get too crazy. Sometimes pen one up to give the other space. Been reading through the comments and it’s super cool to know I can apply a sit /down stay as well. I will try it today. Their dynamic has gotten tremendously better, but they definitely still need to know when to give the other space before the other starts to snap. The video and the comment section has been super informative and helpful. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!

[@DunbarAcademy]

Oh wonderful. I'm so glad to hear the video (and the comments section!) has been so helpful. Yes, a solid Sit-Stay or Down-Stay or Go to Your Bed and Lie Down are so useful for managing a dog, and especially a multi dog household. And the beauty of it is, if they do what you ask promptly, you can simply say, Good Dog, Go Play and reward them instantly and effortlessly with one of the greatest rewards in their world. Keep up the great work and happy training! -Jamie

[@usmctodoc]

The best video on this topic and great pace to it. Thanks! 🙏

[@DunbarAcademy]

Why thank you! We're hoping to make more like this soon... Are you already subscribed?

[@themeiafy]

Thank you for this informative video. It's been really helpful.

[@DunbarAcademy]

You're very welcome!

[@Sepia3000]

this was fantastic!!! The tip about knee bends was stellar-thanks so much. SUBSCRIBED.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Thanks for the sub! Yes, watch those knees and elbows and ignore the vocalizations and you'll be able to read a dog so much better! -Jamie

[@megan737]

Thank you! I have a one year old boxer/pit mix and a 6 month old sharpei/healer mix and they get really into playing almost sounds like fighting but everything you just described made me feel much better

[@DunbarAcademy]

Oh good, we're glad this video was helpful. It's still good to try to improve their training so you can interrupt play sessions and settle them both down on cue, just for your peace of mind and convenience. It can be hard to have visitor's over when your dog's sound like they're trying to kill one another! -Jamie

[@eleanorhunt273]

Thank you for this wealth of information. We are at times novices. With regards to the ownership, and the interpretations, of our chosen companion. This knowledge, will undoubtedly lift the mystery, and its assumptions. Thank you Mr Dunbar.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Our pleasure!

[@user-qv2pw9qx1q]

Thank you for making this video, it was very helpful for me. Greetings from Hungary! Steve

[@DunbarAcademy]

Glad it was helpful! Happy training!

[@franward8528]

Thank you

[@DunbarAcademy]

You're welcome!

[@mikeemswiler4541]

Thanks

[@DunbarAcademy]

Our pleasure, thanks for watching!

[@TDace25]

My two smaller chihuahua mixes play pretty rough and it can get pretty loud. This video has helped

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yeah, sometimes the littlest dogs have the biggest, roughest play styles! I'm glad this helped!

[@jonasbrightndebele6295]

Ok this is great

[@DunbarAcademy]

Thank you!

[@barbhartle7438]

This is great. My 14 week puppy hasnt been around many dogs and growls and barks and runs around when she is. I'm not sure exactly what to do when this happens. I really want her to not frighten other dogs with her behavior

[@DunbarAcademy]

Teach a solid Sit-Stay and teach her to Speak and Shush on cue so you can stop excessive barking and growling. It's pretty easy to do at home, the tricky part is practicing and troubleshooting so it works in the presence of other dogs. Best to practice with a core social group: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6OyZoyFZdaAg68

[@NylaTheWolf]

I heard once that a good way to tell if dogs are just playing is if they're making exaggerated movements, like the ones you described in the video.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yes, it's true. Exagrerated movement, bouncy movement, wiggly movements are all signs a dog is looking to play. Usually, when dogs are anxious they are stiff and still

[@rishseth6593]

Hi! We have a 7 month old German shepherd mutt mix female who has recently been introduced to our 3 month old Husky Lab mix. How do we get her to calm down around him? He is snapping at her back while playing but she keeps trying to squish him (specially with her sides) is this a dangerous thing, like is shy trying to hurt him? Also she keeps putting her paw on his face/neck and puts her mouth close to his neck. She has some trauma (she's a rescue) and she was troubled by some older dogs we think. She's not exactly ferocious but she's very rough (she's also hunted chickens and ducks, we live near a farm) your insight would be helpful

[@DunbarAcademy]

We can't comment on the specifics of your situation without seeing the dogs in action, but generally speaking, a dog who wants to hurt another dog will hurt that dog. If your 7 month old female hasn't hurt your 3 month old, then she probably isn't trying to. It's common and understandable for a current dog to be displeased about the addition of a new dog to the household. Make sure you praise them when they are getting along, give them rewards and attention when they are together so they have reasons to like one another, and teach them both valuable skills like Come, Sit-Stay and Go to Your Bed and Settle Down which you can use to manage both of them. -Jamie

[@carolinesworldofawesomenes8355]

I can’t tell because one of my dog always try’s to eat the other

[@DunbarAcademy]

Ha! Oh no, that doesn't sound good! But... is either of your dogs dead? If not, I don't think either one is trying to eat the other. When dogs want to hurt one another, they can do so pretty quickly and easily. Of course, licking is another matter entirely...

[@samarter7863]

I’ve just adopted a rescue. He’s a very big dog with strong jaws (part Great Dane with some bull arab and staffy), my roommates dog is a young Aussie Kelpie. They love playing but every now and then I can’t tell if they’re getting upset with each other.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Try the Bully Test. Restrain one of the dogs and see what the other does. Do they go up to the restrained dog and try to engage in play? If so, they want to keep playing. If they go and hide, it means they need a break. Switch the two dogs and see how the other behaves. Regardless, it's always good if you can stop the play session on cue to keep things from getting too wild.

[@veaahh__]

So, I just got a dog that’s smaller then my other dog who I will be calling Willow. Willow has been around more then Hutch (the other dog) and I don’t think she has a problem with him, but he’s always following her and not giving her space. They do play fight but when she’s chewing on a bone or something, Hutch coming close may seem threatening. What do I do?

[@nikklemencic7373]

I have almost the same situation!

[@DunbarAcademy]

The Bully Test is a great place to start. If you hold onto one of the dogs, will the other dog come up to engage or will they appreciate the space to be alone. If so, it's good to build some places or times of the day when each dog can be alone if they want. You could designate a room that one dog is not allowed to enter, and another room that the other dog is not allowed to enter, so each has a place to retreat to when they want. Or you could use crates to achieve the same goal. You don't need to close the doors, just teach the dogs to leave the other alone when they're in their crate. Go to your Crate/Bed is an essential behavior to teach for managing multiple dogs.

[@judithstorck5195]

QUESTION: Do you have a video on safely introducing an aggressive dog to cats? Our rescue dog (found sitting at the end of our driveway) is a Husky/Border Collie mix who is definitely a herding dog. Twice she chased 2 different cats who got out of the other (safe) rooms when the door was opened. She chased them around three different rooms twice before we could get them back to the safe rooms. We have not been able to find a video to safely make this introduction. The cats want the freedom to wander the whole house again before this dog came here. Of course all the rescues are full & we have had Lexi since last November (2022) it is now toward the end of April 2023. Please note - we are in our late 70s both with health issues so constant training of Lexi is nearly impossible. We desperately need an intensive video on how to safely introduce dog to cats. Thank you.

[@DunbarAcademy]

I'm sorry, we don't have that sort of video. To a certain extent, you might also need to adjust your expectations. Training an adult dog to not chase cats is no easy task, especially if your time or physical ability is limited by your health. Even under the best of circumstances, it's a training process that takes a lot of time and comes with no hard and fast guarantees. I'm sorry I can't be of more help. -Jamie

[@judithstorck5195]

@@DunbarAcademy Thank you.

[@amiratilly5900]

Border Collies by definition are herding dogs. They're not trained to herd - they're born to herd (it's as much an innate instinct as pouncing is for cats). When you say "aggressive" I take you to mean the chasing you describe that followed? (And not two different things?) In this sense, then it's possible that - aggressive = chasing = herding= working For dogs with herding instinct, I think it can be really helpful to sort out when behavior is attributable to their herding instinct (rather than, say, resource guarding aggression). Especially because non-herding dogs chasing cats aren't herding cats. *But herding dogs chasing cats, **_could be herding cats or_** ...just chasing cats?* If a herding dog's chasing of cats *is* herding - it could make problem-solving even more challenging (it means "the problem" to solve is how to overcome instinctual herding drive) but it could also mean opportunities for solutions herders are specifically equipped to respond well to (herders tend to be eager to learn what's their job "assignment"? And in my experience when we teach herding dogs "herd this" they don't need to be taught "don't herd this"...)

[@amiratilly5900]

It sounds like the cats were put up in the "safe" room at least when you took in the stray Border Collie - and some time passed (days?) before the first "escape"? Typically a herding dog figured out right away there's cats in that room and that's where those cats belong - so if they're chasing escapees, they're likely trying to herd them back to "safety" (into the room where they think the cats belong). In which case, every time *you* succeed in securing the cats back in that room where they "belong" it reinforces the dog's instinctual urge to help you herd them back into "their place." In other words, it positively reinforces the dog's chasing behavior. You might try periodically crating the dog where it can see you removing a cat from where it thinks the cats belong. Carry it out elsewhere in view of the dog in its crate, holding the cat for a little while before allowing the cat to venture freely away from you. Use treats for each element. If the dog is anxious, try to avoid returning the cat to the room and instead disappear with the cat elsewhere until the dog is calm. Gradually increase how often and how long and how far away from the "safe" room the dog sees you allow the cats to be. Use the dog and the cats' body language to gauge their comfort, letting both acclimate accordingly until crating can be transitioned to just treating. Installing cat shelves (check Amazon or chewy) are a good safeguard and can help prevent the risks (to the animals, yourselves, and to your stuff) that chasing the cat all over the house poses, too. It gives the cats an easy escape. Ideally, if you just don't want the cats out of the house, you want a herder to learn *those* are the cat's boundaries - not the walls of that room. This is ideal because your herder's instinct is appropriately directed when it can help you keep your cats away from the exterior doors so they stay safely inside your house. **the crate is for safety during adjustment. I would try some other safety measure like baby gates if the Border Collie associates crating negatively. It would be fine for my Aussie who loves her crate and doesn't allow other dogs near it - sniff anywhere near it and she drops everything to just make a big show of sitting in it like "nOpE sOrRy i NeEd tHiS. OcCuPaDo No VaCaNcY. bYe" And then there's my shelter Pom who thinks crates ARE that shelter/Guantanamo of Pup Prisons.

[@khaleesireyna731]

This isn't fool proof, but one thing you can do is introduce the cats/dog to each other by scent first. Have the dog on one side of a door or barrier and the cat on the other, but let them grow accustomed to the scent of one another. If they're able to adjust and not get tense around the scent, then try visually introducing one another (have one or both of the animals in a crate/carrier, but make sure they can see each other). If they're able to become accustomed to the smell and sight of one another and they don't get tense when they catch each other's scent or sight of one another, then you can introduce them to one another free of any barriers. Continue to supervise them while they interact like this (you can even encourage play by bringing out both dog and cat toys and showing them how you play with the other. Also, keep an eye on the cat. The dog, even when their intentions are friendly, might end up stressing the cat out by constantly wanting to sniff them and get close. If the cat feels relaxed enough, they can allow some sniffing, but they may start to get tense if the dog is constantly in their space, so just keep an eye on them while they interact and be prepared to separate them if needed. Source: one of my dogs is low-key afraid of cats, but has been able to grow accustomed to a cat and even been friendly with them a few times. It really helped her to know the cat wasn't immediately hostile (arching back, hissing, yowling, etc) and the cat was more willing to allow the dog to smell her and get close if they knew that they'd be removed from the situation if it became too much.

[@saraholiver9449]

I have two whippets, and sometimes the play starts fine but escalates quickly. They are so fast that it’s difficult to get their attention once they are in a 30mph tornado.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yeah, a couple tips: 1. If possible, two handlers helps whenever you have two dogs. 2. Let them play for like 5 seconds before interrupting, asking for a couple little obedience skills, and then rewarding them by letting them go back to playing. The shorter the play the easier it will be to regain their attention. Clearly I don't need to tell you that once they're revved up, they're almost impossible to get back under control!

[@tonyag333]

Good boy Duke

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yes, he is a very good boy!

[@bellabissanti8111]

Thank you i got 2 four month old pitbulls pups and im so scared of litter mate syndrome

[@DunbarAcademy]

With 2 pups at the same time, you do have your work cut out for you! Make sure you make time to practice training them, socializing them, and teaching them to settle down for naps separately, as well as together. It's definitely a lot of work, but you can do it! We believe in you!!!

[@MLPRarityBrony]

I am a bit confused. My dog got in to a scuffle with a smaller dog. he was doing bouncy type movements and he did not seem to growl or snarl but the other dog did hide behind the owner, so was it a play or fight?

[@DunbarAcademy]

If your dog was bouncing, your dog was probably inviting the other dog to play. The other dog might not have the confidence to play and they were too intimidated by all the activity and went to hide. Your dog need not be trying to threaten another dog for the other dog to feel threatened. That's where it's really nice if, at any time, you can ask your dog to Sit and Stay. That might give the other dog the confidence to come out and say hello, maybe sniff your dog's butt and who knows, maybe they'd become buddies...

[@moiseshernandez2699]

@dunbaracademy do you have ant tips on how to tell if a dog may be aggressive or playing while they are already running toward you. For example if I were taking out the trash to the curb and then I turn and notice that my neighbors dog across the street is already running right at me when I notice the dog.

[@DunbarAcademy]

There are certainly exceptions but in general, most aggression is fear-based and if a dog is off-leash and free to move where they please, they will move away from something they're afraid of. If they feel trapped, that's when they might move towards something they perceive as a threat to tell that threatening thing to back off. If the dog is free to move and they're approaching you or your dog, it's probably because they are eager to greet you, though they may lack the social savvy to do so in an appropriate or polite manner. If you're every worried about another dog, the best thing you can do is be still and get your dog to be still, ideally in a Sit Stay, looking at you.

[@moiseshernandez2699]

@@DunbarAcademy thanks for the response I really appreciate it

[@lightsout6552]

My dogs play just like those dogs but my younger one bites the slightly older one and sometimes she bleeds . I assumed he doesn't know how to play bite but after three months of it I don't think that's the case.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Have you tried the Bully Test? Do they both willingly approach and play with the other when they have the opportunity to avoid it? Does the play session ever stop when it gets out of control? Have these dogs always lived together? If the dogs willingly approach one another, are capable of stopping the play session when it gets out of control, and have been playing together for years, especially since puppyhood, then they're probably OK but if you're worried you should definitely bring in a professional dog trainer to watch the behavior in person.

[@onmysecondjourney5510]

I have two dogs. Whenever I pat one the other jumps on him. I am not sure wheather they are playing or fighting. Most of the time they wrestle but sometimes bite each other too, so I think they are playing.

[@DunbarAcademy]

The best way to find out if they are both enjoying the activity is to restrain one of them or have one of them go to their bed and Down stay and see what the other does. Does the other dog go up to the restrained dog to try and engage? Or do they enjoy their alone time. Then switch roles to find out how the other dog feels. If they're eager to spend time with one another, then let them be, but if it seems like one or both of them appreciate time apart, then try to make space and time for that. Regardless, it's really useful if you can tell them both to go their bed and settle down on cue, whenever you (or they) need a little quiet time. -Jamie

[@michelephelps1087]

We have a 3 yr old Boston and adopted a 1 yr old Boston 2 months ago. For the most part they get along very well but sometimes they get pretty rough with each other. This generally seems to happen when they’ve been running around the yard together for a while. I’m using a squirt bottle to break them up when it’s too intense/rowdy for my liking.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Dog-dog play is a great way for dogs to have fun, blow off steam, get exercise and tire themselves out, but the best thing you can do is integrate it with training. Periodically interrupt the play to ask for a Recall, or a Sit-Stay, or a Down-Stay or a Go to Your Mat. When the do the right thing, reward them by letting them go back to playing. Do this early in the session, before they get too wild, and then do it regularly to make sure you can always get their attention. Then you can save the squirt bottle until a hot day when you can use it as a reward!

[@PhoenixIsGray]

How do I know when my dogs are playing too rough? I have a husky (Aloy) and lab (Apollo), and I think Aloy is playing too rough, chasing after Apollo or biting at the top of his head/neck/lips. Apollo hasn't seem too bothered, and actively participates in the chasing, even instaging it. He's very patient with her and is used to her style of play, but I'm worried if she ever meets new dogs. I know they're playing and not fighting, but im worried about a fight starting or one of them getting hurt, just due to how rough they play If so, do you have any tips to help redirect her, I've tried using treats to direct her attention, but she hyperfixates and won't pay attention, the only way I can get her to stop is spraying her with the hose, but I don't feel that's effective long term

[@DunbarAcademy]

How would you define too rough? Too rough for who? The Bully Test (which I believe we describe in this video) is a great way to test that both dogs are enjoying the play session. Simply restrain one dog and see what the other dog does. Then switch which dog is restrained. It is true that active play, especially high-velocity, high-energy play can lead to injuries, even when there is no intention to cause injury. It's just like people playing sports. Yes, if you want to get control over play, you have to integrate training into play and play into training. Don't let them play sessions get crazy, instead, interrupt after just a few seconds, when everyone is still calm. Don't let play resume until your dog listens to you and does a nice Sit-Stay for ten seconds or a Sit-Down-Sit, or a Rollover, or whatever, just to establish that you have control. Of course, basic obedience practice is essential and there are a lot of steps you can take to build up reliability before you try to interrupt a play session, which is a big challenge.

[@Benjiboy11]

I really wanted to make sure that I wasn’t encouraging inappropriate behaviors, while at the same time letting my dogs be dogs .

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yeah, it's good to let dogs be dogs but it's also good to be able to get control when you need it. If your dogs are playing and roughhousing, it's great if you can tell your dog to Come and Sit at any time, to know that you have control. Then, when they've done that, "Go Play" is a wonderful reward! And now you can relax, know that you can stop the play if you need to.

[@Mr.Bathelus832]

My two Belgian Malinois always make aggressive sounds when they play with each other. I don’t mind at all. No issue

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yeah, if you don't mind it, it's a non-issue. That said, if you ever have guests over or you take your dogs out to public places, it can be nice to have the ability to control the activity and vocalization. It can be really impressive to have your two dogs playing in a way that looks and sounds scary to an observer, but then you say "Dogs, Sit" and they both stop playing and do an immediate Sit Stay, and then you say "Good Dogs, Go Play" and they jump right back into playing!

[@kelliisbell7481]

my puppy and dog are biteing each other! my puppy barked like a crazy alarm!!!!!

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yes, remember, the barking doesn't tell you much. Do the Bully Test to see if either dog is either to get away from the other and if so, make sure they each have a place to retreat to if they want some alone time.

[@AlexandraLynch1]

I have a pit hound mix and a pit boxer mix, and their favorite game together is what I call biteyface. Also combined with a good wrestle, and maybe a little session of steal the other dog's toy, and they sleep together happy as can be. It sounds awful and looks like they're about to tear each other limb from limb, but nope. They just play hard.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yeah, Biteyface is a Classic Canine Pastime! It's really worthwhile (and sure to impress your friends) if you can teach your dogs to listen to you even during an exciting play session. Dogs, Sit! Good dogs, Down. Good dogs, OK, you can resume Biteyface! You can use their play as a reward in training and it's one of the most powerful rewards, and one of the more challenging situations to get their attention. Which leads to improved reliability in other exciting scenarios.

[@rhodakozak1205]

Earlier today (December 11, 2023), I was walking my dog on leash toward my car in a parking lot. Another dog, which was much larger than mine, broke from its leash, and bounded at my dog, and it let out a short growl. My dog is a rescue and just turned 1 year old. I've only had her a couple months now. I have no idea exactly what my dog went through before I got her, but she was so scared, her tail went between her legs and she let out those little barks, as if she was physically being hurt. The other dog wasn't able to get a hold of her, but I was scared for her and did what I could to keep her away from the other dog. A part of me thinks that the ther dog was interested in at least meeting her, but it has bad manners and is an obnoxious dog with lots of energy, another part thinks that since the other dog was a lot bigger than mine, if it really wanted to hurt her, it would have. This is my first dog as an adult and am already thinking that she needs to be socialized with other dogs, but in a controlled setting, not in some random parking lot with random dogs misbehaving. I want her to be confident meeting other dogs, but she is skittish and I don't want to push her to do what she doesn't want to do. I know when she doesn't want to do something or go somewhere, because she will physically resist, like digging in her heels and pulling back on her leash.

[@DunbarAcademy]

The best thing you can do in a situation like that is get your dog to Sit-Stay and look at you. That makes your dog into much less of a target and much less interesting and threatening to other dogs. That's why we recommend practicing super short Come-Sit-Stay-Watch me routines every 25 yards when you walk your dog, so it becomes second nature. Yes, dogs need ongoing socialization but you're right, random dogs in parking lots are not ideal. Instead, it's best if you can set up recurring playdates with the same group of dogs so your dog has a core social group they feel comfortable with. Check out our video about Core Social Groups: kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6OyZoyFZdaAg68

[@brad5392]

I wanna tell all about the legendary Bam Bam RIP. Bam Bam was a 4lb. Applehead chihuahua. He loved the dog park. Where I lived there was actually two dog parks one for little dogs and one for the big guys. Bam Bam didn’t like the little dog park why you ask. Because his favorite thing was bullying bigger dogs. See Bam Bam had a sister named Taba who was a pit bull and younger than her. When she would get out of line Bam Bam would make the meanest snarl and look like 4lb maniac. Anyway at the bid dog park all he wanted to do was walk the perimeter and mark it why? Cause he was badder than all these dogs. Of course a 4lb dog makes other dogs curious like what is that. When they approached him he stood his ground bared his teeth and would startle them actually. Then he’d go about his business marking the perimeter they usually left him alone. One day however Bam Bam met his match. Some idiot brought in a St. Bernard with a muzzle on. Listen if you have to muzzle your pet that’s fine, don’t leave it on them in the park. Anyway when Hannibal Lecter saw Bam Bam he ran up on him as usual he did what he always did bared his teeth growled and barked. The Bernie said alright and lunged at him. Bam Bam’s tough guy fascade instantly disappeared and he started squealing like a pig I rescued him of course.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Wow! What a dog! Yeah, confidence can get you a long way in this world. But when you encounter someone who is literally 30x more massive than you and they aren't backing down, the smart thing to do is PIVOT and FAST! Thanks for sharing! -Jamie

[@liselindegaardandersen6880]

This is not fighting, - nor is it good playing. At least not from the yellow labs point of view. Clearly you can see ( and hear, - particually at the end of this clip ), that it is too much for the yellow lab. The black lab is obviously a bit too annoying. The yellow lab tries to avoid, backing of, but the black lab is in it´s face again and again. At the end the yellow lab backs to the owner ( Mr. Dunbar ), lift it´s paw - tries to get help, and finally comes with two very distinct barks to tell the black lab off. The yellow lab is NOT engaging! How can people learn from this sort, if they are not told the truth. I think you could have done A LOT better, - sorry to say.

[@DunbarAcademy]

It's true that the black lab's play style is over the top and far from ideal. And the yellow lab communicated this to the black lab at times, sometimes within the play session, and sometimes by leaving the play session and refusing to engage. So long as dogs have good bite-inhibition and aren't dangerous, they are usually quite good at self-regulating their play sessions. If you're ever concerned, you can do the Bully Test we described in this video. We did the Bully Test with both dogs and both dogs clearly demonstrated that they wanted to continue playing with one another, by approaching the other dog freely while the other dog was being restrained. The yellow lab wants to play with the black lab, but also wants the black lab to tone it down at times, and does a good job of letting the black lab know. It's similar to when children are playing. It's good to check in occasionally and make sure they're having a good time and want to keep playing together, but you don't have to micromanage the play session. Sometimes it's best to let them work it out themselves. Those are important skills that dogs (and kids) need to develop, and while we do need to be there to supervise and make sure that everyone is safe we don't need to regulate every step of the play. -Jamie

[@tavialamara]

What a mature response to a rude comment 🙂

[@amiratilly5900]

In the end clip that's not the yellow lab's paw it's his tail - and it's the black lab's bark.

[@Helfirehydra]

I can understand the difference between when my dogs are playing in fighting, but sometimes we have a problem of they get too excited and forget there, spatial awaren. ess and run directly into one of us

[@DunbarAcademy]

Yeah, that will happen! That's where it's super useful if you can put little time-outs on cue, do a short little training session, then let them go back to playing. The little breaks help them from going completely nutso. Of course, it's can be nice to let them go full nutso sometimes, but it's nice if it can be on your terms and when it's convenient for you.

[@themeiafy]

Thank you for this informative video. It's been really helpful.

[@DunbarAcademy]

Glad it was helpful!