Any Ideas?

[lizzy]

I wonder if any of you with 2 or more dogs have experienced this?

Whenever I take Molly and Evie out they are both good at walking together on the lead and walk peacefully side by  side, but as soon as I let them of for a run , Evie will start playing a really rough game with Molly, growling ( although it' not for real ) and grabbing Molly's ears and holding on to her as she tries to escape!   Molly does not try to get away from Evie, she just carries on sniffing and playing

I've tried shouting, putting her back on her lead, distracting her but nothing seems to help.

She has done this since the beginning and isn't growing out of it, for Molly's sake I would like to curb it, any ideas?  

[Jane S]

I think you will have to leave this for your dogs to sort out - if Molly was bothered at all by Evie's behaviour she would do something about it We have a 6 month old puppy who does this to her Mum when they let are off lead & Mum just ignores her, much as Molly ignores Evie. Sometimes we just have to let our dogs sort their own relationship out without trying to interfere. It would be different if Molly was getting upset or in danger of getting injured of course but as she's not, I would leave well alone. Just my opinion

Jane

[lizzy]

Thanks Jane.  

[dillydolly]

mmm a tough one as i have never had 2 dogs have you thought about taking out 2 identical throw toys and throwing them out so they play with them rather than use each other for rough play and praise them when they are being good playing nicely together with treats, just a thought

dillydolly    

[Cathy]

I remember when i was younger and we had to Goldens, Kelly and Sophie. Kelly was 3 years older, and when they went out to the garden to play the same thing used to happen.

We used to say poor kelly, she puts up with so much and she was always falling over because sophie had one of her legs in her mouth, then when she was on the floor sophie would grr and grab her ear so much so i was convinced it would come off.

She would stand over her and bark and growl, and on occasions i had to move sophie away as ai was concerned, althought my dad used to say the same same as Jane, let them sort it out themselves. True enough after  Kelly had enough she was grr and snap back at sophie and sophie would jump off and roll on her back.  

It used to make me laugh as sometimes Kelly would just give her a look after this and sophie would come back in to the house and lay down.

She knew she'd pushed it too far.

 

[PennyB]

I also think leave them to it and it'll sort itself out. Wilf would do this to Ruby when he was a pup and when she'd had enough she'd tell him. Also, whenever I take my two out Ruby has always been the one who jumps on Wilf as if she's teaching him a lession (bit like big sis cuffing little bro round the ear sort of thing). When he was smaller it looked awful as Ruby would do this every few yards or so down the park and Wilf would either just stop in his tracks or yelp. Now he just cuffs her back and its never escalated into anything worse.


 

[lizzy]

Thanks guys, I think you are right, I'll just leave them to it, as much as it pains me!  

[Gilly]

I always think it sounds and looks much worse than it really is  
It sounds like Evie is a vocal little girl and Molly is alot more laid back  
Butty is VERY vocal when playing and I used to worry when her and Roana where playing that it was serious    now I just leave them to it   on the very odd occassion it has got a bit serious but again I have just left them and it is all over in a few seconds. Roana takes alot of grief from Butty constantly biting her ears when she's sleeping and generally being a pain but Roana never seems to mind so I just leave well alone    

[Jaljen]

We have two.

Lotty will trot along then Jonny hurtles towards her at top speed. Often he growls. Occasionally he has knocked her over - sometimes he tumbles over. She takes no notice at all. He thinks he is very clever and will get her to play. She only plays with him in the house - never outside.

Trust your dogs. The dominant dog will always have his/her own way and dominance struggles are unusual. They always seem to know where they stand.

Lotty bites his ear when she's had enough. Not often as she's patient with him but he is definitely bottom of the heap and quite happy with his lot.