# Puppy and adult dog playfighting...What's Normal?



## Collicious_Jo (Sep 10, 2009)

Hi There,
Hope someone can advise me! I have an 18 month border collie and a 12 week border collie, I know about the breed as I've had working dogs all my life BUT never two collies together. These two are playfighting alot & the noise level is v.loud. This has been going on for 3 weeks & although the fighting has got less the intesity level is still the same. I'm interrupting them regularly with sit/lie down commands which seems to momentarily calm the situation. 

However I don't want the fights to get OTT as the puppy grows, basically I don't want play to turn into real agression. At the moment Boo (the big dog) grabs winnie (pup) by the leg and the tail alot which is a bit worrying, but although things sound Scary there has actually been no blood shed or any damage to either of them. 

Does this sound normal?
Also will this behaviour teach the puppy to approach all dogs in a palyfighting manor (my older collie does not play like this with other dogs in the park)

I have had 2 dogs before, but they were golden retrievers and they were fair and more gentle when they played together. 


Thanks x


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## Nazgul-Killer (Sep 7, 2009)

I'm not sure about border collies, but I know that my dog (Black lab-Canaan mix) always playfights, with anyone he can, he plays really rough and the other dog generally makes a lot of noise (He is a very silent dog usually), but never any true harm.

I believe that if you do not hear any whimpering sounds, you shouldn't worry. Also - If one of them DOES whimper and the other instantly backs off, it is playing, nothing more. They don't sound like they want to harm each-other... They just sound very energetic. 

About other dogs... I'm not really sure. I'm not sure if they will approach them in that manner... But from what I've seen, many dogs like playfighting.


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## Collicious_Jo (Sep 10, 2009)

Thank you, I needed some reassurance.


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## Northern_Inuit_Luv (Aug 26, 2009)

My two play fight like that, but don't play like that at the dog park with other dogs...its like they know they can really have a go at each other because they know how much and how little each other like. Thats my take on it...


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## Nazgul-Killer (Sep 7, 2009)

By the way, the intense playfighting could mean they trust each other.

My dog plays with one steady friend and has known her for two years now, and the way they play... He literally threw her into a fence, she threw him off a bench, they play extremely ferociously but they don't harm each other... It could mean they like/trust each other when they playfight like that.


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## Adustgerm (Jul 29, 2009)

MY dogs rearrange the furniature when they play fight. They can be very loud and they shake the house sometimes. But as long as all dogs involved are ok with it, so am I. They have to play. Can't make them lay around all day.


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## Binkalette (Dec 16, 2008)

lol, my girls are NUTS with all the growling that goes on when they play fight.. It's all good fun though.. It looks rough at times, but they don't hurt each other.. and if one of them yips, they both stop for a few seconds and look at each other before starting to play again.


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## Collicious_Jo (Sep 10, 2009)

Thanks sooooo much everyone!


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## alphadoginthehouse (Jun 7, 2008)

You would think my two were killing each other sometimes. I can usually tell when one isn't playing and I stop it. Most of the time it's just that...play.


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## hbowen87 (Aug 4, 2009)

My puppy Star is half border collie and frequently plays with my boyfriends sister's dog, who is also half border collie. Sometimes you'd think the two were going to kill each other, but Star LOVES it! My boyfriends mom once watched them both while we went with his sister somewhere, and she was nearly in tears when we got back saying the dogs had been fighting all day and it was tearing at her nerves constantly breaking them up thinking they were serious. Neither was hurt (well the other dog had a slight limp that had already cleared up, but only because she had ran head-long into a picnic table) and they still wanted to play. I've never heard either of them whimper or anything, they love it, and terrify onlookers that don't realize it's fun to them! They also do a lot better outside, more just chasing each other, so neither acts that way at the dog park, it's more of a "we're in the house lets eat each other's faces since there's no room to run!" thing. I really don't worry about them unless they didn't stop when one whimpered and the other didn't back off, or...if they're getting so excited my furniture is at risk!


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## mollyshuman (Aug 26, 2009)

You are living my life!! I have an 11 month old pointer mix (Jake) and we got a 10 wk old hound mix (Molly). They are doing the same thing- loud, fighting, wrestling. They bite each other, show teeth etc. I have to get involved. I have had her for 3 weeks. I spoke to the vet about it and he said they are not only playing but trying to establish who is the "alpha" dog. He said it could take a few more weeks before this stops. He also informed me that the dog that was brought into the house first (Jake) will not necessarily be the Alpha dog. It is usually the one with the stronger personality. Hope this helps. Just so you know, I have seen a slight improvement with the fighting, so there is hope. They actually napped together the other day for the first time! Good Luck and just ride it out.


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## BellaPup (Jul 7, 2007)

They sound like they are having a whole lot of fun! I WISH Bella played like that! She's never jumped around and played with any other dogs like that even when she was a puppy...she's more the "nanny" type. I would love to see her play and wrestle around with another doggie friend. 

I think there is a limit where you should step in and stop it, though - just to let them know you're mommy...and when you want them to stop, it is to stop _now_ Just to keep them in check. Don't be mean or yell at them, but just step safely between them and say "that's enough"

But I wouldn't worry about aggression, just keeping it under control...they may not know when to stop with other dogs they meet who might not take so kindly to it.


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