Dog aggression or over stimulated?

As most of you know I have a little foster puppy, Chloe. She is apparently 13 weeks old but as we have no idea of her actual birth date and no details other than she was £50 off the free ads we can only guess.

Chloe has been great so far, got on really well with my adult staff bitch and appart for her attempting to suckle from her last night they have got on well and played very nicely.

However yesterday we met a young spaniel when we were having a little walk. All was fine and they greeted nicely and started playing with no problem. Then Chloe seemed to get annoyed and started growing, snarling and snapping at the spaniel, who wasn't taking much notice of Chloe and carrying on playing. I took Chloe away and let her calm down a little. When I let her go back to the spaniel she again played nicely and then her behaviour changed again. We called it a day and she had a lovely meeting and a run with an adult beardie and that was all fine.

Then we went to a puppy party and she got on great with 2 slightly older labs and spent most of the evening playing really nicely with them. No growling or snapping at all.

This morning we went walking with a friend and her 3 Shibas. The older 2 are brilliant and play with Chloe but tell her off if she is rude or gets over the top and it all calms down. However with the youngest one (17 weeks) they started playing nicely and again chloe started growing and snapping. So I removed her and let her calm down and then they played nicely.

There was one point where I couldn't get to Chloe quick enough and the other puppy did seem to sort it out and had Chloe on the ground and was standing over her ( after Chloe kept climbing on her back and pawing her face). Chloe and the other pup parted ways and they played well after that.


So, is this just chloe being under socialised and having no manners/ getting overstimulated or is this more serious? And am I doing the right thing by removing her from the situation?

Firstly yes I think you are doing the right thing moving her away if you think the play is getting too rough

Obviously noone can really say without seeing it - but a good indication is if you separate them and the other dog is still wanting back to play then its just noisy play

if the other dog is glad to have got away then it was too much

My pup tends to go over the top with other puppies, but interacts very sensibly with older dogs. I don't think it's down to socialisation - my pup was incredibly well socialised, it's more a case of over excitement and the puppy not knowing what to do with all the energy and adrenaline. Removing her and calming her is the best way IMO.

Sounds like over excited play to me, so yep carry on interrupting and calming the pup down.

Do you know if she was allowed to practise rough play in her previous home and/or if she was a singleton?

No idea on litter size but I know that she only ever met one other dog in the last home so possibly for 5 weeks she did not Have any dog interaction

Do you still think she is younger too ?

Quite possibly murf, she is dinky. Though she could have been the runt maybe?

The other thing I have noticed is she backs up to dogs and puts her hind legs over them, she has only done this to Roxie a few times and she stands right over her head!

Any ideas as to why?

Thats trying it on with them, its a way older dogs have of 'dominating' other dogs. I am aware I will get shot down for using the 'd; word but it happens!

Having lived for more years than I care to remember with gangs of various dogs of my own with others coming and going IME that behaviour is a try on and can get them into bother.

Puppy to puppy allows no puppy license. Personally I'd supervise as you are doing and intervene as soon as if not before, if you constantly interrupt play it helps as things can't start.

rune