Skip to content

Chewing on each other - playing or fighting?

Behavioral Issues
  • Typically when you hear "noise"… you don't need to step in... a silent fight is one that is usually the problem...
    The situation you present... I would not step in

  • Silent fights like what? I've observed them rough-housing without much noise, which then turns into a yelping situation….

  • Silent fights.. there is no noise at all… just fighting..... it is easily seen as not rough-housing.... yelping is a reflex and used to let the other know that they have gone too far... silent fights are typically between same sex, in-tact dogs.... and draws lots of blood... and if you see a dog go after another it is for no real reason... and just look at their eyes... glazed and determined to "kill" the other.... that is so different then rough-housing...

  • Blood - that I've not seen, nor do I want to. So, Trinity will get a crazy-wild look in her eyes while she is breathing hard, long breaths - much different than the glazed look you spoke of? I don't mean to sound slow, but I've not been around animals much my whole life & have ever owned only these 2…

  • I know an intervention is at hand when the tone of their voices change. It's not just a change in volume, it's like a half octave leap up and what you could almost say is a major chord change to a minor chord. My 2 always have the voice change when one or the other has gone too far when rough housing.

  • @snorky998:

    I know an intervention is at , it's like a half octave leap up and what you could almost say is a major chord change to a minor chord. My 2 always have the voice change when one or the other has gone too far when rough housing.

    I agree with this. My bad fights (where I thought they wanted to kill each other) haven't been silent…but it is a different kind of noise than warning, or playing or complaining...it just sound SERIOUS....it might be hard to know what we are talking about until you experience it, unfortunately....

  • The silent is when there is ongoing "hate" between two or more dogs… and is usually a build up after a fight when you did have the change in voice.... but sometimes, such as with two bitches it is just all out for blood... when one thinks the other should be gone...

  • Once you see a 'real' fight, there is no question. It is not rough play, it is deadly serious. Basenjis can play so rough it is amazing, but as long as tails are wagging and they keep going back for more, let 'em have at it. Scratches are bound to happen, just think of a yard full of 2 or 3 year old kids, they play and yell and scuffle and get a scrape or two, then are best friends in 2 minutes. When the tone changes, or one seems to be getting serious, it's time to distract them with a walk or something.

  • Well, ok - thank you all for your replies. Since I have no idea what any of you are talking about, I'm assuming I've yet to experience a real fight. I'm protective of Denver because he's little (at times he still falls over when he tries to reach somewhere on his backside or far underside :)). Sometimes I can't wait until he's bigger than Trinity - then we'll see who romps on who! What goes around comes around! - that's the mamma's boy side of me coming out… ;)

  • I know this is an old thread, but it seems to be what we are experiencing…so rather than start a new one, I thought building on an old one would be best.

    We adopted a brother/sister pair of 5 month old Bs. They do well with other dogs, rarely nip at other dogs (unless they are overly excited and the other dog is a little too friendly - nothing serious so far), but my goodness do they roughhouse with each other.

    They will start the B-500 while taking them for a walk, and wrestle and tackle, nibble, grab each other by the throat, ear, leg, etc. Sometimes there's noise, sometimes not, lots of legs flying everywhere as they wrestle each other to the ground. By what I've read so far using the search feature, this seems pretty normal B behavior. But occasionally we fear someone's going to call the police and tell them we have a dog fighting ring going! Luckily for us it's only with each other that they wrestle. Other dogs don't interest them except to prove they can run faster.

    So the $64,000 question is...should we try to train this out of them, or do we just need to learn to live with it - as long as they keep it to themselves and don't involve other dogs.

    Many thanks!

Suggested Topics

  • Chewing on his toe nails

    Behavioral Issues
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    10k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Both Cara and Arwen keep their back toenails chewed appropriately short, but yeah if too short distract. You might even try using baby wipes when he comes in to wipe his feet down before he starts the licking.
  • Chewing problems

    Behavioral Issues
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    5k Views
    Shaye's MomS
    @Rocky1: Basenjis chew,this s a fact of life. It might sound like a crazy thing to do,but I bite my pups back. It teaches them that I'M THE BOSS ! It has worked for me for the almost 36 years that I've lived with the little beastys. You can call me crazy,or wrong I don't care Works for me,and my dogs all respect me,and love me. Kathryn Wow, Kathryn - that's funny! I'm sure you just nibble a little. Their feet smell like Tostitos, so just wondering -does the rest of the dog taste like a snack??? LOL
  • Chewing Toys

    Behavioral Issues
    24
    0 Votes
    24 Posts
    10k Views
    MacPackM
    With all this talk about elf, er, elk meat, is it time for everyone to re-read the (yes, true) story of Dogs in Elk??? If you have never read this old 'chat list' discussion, be sure and empty your bladder first. http://www.webtree.ca/tree/keeper/dogs_in_elk.htm
  • Lets play soccer!

    Behavioral Issues
    5
    0 Votes
    5 Posts
    2k Views
    LyshL
    my b greets me with excitement and her stuffed ball as well. we give her pats and then she bugs us to play fetch with her. so we do. then lots more cuddles. i think the pawing/poking is funny too. in our doggie play group theres a dog that doesnt like Hope so much (its a little fussy dog). instead of leaving it alone like the others she'll play play play with the other dogs, get closer to it and then go over to it and bat it with her paws or poke it as she goes past. Hopes new nick name at playgroup: Sh!t stirrer! lol (excuse the language)
  • Big fight

    Behavioral Issues
    12
    0 Votes
    12 Posts
    5k Views
    nobarkusN
    @EskiLovr: Dan, That's super funny. It's like he's saying, "LOOK!!! Nyah Nyah, gotchyer ball!" He's a real clown at the dog park. Makes everybody laugh and wonder how he runs and runs and runs tiring out their dogs.:D
  • Harness chewing

    Behavioral Issues
    12
    0 Votes
    12 Posts
    5k Views
    ELERICKSON40E
    @Mia: Yes it is in the backyard, and no it's not fenced :( I wished it was. He is fine when we are going on walks, but as soon as he is left alone for more than 5 min he chews it up in a matter of a few minutes! Would a martingale collar work? I think the reason teh harness doesn't work is because he wedges his jaw on the shoulder part of the harness, and I figured that maybe a martinglae collar would work better since he can't get to it. Ahhh why can't he be more like his calm sister Mia lol… Welcome to the club! Trixie chewed her way thru at least 5 - 6 harnesses and yes also in a matter of minutes. The only time she has a harness on is when she is going for a walk or if we are taking her in the car. She has had her current one for at least 3 months ! It's a miracle, but I feel your pain!