# Neck biting during play



## Trashman'sDOGS (Apr 4, 2007)

Whats acceptable and whats not? When my two dogs play they love to bite at each others scruffs and throats......there is no yelping or blood or anything like that, but I was just curious if there should be a limit or is that normal..........?

Thanks.......
Robb


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## Alpha (Aug 24, 2006)

It's hard to say without seeing, but my guys rough play, nipping at each other all the time.

I usually stop them only because they get too rowdy in the house.

If no one's yelping and there's no blood, I wouldn't worry too much about it.

If it's clear that one of your dogs is annoyed, that's when I'd think about stepping in.


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## cshellenberger (Dec 2, 2006)

If neither is injured or fearful, it's probably just rough play.


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## RonE (Feb 3, 2007)

My opinion, and I'm only comfortable applying it to the two dogs that live here, is that if there is no complaining from the dogs and no evidence of blood or injury, I let them have their fun.

Usually it's our 80-pound Plott hound, the one that was bred for hunting bears and wild boars, that complains when the 18-pound schnauzer gets ahold of one of her big, hound dog ears. The only time Zeke yelps is if Esther accidentally runs him over in the yard.

At least I think it's an accident.


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## Nay (Apr 10, 2007)

I think it's totally fine when they are playing with eachother and they bite eachother here and there.

Both my dogs bite eachothers necks and legs. It's entertaining because they run around all over and their tails go crazy. One of my dogs does a high pitched bark and flops on the floor to play. They do bite eachother on their necks and legs though. Just be sure to keep an eye on them just in case one of your dogs is starting to get a little too aggressive during play time.


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## Trashman'sDOGS (Apr 4, 2007)

It just seems a little rough when the older one grabs the pup by the scruff and kinda drags her and its seems a little of when the older one kind of pins her down with her mouth on her throat.....the pup doesnt seem to mind tho.....

Robb


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## Captbob (Feb 2, 2007)

Perfectly normal for playing, if one dog bites too hard, the other will yelp.


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## sheltiemom (Mar 13, 2007)

My pups do that alot and it really bothered me at first. They bite eachothers necks, feet, tails, ears. There is occasional growling, but no yelping and they always seem to come back for more. It's pretty evenly matched and I have watched them enough that I feel confident they won't hurt eachother, so I let them go at it.

Now I dogsit a 7 year old brittany also, that is about twice the size of my shelties, and he does the pinning down by the neck thing with the pups. He also runs them down and rolls them with his paws (is that the alpha roll?) I don't like that primarily because of the size difference, so I seperate them most of the time when the older dog is over. My husband still thinks they are playing, but I am a nervous dog mom.


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## Captbob (Feb 2, 2007)

sheltiemom said:


> My pups do that alot and it really bothered me at first. They bite eachothers necks, feet, tails, ears. There is occasional growling, but no yelping and they always seem to come back for more. It's pretty evenly matched and I have watched them enough that I feel confident they won't hurt eachother, so I let them go at it.
> 
> Now I dogsit a 7 year old brittany also, that is about twice the size of my shelties, and he does the pinning down by the neck thing with the pups. He also runs them down and rolls them with his paws (is that the alpha roll?) I don't like that primarily because of the size difference, so I seperate them most of the time when the older dog is over. My husband still thinks they are playing, but I am a nervous dog mom.


There is about a 75 pound Lab in the dog park that I go to that loves playing with Smokey, who weighs about 42 pounds. The Lab likes to jump on Smokey and sometimes bowls her over when they are running  , and I have to separate them for a few minutes until the Lab calms down a bit, and then they go back to playing.. I am like you and am cautious when it starts getting too rough. It doesn't seem to bother Smokey as much as it does me.....


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## Trashman'sDOGS (Apr 4, 2007)

Okay, I feel a little better now..........=-)


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## bearlasmom (Feb 4, 2007)

trashmans what type of dogs are they? 
Bearla and our pit have gotten it on like that playing only once and i often wonder to this day if bearla was really playing at all. she seemed to be staking claim to the alpha dog position at the time. If i even see them growl now, i step in.


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## Trashman'sDOGS (Apr 4, 2007)

a 6 month old Boxer and a 1 year old Boxer/Lab mix


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## Amitiel (Mar 27, 2007)

wish I had a video of my 2 "going at it" - if 1 gets too rough the right pitch yelp from either the attacked or me and it all stops - the biggest (Max) has even forgotten that I am a toy too and goes for me to play (why I learned the yelp signal in the 1st place) - they instantly let go if they hear that yelp or accidental get me (Daddy makes sure of this) if they don't - then it is "time-out" for the offender in their room alone


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## onyxdaily (Apr 3, 2007)

My 3 dogs also bite each others necks, well, mostly my 2 boys bite at each others necks (73# lab and 88# saint bernard). My little female hound (42#) can only reach their legs, so that's what she goes after. Even though they don't growl at each other, and they seem to all be enjoying themselves, the neck biting always makes me nervous because sometimes it's like they're going to rip each others neck's open, so I usually end up breaking it up when they go after the necks.


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