Interrupting Puppy Play
As pet parents, it’s our duty to protect our puppies and dogs. Be your dog’s voice is my motto. Dogs can’t speak, but we can. Yes, bad things happen in life, but that doesn’t mean we should allow bullying to happen. Honestly, watching your dog, or someone else’s dog, being bullied is cruel. By saying or doing nothing, you’re saying it’s okay so let’s chat about how to interrupt puppy play.
Are Puppies Having Fun?
If you’re not sure, pick the “top” puppy (puppy on top of the other puppy) up and hold her waist high. If the bottom puppy jumps up and wants to continue playing with the top puppy, then puppy play was fun. If the bottom puppy runs away, then the top puppy was being a bully. Remove the bully from the playgroup. If not, she will chase down this puppy again, or pick another one, and bully her too.
RELATED: Appropriate Puppy Play
How to Stop Inappropriate Play
When you recognize bullying behavior, step in immediately. Time is of the essence here.
Puppy Being Picked On
If your puppy is being picked on, pick her up and hold waist level. Don’t forget to tuck her tail under her because a bully will jump up and try to pull her tail too.
Bully Puppy
For bully puppy pet parents, it’s best to pick up their puppies and remove them from the play session. Bring her outside the play area, attach her leash and go for a long walk. Trust me, allowing your bully puppy to continue playing will not cure her naughty behavior. It will make it worse. Plus, it’s not fair to the other puppies. Before you think I’m judging, I’ve been that pet parent before — Stella Mae is a bully. We tried puppy playtime, but she insisted on pinning and chasing. I removed her within seconds. Instead of relying on puppy play to exhaust her, I brought her on walks.
You can teach bully puppies to play nicely. However, it’s best to partner with a professional dog trainer. It’s not easy as you think. 🙂
Be your puppy’s voice!
More:
How to Train a Puppy
Top 10 Puppy Training Tips
Surviving the First Night with Your Puppy
Complete New Puppy Checklist
