How does your dog play?

Cheerpeanut

I am a newbie, so pardon if this is an old question. I have a 2 year old Bassett hound mix who we recused a year ago. She plays great with my mom, aunt, and neighbors dogs but I worry that her kind of "play" isnt a good habit. She loves to chase and "spar"-no real biting but open mouths. She has been to doggie day care and they said she was great. Does she sound aggressive or like a bad playmate to you?

wypadek

That sounds exactly how my two play with each other. It's also how all the dogs I had growin up played as well. 

sandollar1010

This is totally normal play for many dogs.  The important thing is that she gets the hint if another dog isn't into that type of play.  My pup loves to jump, wrestle, mouth, etc.  But if a dog "tells her off" with a growl or a look, she'll back for a minute or so. The reason it is so important is because if she doesn't get the warning sign, the other dog may get aggressive.  My girl is 11 months old and I have noticed a lot of older dogs don't enjoy her type of play, so they will put her in her place a time or two, and she'll let them be.  I hope this helps.

RedheadBaker

That's how my dogs play with each other. No open mouths with people, though.  

jdbmjm

Mine have to get pretty riled up with each other to open their mouths/ show their teeth. But they don't use their teeth at all, and more jump forward/ jump back with each other. If they are getting too excited, I tell them to "put your teeth away" and they stop their snarling. I think as long as she is not actually using her teeth or being too mouthy, she's fine. And she backs off if another dog is not so interested in this type of play. If daycare is say she is doing well, she is probably not becoming overly mouthy there. 

I blame XH for my dogs stupid play- the grab each other by the front leg and pull the other to the ground. He used to wrestle with them like this when they were little. Other dogs seem throughly confused when they wrestle like this. 

Lvans

Sounds like how my two play as well.