yeah same here,i always make sure i start the game and that it end when i want it to.

My OH used to wrestle with Diesel but we would find Diesel would then feel it was ok to do that with everyone and as we have a 5yr old daughter (then 4) this wasnt a good idea, she would only have to sit on the floor and he would be on top of her pinning her down, it took a long time to get him out of the habit of playing like this but over time he has learnt.

I wouldnt encourage it as you just never know when playing will go too far

Yes Vodka Vixen is right, sometimes people think it is fine until they start having problems!

I could play-wrestle with my German Shepherd Jasper and no harm would come of it, as he was a submissive dog. Other dogs are more dominant however can learn how powerful they are and utilize it to their gain

This dog however is showing real dominance issues that will only be exacerbated by allowing her to assert herself over her family members.

I play rough, bitey games with our dog, but I'm not 13! I don't think at that age your boy should be expected to set the kind of boundaries needed to make this game safe.

LOL you're not playing devils advocate. Don't be silly. I take everything you said into consideration. Although I think you've misunderstood a little bit of what I've said. She doesn't listen to my son because my son lets her control him. I've told him many times that he has to be firm and persistant but he doesnt seem to wanna listen to me. Hes 13 yrs old what do you expect...LOL
Also our dog listens to me and my son. She just has a little stubborn side to her. Which as I've heard some if not all dogs have it. She'll sit for us, give her paw, high five, roll over, she'll come, and so on. Just once in while when I tell her to sit she'll look at me with that silly look and then I say it again and she Sits. As for my husband he's hardly ever home. He works two jobs so our dog rarely ever gets to see him or be disiplined by him and so on. And when he is home she usually listens to him but not as much as me. I'm obviously the Alpha because I'm home all the time.
So of course I'll take everything you've said into consideration. And yes you're right why would I being making a post asking the question if I wasn't concerned. And my answer to that is I made the post because I was wondering what everyone feedback was about play wrestling with a dog.

Ok well I told my son no more wrestling with our dog. He said "Awww Man but its so much fun" so then I explained how its sends mixed signals and someone is going to end up getting hurt. So I guess he understands. Thanks for everyones advice. And by the way Anne Marie, your not the Devils advocate! LOL Don't be silly.. Thanks again!

Good choice Sumbear! You keep up that alpha role

I know your son will miss the wrestling, but he will soon get great enjoyment out of other games too.

Really pleased to hear you have decided to stop it, thanks xx

we've always have play fought with our dogs, kids as well.

BUT.....we have always started and finished it as well as doing obiedence, feeding, playing fetch, find etc.

we all take a share in the care of our dogs and this has worked for us.

having said that, i have never had a dominant dog, they have always been soft and daft. just our way with them i suppose.

I have mixed feelings based on past experience. I had a GSD/Rottie cross at the time when my two boys were at crawling and early walking stage, and they would routinely play with the dog (supervised) and the dog would simply get up and try to find somewhere he could get some kip without being harassed.

My White GSD loved a bit of wrestling with me in the evenings, but he was too excitable with children around and so that wouldn't have worked at all. It's just not fair to expect a dog to ignore that level of excitement for such a trivial thing.

My current GSD came to us with mouthing issues and so wrestling just isn't an option. It's taken us a long time to completely cure the mouthing and so putting her into a state where she'll naturally do it in excitement would be grossly unfair on her.

I guess what I'm saying is that is really does depend on individual circumstance. I do believe fully that, where possible, it's one of the best games you can play with your dog. Unlike ball throwing, etc. you are really interacting with the dog in a manner that it can naturally relate to. Only you really know your dog and your child.