lfb
UK
MH
Posts:184
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| 02/22/2010 9:27 AM |
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| It's great for socialising them. We played 'pass the puppy' so they were handled by lots of adults and also (supervised) children as well. |
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:704
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| 02/22/2010 1:22 PM |
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Well we are back from the puppy party and I have mixed feelings 
Holy bananas!
My horse can do this too lol!
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:704
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| 02/22/2010 1:41 PM |
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Just been watching the videos back - they look so awful  Poor Hogan really doesn't look like he's playing at all - more like he's trying to get away...
I will add videos shortly. |
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:704
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| 02/22/2010 2:39 PM |
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This is the video of them after they had been "playing" for a little while
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:704
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| 02/22/2010 2:53 PM |
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This was taken shortly before the other video
It was Hogan's running away and the tail between the legs which bothered me. |
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WiscoCooper
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
MH
Posts:112
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| 02/22/2010 3:39 PM |
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Mine is certainly not an expert opinion, simply the opinion of someone who started her GSP at the dog park at a young age and has seen other young puppies at the dog park... Hogan doesn't really shy away from the bigger puppy, as he consistently goes back in for more play. I think the older puppy's size, confidence and exuberance makes Hogan's reaction appear to be more frightened that what he maybe was. He's just learning how to play and hold his own.
As a young puppy playing with much larger and older dogs, Cooper got pushed around at the dog park a bit, not because other dogs were aggressive or he was scared/submissive, but simply because he didn't yet have the body mass or coordination to "fight back" in a way that didn't result in him tumbling over. That's why puppies have slinky spines! Our first interactions with older/bigger dogs began with Coop's tail between his legs, too, as he was unsure of how to play with bigger dogs. After a half-dozen trips he learned how to get in there and play with the best of them! He is 10 months old now and very well socialized. He plays very well with any dog at the dog park.
Keep up the play dates with other dogs- puppies and older dogs- that you feel comfortable with. After a few play sessions I think you'll see a noticeable change in his demeanor and confidence levels!
P.S. If you saw a video of Cooper playing tug-of-war with his "cousin", a 3-year-old flat-coated retriever, you'd think WWIII was about to ensue. Their tug-of-war growls sound frightening if you didn't know that they were just playing!!  |
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Robyn, David & Cooper |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3166
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| 02/22/2010 3:53 PM |
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I agree with Robyn ... this honestly just looks like puppy play. Although, I would question having a lab that was that much bigger in the party. Hogan certainly never looked like he was hiding behind you trying to get away. But if you're uncomfortable, keep the puppy play to pups of similar size and build (if possible)/
And by the way, these guys play rough and are really mouthy. One of Bo's best friends growing up was a boxer and they would both stand on their hind feet and box, and snarl, etc. I should take a video of him and Razzie fighting sometime. You'd think they were trying to kill each other, but it's really just play (I could step in any time and separate them -- their mouths never close.) |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Marie
Wisconsin
MH
Posts:2721
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| 02/22/2010 3:57 PM |
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How I judge between puppy -dog play and puppy- dog aggression is to observe the fur on their backs. If the fur is down and they are jumping, boxing, chasing each other barking and growling ect this is just play. Greeting each other with a down bow face to face with fur down on backs is play. But if I observe either dog with fur raised on their backs. Then I instantly redirect the dogs into another activity cause raised hair on the dogs back is a sign of aggression. Hogan looks to have great confidence in the videos. He doesn't back down to the big Lab puppy. Know too, out in the wide open hunting fields, for every mile a Lab covers, a GSP will cover 2.5 miles. Great Fun videos of Puppy Party!! |
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Marie and Rocky, a tall, high energy GSP
http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab18/Annette_Merryfield/100_0285.jpg?t=1287205231 |
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carlower1
Kansas
MH
Posts:1253
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| 02/22/2010 4:18 PM |
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Standard rule of thumb with dog play..
1. watch the hair on the back.. if it is up = bad..
2. watch the tails.. if they are tucked or stiff = bad
3. listen for a "Yelp" if there is one and they don't break apart then step in and stop. As for the open mouths, jumping, pouncing rolling etc... it looks rough but it is them playing.
Snarling, jumping, pouncing, showing teeth are part of the play.. Remember in the wild this is how the pups in a pack would learn how to defend themselves and hunt...
My kids panic every-time Tasha (my youngest Shih-tzu) and Wachter get going.. they both have their mouths open and his open jaw could take her head if he was aggressive...but never once has he bitten, or caused one of the ladies to yelp. He no longer tries this with Macey (the old lady) because the nips at him when he starts feeling his oats.
Carrie |
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:704
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| 02/23/2010 3:14 AM |
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| Thanks for all the advice guys, I now feel much more reassured! |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3166
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| 02/23/2010 5:49 AM |
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PS ... I know what you're going through. Bo was my first dog and it took me awhile to be reassured that he was acting like a normal puppy and that he wasn't going to grow up to be a hooligan. Hang in there!  |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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unowhoandwhy
Middleofnowhere, NH
MH
Posts:1805
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| 02/23/2010 5:53 AM |
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It's good that you are worried about him & I think the lab was probably a bit big, but your little guys tail was wagging & he intiated play quite a bit, so I don't think he was scared. Wait till he gets older & braver & finds a playmate, you'll think you're at a dog fight!
Daniel & Layla play REALLY rough with each other & they are about 20 pounds apart in size, but they have a great time & I never step in, even when I think it might be too rough, because the minute one yelps they break apart & take a breather. Daniel has actually flipped Layla over & dragged her around by the collar before & you should see the big, silly grin on her face when he does that! When he stops dragging her around she hops up & races around him like a mad dog, begging for more play. |
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Daniel Yankee Flyer - 8/2002
Lady Layla - 1/2006 |
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Toni
England
SH
Posts:48
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| 02/23/2010 7:40 AM |
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Hi guys.......im shelleys partner
It was really worrying to see Hogan in such rough play, especially with such a LARGE pup! Thankyou for all your reassurance it really helps |
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everbell
Kanata, ON
MH
Posts:3166
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| 02/23/2010 8:17 AM |
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| Bo's first playmate was a St. Bernard pup 1 week older than him. It was a similar size difference. As it turned out, it was the St. B that couldn't keep up to Bo and ended up hurting himself . It IS worrying when they are so little, but they're really tough little nutters! |
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Joce and Rich
Bogart and Shiraz (GSPs)
Roxane (RIP: 1995-2009) and Tiger Lily (Cats)
The Everbell Adventures |
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:704
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| 02/24/2010 4:22 AM |
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Well my little man is 10 weeks today
He had a little accident this morning His tail got trapped in the door I guess it's the hazard of having an undocked pup. He seems to be ok, he is wagging it, and let me squeeze all along it and didn't pay much notice. It's not swollen and it didn't break the skin. Is there anything I need to watch out for?
He spent the morning out with me in the front garden. I'm working part time for a month to spend as much time with him as I possibly can when he is little, although I do leave him in the crate for 2 hours now each morning while I go and do the horses.
Anyway, here are a few pics for you to enjoy.
He was weighed on monday night, he is now 8.2kg
Snoozy pup
Where are you going?!
Look how big he is!
Naughty pup
Lets hope he doesn't do this when he's older and gets stuck!
Shelley
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lfb
UK
MH
Posts:184
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| 02/24/2010 5:11 AM |
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| Mind that tail! One of mine is docked, the other isn't. I live in fear of getting her tail trapped in the car boot (I have stood on it a few times) but she gets her own back by a) wagging too hard near the radiator in the morning to wake me up and b) whipping me in the eye with it (that hurts). I love that last picture, we had a terrifying ten minutes involving a puppy head and car crate with holes just the right size to stick head through, but not to pull back and get ears through! |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 02/24/2010 5:25 AM |
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| I would agree with everyone...that the pups were just playing...I will get a video on my 8 month old playing with my 10 week old and let you see and hear them play! My older one never barked or growled till the little one showed him how to! |
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Shelley
Bristol, UK
MH
Posts:704
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| 02/24/2010 7:38 AM |
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| Splat - that would be great, thanks! |
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Splat
Illinois (Northern)
MH
Posts:3136
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| 02/24/2010 10:20 AM |
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| I have been trying to get some really wild and vocal videos done up, but the dogs seem to be pretty mild today, though I will add those vids for fun! |
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CL66
MH
Posts:419
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| 02/24/2010 2:50 PM |
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| Shelley, if my horse got extension like Hogan i'd be over the moon!! |
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