play fighting when to call time out

My malamute bitch is now 11 months old and we have just increased our pack with the addition of a 2 year old GSD X. He is neutered and they have been getting on well with the exception of food and toys. Both of which have to be done seperatly or supervised.
My question is when they play together they mouth and bite not hard and both will stop when told.
Do I need to holt this behaviour will it turn nasty or should I let the new arrival teach Indi some doggy manners.
Any advice welcome although I grew up in multi dog household I have never been responsible for 2 dogs at the same time.

I have a GSD bitch and and young (3yo?) shorthair. They are roughly the same size. They have a play-fight every evening after their post-dinner nap (such a hard life for dogs!) and occasionally during the day as well. There is much clashing of teeth and ferocious growling. They`ve never hurt each other - if one gets a bit rough the other will object strongly and it calms down for a bit. They love it, although it does get get a bit loud if I`m trying watch TV. So I would say if they`re not injuring each other, let them have their fun.

Have to say the above happens here too....I jusy leave it. I call it the Sugar-Rush-Time, as it's usually after Bruces Brekkie and Tea........ TV viewing....not anymore

My two playfight ALOT. Every now and then one gives a yelp and the other backs off straight away (although they often go straight back to the playfight after this). I think if one yelped and the other DIDN'T back off (i.e. one continued to HURT the other), that to me is not playfighting and I would break it up. I often break up a playfight just to practice in case I should need to in the future.

Playfighting is exactly that, playing.

When they are pups, they playfight with their littermates, and they learn bite control through the reaction of those they are biting. If one pup bites too hard, the other yelps as an indication that the biting dog was too hard. Play usually continues afterwards and the biting dog will learn how hard he is allowed to bite. This is generally the teaching for all dogs as a young pup and will carry on into adult life.

They should be allowed to play fight and have fun, getting tense around them whilst they do so will only heighten the tension between them. This is why most dog fights break out, because the owners create tension themselves.

General rule is that if one yelps and the other continues, then lay down the law with a sharp authoritive no, if neither yelp, then the bites are not too hard and it should be seen as playfighting. You can also break it up if either dog has their tails pointing to the ceiling like an arrow whilst staring at the other dog, this is excited dominence and is the signal that a fight is more or less, about to break out.

On another note, your Mal needs the interaction with the GSD as learning good social skills, however, you may experience some very solitude behaviour from her as well as ome rebelling, over the next several months. Mal's definitely go through an adolescent stage more so than other dogs I have owned, mine has only recently come through it and he is starting to trust me more.

Good breed of dog you have there!

I have to put the subtitles on the TV now as my two are always playfighting! Can't add anything to the great advice already given, just keep an eye on them and if you feel it's turning nasty (or you can't hear the TV ) stop them.

I don't stop my Malamutes... I let them play.. and when the pack leader has had enough..HE stops it.. (then usually waits till she isn't looking and jumps on her head!)

Please don't think because your new GSD x is older (or male) that it will be the one to stop it.. You Mal may surprise you and take over the leadership role and decide for itsself when enough is enough..

yeah my missus cranks the volume up

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they go at it hammer and tongue and just when i think the staff may have gone that bit far - lola steams back for more

Louise, you should be the pack leader, not your dog. Although I am starting to think you meant the most dominent male in the dog pack, not dog+human pack, lol.

Of course I am pack leader (with 2 Mals I would be in a sorry state if I wasn't!)..but I don't get down on the ground and play fight with them.. Therefore Cruiser is pack leader and when he has had enough..he calls a halt..(for all of 5 minutes)


How many Mals have you got Steve and how old are they??