YNP #058: How to Recognize Appropriate Dog Play

When you are new at watching dogs play it can be confusing.  Dog play is actually play fighting so if you haven’t made a career out of knowing dog body language it’s easy to get concerned even when dogs are having a grand old time.  Learning dog body language is like learning any new language.  It takes study, time, and a whole lot of practice.  As a dog parent we do want to have a “conversational dog” understanding.   You aren’t going to learn everything in one podcast episode.  My goal is simply to give you more confidence when your pup is playing to know if they are having a good time and let them go it if it’s time to break it up and let it rest.   In this episode I talk about: Signals that two dogs give to let us know they are playing When it’s OK to give them a break What to do when you think one dog is not playing nice What to do if you are not sure  A word about dog parks As promised, below are a couple videos to demonstrate some of the signals and signs I talk about inside the episode.  Press play and enjoy! Other resources mentioned and related to this episode: YNP #013: Dog Park vs. Dog Daycare YNP #034: Introduce Your New Puppy to Your Current Dog YOUR Perfect Puppy: 4-week online training course for you and your new puppy.