Dog Play Decoded

I received an email that read:

“We adopted a new dog into our home. We had one dog already. Their play seems rough. We would like some help determining if their play is appropriate or shows signs of aggression.”

My response was to send a video of the dogs playing, and I will let them know my initial thoughts. The couple sent two videos.  I immediately saw that the play was not only good, but great! However, it was not apparent to this couple, so this meant there was room for learning. Dog play is often times misinterpreted. Many behaviors are even missed. Dogs communicate all the time.  It is up to the interpreter to understand what the dog is trying to express.

The black dog in the video is Kiya and she is 9 years old. The new dog is Aurora and she is 4 years old.

I have quickly identified 28 moments to prove the interaction between these dogs was healthy. I have identified all 28 in the video by a number when they happen. When watching the video, try to guess what is healthy about the interaction. Then use the answer sheet provided to check your answers. 

Watch the video below. Pause if needed to write down your answer every time you see a number.

youtube-video-thumbnail

Download the answer sheet and see how many behaviors you get right.  

How good of a dog play decoder are you?

28 - 22 Advanced
21 - 16 Intermediate
16 or under Beginner

Not having met these dogs, I still would suggest giving Kiya some breaks from Aurora.  Aurora is young and full of energy. Kiya may not want to play rough all day, every day as she is older. This could cause some problems in the relationship. Giving Kiya a break and more time to rest will keep her from feeling frustrated. I firmly believe keeping Kiya moving will give her longevity and vitality. So many old dogs just lay around, get fat, and expire. We can prevent this by respecting her age, and giving her outlets with more breaks so she is not sore and stiff. She will be one happy senior!

If you have questions about socializing or training your dog let me know. I'm happy to help!

Please email at Stephanie@pawsitiveconnectiondogtraining.com  

Happy Training!

~ Stephanie

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