# How rough is too rough?



## Blondie87 (Jan 10, 2011)

From you guys, I know that pups will play rough. I have two 10 week old sisters, and man can they play rough! It surprises me, but I know it's okay and normal. Well, DH not so much. He always breaks them up with they start growling like crazy. I tell him it's normal and it's okay. And he says it's not okay, not when they growl like that. That they aren't playing, they are fighting. Bella is so much bigger too (over a pound) and so it scares us that she may hurt her too much. Izzie also has a soft spot, so I worry Bella might bite that or something. 

Anyways, please help me convince my husband that what they are doing is okay and normal. I will try to post a video here soon..


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

We have the SAME issue! I am like your husband and my husband tells me to leave them alone, that they are establishing boundaries, roles and if I disturb the that I am interrupting and delaying the process. Here are a couple of videos. Look familiar?


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## Blondie87 (Jan 10, 2011)

Here's a crappy video taken with my phone, but it shows what most of their fights are like...






That normal? DH wants to know when they will stop, and just love each other.. lol.


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## jazzman (Apr 8, 2009)

Although it varies among individual dogs, I'd say it's quite normal.
They are pups, and they are having fun.

Stella is 50 pounds, and Lola is a petite chi, and the two of them play like this all day. Lola could run and hide under the bed or behind the couch, but she actively pursues Stella. 

I wouldn't worry about it. Chi pups can be total spaz's. They might calm down in 2 or 3 years


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## Amandarose531 (Aug 9, 2010)

It's normal, leave them be.

Unless one is drawing blood or knocking the other off high places, they're just establishing their "pack"

Gretel and Godric STILL fight like this, but it's their way of playing and they do love one another and sleep together cuddled.


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## svdreamer (Feb 20, 2010)

That playing is perfectly normal. If fact, it's pretty tame playing. lol If you notice, there was not one yip of pain, so they were using bite inhibition. My two would play and cause each other to yip when they were younger, before being taught to play nice. As to the size difference, my 2 pound, 12 oz three legged little diva can hold her own with any and all comers. So, unless there is screaming in pain or blood drawn, I wouldn't worry, it's just two puppies playing and learning.


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## flippedstars (Dec 16, 2009)

Well here's a question...do you want them to figure it out now, while they are small and not strong enough to cause real damage, or do you want them to hash it out later on, when they are stronger, more muscular, and able to do damage? I know it's not the popular opinion on here, but I let puppies have it out with one another. They're gonna do it at some point, they are dogs, thats how it works


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## Blondie87 (Jan 10, 2011)

Oh, there is lots of yipping in pain.. just not in that video.. lol.

Here's another one, mostly from the first day I got her. You can hear Bella yip ones, a lil queak. It happens a lot now, but they will stop once one yips, the start again. So they are learning.

They do that butt thing a lot, push their butt in the others face.. lol. And we were calling her Maya at first cuz that was her name when she came to us.





I would MUCH rather them do it now then later!


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## jesuschick (Dec 5, 2010)

Mine yip and yelp but I am letting them work it out. 

They kiss and cuddle but these videos are certainly more representative of their time together. I figure as long as tails are wagging and no one is bleeding we are good!


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## Blondie87 (Jan 10, 2011)

Yes, mine kiss and cuddle too. It's so cute, they like make out. I love it. But it's not as often as they fight.. lol.


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## Amandarose531 (Aug 9, 2010)

Those yips are fine. Notice how she jumped back? It's just saying get away right now. Gretel put Godric in his place a-LOT. 

Also the butt thing is a dominance thing, I believe.


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## foggy (Oct 12, 2009)

I personally think it's fine. I would always let puppies sort it out themselves, that is what I have always done with puppies and I have never had a problem. Pip and Roo still act crazy like this sometimes, lol, but I can tell by their body language and behavior it's play for the most part. When Roo gets frustrated it can escalate, (like if Pip is getting the better of her by outrunning her, or getting to a toy first, lol) but they always sort it out between themselves with no issue. They really know each others boundaries and when the other really means enough and they both always back off in turn then. For the most part it's just play though. I would only step in if I really thought one of the pups was going to get hurt, but that has never happened to me.


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## intuition (Jan 19, 2011)

I say its normal. i have a 1yr old and a 5 yr old that play and they sound like they are killing eachother, but i can see the tails wagging. I know to break it up when one tries to hide from the other, or when one seeks refuge in my lap. (i'm momma i'm to protect them kinda thing) if you watch you can usually start noticing when one dog is done playing and the other thinks its just chase. and really if it gets painful they will yelp


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