Our dog started to instigate play fights with me

358 Views 4 Replies 3 Participants Last post by Tater33, Oct 18, 2020

Tater33

Discussion Starter · Oct 17, 2020

Our 5 year old beagle mix (pic in my av) is very affectionate and loves to nibble on my fingers when she's happy I come home or when giving her rubs. Lately she'll occasional starts rubbing up on my legs and nipping at my fingers until we play fight and she seems to love it. Sometimes she just nips at my hands for no reason except to get me to brawl. She only does this when my wife is around.
Am I teaching her or enforcing a bad behavior? The biting is very gentle and she loves when I push her around or push my hand over her face as she's snapping at me. It's all very playful and she's a very high energy dog.
Also, what would her cause this?

I should add that she is very attached to us (especially my wife) and always wants to wrap around our legs when we are on the couch. We don't allow her up there or upstairs because she sheds a lot.

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DaySleepers

· #2 · Oct 17, 2020

I play-fight with my dogs with my hands. It immediately stops the moment I feel pressure behind the teeth or pawing turns into clawing (I have very 'handsy' dogs that way), and even the teenager seems to understand the rules very well. I actually think it can be a good way to reinforce and practice bite inhibition in some cases.

BUT we don't have children in the house (or non-dog people) - likely never will - and don't have small children visiting ever, and both me and my wife are good about enforcing our limits and keeping the arousal level reasonable. I may feel differently about allowing any teeth-on-skin contact if things were different in those regards.

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Tater33

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 17, 2020

Thanks DaySleepers, that's pretty much our situation here too. It's always playful fighting.
It kind of funny when she does it, kind of like she wants to put on a show for my wife.

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Deacon.dog

· #4 · Oct 17, 2020

My poodle is very on top of me and very handsy ALL the time, I just redirect or use a firm no if I don't feel like being chewed on. Honestly though, I invite him up to jump on my all the time and play flight (his favorite game is I pet your theigh & in run, you chase!)

If you really don't like it, just say no. She may just be getting exited to see your wife so she redirects the exitement to you

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Tater33

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 18, 2020

Deacon.dog said:
My poodle is very on top of me and very handsy ALL the time, I just redirect or use a firm no if I don't feel like being chewed on. Honestly though, I invite him up to jump on my all the time and play flight (his favorite game is I pet your theigh & in run, you chase!)

If you really don't like it, just say no. She may just be getting exited to see your wife so she redirects the exitement to you

Thanks. I must say I've read many of your posts and find them very insightful.
I'm disabled so sometimes playing is too painful for me.I do say no at times (very gently) but sometimes she's too keyed in about it. It makes her so happy to play fight though it's hard to resist at times.

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