My older dog is rough with new puppy. Is it normal play or dominance?

Hello, rough play is ok as long as they are not showing teeth or biting each other. It is also ok, as long as both of them want to play and not one picking on the other. If you think they are showing some aggression or if it is getting too rough, you can separate them for some time. Also ensure they have enough toys, especially chew toys so that they can redirect their rough play to those chew toys in particular. Hope this helps.

Hi There. It sounds like Bobby is trying to establish his dominance over the new puppy. This is quite normal and provided there are no fights, may resolve with time. There are some great resources on Dr. Sophia Yins website (draophiatin.com) that discuss dominance aggression. You may also want to consider working with a certified trainer or a veterinary behaviorist. You can find one in your area on www.acvb.org.

Hello, thank you for your question about Koba. It is possible that the behavior Koba is exhibiting is to exert his dominance or because he would like you're other dog to play with him but Koba is being to rough. In these types of situations it is usually necessary for the older dog to set boundaries for Koba - i.e. if Koba bites his ear your other dog barks/growls at Koba, letting him know that this behavior is not ok. If your older dog is not demonstrating any of this assertive behavior to help Koba set boundaries one thing you could try would be redirecting him. If he begins to play rough and you are concerned that he is hurting your other dog remove Koba from the situation. I would recommend disciplining him to let him know this behavior is not ok. Then after a few minutes you could give him something else to entertain him such as an interactive toy. Hope this helps, good luck!

This sounds like puppy play to me. When they bite, is there any blood or wounds visible after play? If so, it may be best the separate them. If not, let them work it out! I would be more concerned if the biting was occurring on the hind or along the legs. I would also be concerned if there were other signs of aggression, such as during feeding time or potty time. If you are uncomfortable with the puppies play biting each other, try to throw some puppy toys in the mix, maybe even some that have treats inside to distract them.

This is normal play behavior for a puppy. It is also normal for the older dog to allow the play for a period of time and then stop the behavior by barking/snapping at the pup. As long as the older dog is not harming the younger pup with his snaps I would let this behavior continue because it is helping the younger dog to learn boundaries which is a very important part of his development. Again, just monitor their behavior and make sure the younger dog is not getting hurt. If not, then I would allow them to play.

Your worry is very valid! It is best to make sure the two are only playing together when you can directly supervise them and that puppy and your older dog are separated when you are away so that an accident can't happen - even the most well intentioned of a dog can cause an injury! If the puppy starts playing too rough, a "time out" of a few minutes for everyone to calm down can also help and teaches your puppy that too rough of play is frowned upon. Diverting with treats and toys is also a great way, so keep that up.

If they are playing to the point of causing cuts and scratches, and you feel it is too rough, I'd definitely instill some "time out" time where both dogs can relax, rest, and maybe focus on a chew toy or quiet activity. Once they are calm, you can let them resume play. Normal play can be a little rough, and if the dogs are enjoying it, it's fine. You may also want to trim back their nails or file down the nails to make them softer to help avoid scratches while playing.