Is this acceptable play?

My HWV is a bundle of energy, her and my lab have some mental play sessions. Lots of jumping, teeth gnashing (never hurting though, it's all gentle/non contact with the teeth). Last night at training, after we had finished, Sika was playing with a big lab pup (same age as her, 8 months). She was doing her usual teeth gnashing stuff but again, no contact. The trainer commented that the lab just wanted to play but as Sika was "showing her teeth" she was being aggressive, she didn't say it in as many words but from what she said that's the impression I got. I don't believe it though, am I wrong?

Showing teeth doesn't equal aggression. It can be a form of play.

Hi Peedie sounds to me like normal pups at play, Showing teeth can be a sign of submission as well as agression, (it depends on the rest of the dog's body language) and in the case of puppies again is a normal part of puppy play.

No, lots of dogs play bite, especially when young, and other young dogs will usually accept and enjoy this form of play. Older dogs may find it rude, but it's not aggression as long as it doesn't get out of hand.

Here are my guys playing!



In fact that's exactly what all three are doing in the garden right now!

That looks familiar. Thanks for that.

Utter rubbish!

Isla and Oscar really lay into each other sometimes, teeth showing, face biting and every thing! It sounds like perfectly normal puppy play behaviour to me!

What kind of trainer doesn't recognize play? Dogs often play "bitey face" and growl and show their teeth in play sessions. I can't believe the trainer called it aggression! It sounds like normal dog play to me.

I have just finished reading a book called "Tail Play" which my husband bought me yesterday from the second-hand bookshop at Blickling Hall in Norfolk. It is mainly a picture book of dogs with differing body expressions, postures and the commentary on the pictures tells you what the dog is thinking/doing as it interacts with the other dogs. I thought is was quite useful. Sounds like your trainer could do with it!

My elderly Mum (bless her) did her nut when Cherry and Parker decided to play-fight at her house one day (they don't do this very often) as she kept saying "oh-they're not playing they are really fighting and hurting each other!" I broke it up in the end as she was getting quite distraught but they were certainly not fighting! Parker nips Cherry on the bum and then he grabs her ear and she shrieks at him in this awful high-pitched noise and then grabs his bum and he dives away!

The 2 occasions over the last 6 years when Cherry has "had a go" at Parker were completely different as it was all over very quickly as she just floored him and got on top of him (over a high-value bone/Nina Ottenson game) and he submitted fortunately. Anyone seeing that would know that was not play!

it`s play - joyful loud scary mad play!

Do you know, I am just fed up of my trainer. I think I'll carry on going over the summer as we go outside and do some agility as well as the usual obedience but after that... I don't know. Jago LOVES it so I might carry on taking him for his sake. He's through his gold level so it's just a maintenance class we go to. I want to train Sika up as a gundog though so I think I'll stop going with her after the summer. She couldn't care less about sitting straight or whatever. Booooring!