Im a newbie to the site and I am in need of help

Hello everyone I am hoping that someone can help me. I have a Aussie Shepard and Lab Mix. He is 2 years old I got him from the shelter when he was about 3-4 months old. His name is Jager. Over the weekend we went to the shelter to look around for a older dog. We found what they say is a American Staffordshire terrier mixed with something else. We are not sure what else he has in him. His name is Stoli.

Here is the problem when we brought the new dog home they were both fine. They sniffed each other out and where fine. Now that its been a few days they will play fight only when me and my husband are around them. The only problem I have is they both go for each others necks. When they are alone they are fine. They dont mess with each other. How can I get them not to do this when we are around them. Any advise will help!

Thank a bunch !

 

I am not sure how to stop it because every 2 dogs i haver ever seen playing has gone for the throat. you gotta remember they wernt always pets and had to kill their own food so it is in them to go for a kill shot in playing as well as in battle. my dogs do the same thing and when they do i just keep an eye on them and dont let it get out of hand.

 

that's how mine play too. it used to freak me out, because my previous dog had been dog aggressive so whenever i saw behaviour like that it was serious. i've noticed though that if one gets too rough, the other one will yelp and perhaps briefly reprimand them, so it never gets too bad. although i do have to make sure that snickers has buckle collars, not clip, because ranger always managed to unclip hers.

 

have to agree here, mine play like that all the time too.

 

Hi,
My boy plays this way too, and is quite rough. Luckily his best friend (and one of the only dog's he'll engage in play with) is quite a toughie and takes it. If you get real colse you can see that Floob's hardly making any contact and is so fast that it looks ALOT worse than it sounds. They both have wet necks when they're done.

I wouldn't worry for now, but one way someone on here told me once was to break their play up every few minutes.
Call them to you for a treat, or engage in play with a toy, anything just to stop the play turning nasty.

If I see Floob getting too excited now I just say 'nicely' in a deep, soft voice and he starts to run, forcing a game of 'chase me'.

Give it time, mean what you say, and your boys should learn the boundries and get along just fine.

 

As long as they are not getting aggressive and really hurting or meaning it, thats how they usually play, iv got 2 cats and THEY do the same thing lol..
Id say as long as there is no threat of really meaning and getting out of hand they are ok..

 

Stoli is a bulldog in essence and I would recommend you not let them around one another without supervision of some kind just in case...rule is, you never trust a bulldog not to fight...it's just the way it is with the breed. Anything can happen and I'd recommend that when you're not home you crate the dogs for their own safety, not sure if you do that or not but it sounded kinda like you don't.

Otherwise I think everything is normal as long as they're both under control and you can stop the action when it gets too rowdy.

Sara

 

My little 6 lb. Maltepoo and my Chocolate Lab play like this all the time....it was scary for me at first because the lab can put her whole mouth around the little ones neck...but little-one goes right back for more..I think it's just the way they play.