How to Tell If a Dog Is Play Fighting?
What may seem like a full-on, fight-to-the-death match between two dogs, may actually only be a fun play session. It can be extremely difficult to differentiate between play and real fights. However, with a keen eye and knowledge of your pet's behavior, you will likely be able to tell the difference between the two.
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Instructions
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Know your dog's behavior. Probably the most important step in determining whether dogs are seriously fighting or only playing around is knowing your dog. Most dogs will get a certain look on their faces, or may have a specific behavioral trait that they only exhibit when they are seriously upset. Watching for these clues is a good way to tell if your dog is actually fighting.
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Listen to the sounds the dogs make. If the dogs are actually fighting, you will likely hear loud growls from both dogs and even yelps if one of the dogs gets hurt.
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Watch the dogs' body language. Typically, in a real fight, the dogs will snarl and show their teeth. The hair on their back may even stand up. In general, most dogs will not actually show their teeth or get so upset that their hair stands up when they are playing.
However, keep in mind that all dogs are different. Knowing your dog and his body language will help you best determine if his fighting is real or fake.
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Tips & Warnings
Follow your instincts. If you start to feel uncomfortable, stop the dogs.
If you believe that the dogs are actually fighting, do not physically intervene. Doing so can cause you to be attacked. Instead, try to break up the fight by producing a startling sound. This could be in the form of shaking a jar of coins or smacking a fly swatter against the wall. Typically, those types of sounds are enough to stop the dogs.
You can also try squirting water at the dogs, particularly on their noses. You may even be able to throw blankets on the dogs or separate them by using chairs. If you are outside, enlist the help of a water hose and spray them. Do not run away from the dogs, as this could cause them to chase after you.
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Comments
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Play fighting can have snarling and teeth showing and it can be very loud and vocal. So don't go by this as setting the rule that it may be a real fight! And yes, they do show their teeth when play fighting. You need to more watch the body language. Most dogs do not roll over and let the other come over on top of them. These are some clues it's play fighting. Or wagging the tail, or Bowing and crouching down. These are all signs it's play.
