How to Tell If Dogs Are Playing or Fighting & Playing Too Rough | Pupford

We love seeing dogs run around and play with other dogs. After all, socialization is so important, especially at a young age -- and the added exercise and mental stimulation doesn’t hurt either. But sometimes it can be hard to know if dogs are playing or fighting!

And a question we get asked in our Facebook community a lot is “How do I know if my dog is playing too rough?”

It’s SO important to know when your dog is being too rough with others -- or if others are being too rough with your dog -- to keep everyone safe and in control. After all, it only takes one incident to impact your dog’s socialization skills. Plus, nobody wants to see a dog get hurt.

So what’s the key to knowing if your dog is playing too rough? It’s all about body language.

Let's learn all about it below. 👇

A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT DOG BODY LANGUAGE

As much as we wish they could, our dogs can’t communicate with us using words. Instead, they use barks, whines, and -- most importantly -- body language.

Dogs communicate their feelings and needs largely through their facial expressions, posture, tail placement, and overall body movement. It’s important to take time to understand what different postures and stances mean for your dog since they are different from what they mean for humans.

For this purpose, it’s most important to understand a dog's body language which can signal stress and aggression. We’ll get to those a little bit later, but if dog body language is new to you, we suggest pausing here to dive a little deeper into it before you continue.

And a note on reading your dog's body language, you should view the dog as a whole. Just one part of your dog's body language may or may not communicate the whole story.

For example, barking and growling that is accompanied by a play bow is likely a sign of calm and welcomed play.

Whereas barking and growling which is also accompanied by nipping and raised hackles is likely a sign of aggression or that there might be a fight.

For more background on understanding your dog’s body language, take a read through our guide: How to Read Dog Body Language Basics

🐶 Take a deep dive into all things Dog Body Language in our video course. Learn more here! 🐶

BODY LANGUAGE THAT SIGNALS PLAY

Before we talk about body language signals to be wary of, we wanted to share the “green lights.” If your dog is exhibiting any of these behaviors with other dogs, they’re likely just playing:

• Play bow
• Tag/chase
• Smiling
• Growling or barking
• Play biting

Let's look at each one below. ⤵️

PLAY BOW

The play bow is when your dog drops their front legs onto the ground and sticks their butt in the air facing their playmate. This may even be accompanied by front paw “tippy taps” and tail wags -- both inviting the other dog to play. This is seen as a very inviting and playful sign from dogs!

TAG, YOU'RE IT & CHASE

Dogs that take turns chasing each other are generally engaging in play. If chasing isn’t continually one-sided, they’re getting along just fine.

Dogs that are enjoying the tag and chase will typically give the other dog space when the tag/chase stops, as well.

SMILING

Just like with humans, smiling can be a sign of happiness. However, this isn’t always the case -- more on that later.

Related Reading: Appeasement Behavior in Dogs

GROWLING OR BARKING

Young puppies often “play growl,” and adult dogs will yap away with their playmates. If the tone is lighthearted and other body language cues suggest play, this means they’re just having fun with each other.

Warning growls on the other hand are often shorter and deeper, and will happen when a dog gets too close to another dog's space.

Read our complete dog growling guide here.

PLAY BITING

If your dog is nipping at another dog’s ears, don’t panic. Dogs often play by biting, and don’t cause any harm or injury by doing this.

It’s important to take other signals into context here to make sure it doesn’t turn into anything more than play. For example, if one dog isn’t into it, and shows they just want to be left alone (this happens a lot when a puppy wants to engage an older dog), separate them so the uninterested dog doesn’t get annoyed and retaliate.

🐶 Take a deep dive into all things Dog Body Language in our video course. Learn more here! 🐶

SIGNS OF AGGRESSION, FIGHTING, OR TOO ROUGH OF DOG PLAY

Just as it’s important to know when everything’s all good, it’s equally important (if not more important) to know when a dog’s behavior is crossing the line and turning aggressive or too rough.

While we wish all dogs could get along and play nicely, sometimes that’s just not the case. Here are some signs of aggressive behavior during play to look out for:

• Raised hackles (the hair on the back of their necks and along the spine)
• Stiffness in their torso and legs
• Stiff tail in a high position
• Snapping and/or snarling
• Showing teeth in a wide “smile”
• Lunging suddenly at the other dog
• Continually attempting to chase a dog that’s not engaging in play
• Continually trying to put their paw or neck over another dog
• Biting that goes beyond nipping

If your dog, or their playmate, shows these body language cues, it’s time to separate them and change the environment before a dog fight occurs and you have to break it up. But do so carefully -- you want to avoid creating additional stress or accidental injury to you or a dog.

Related Reading: The Canine Ladder of Aggression

One thing to make clear: If your dog shows signs of aggression, they are not a bad dog. Some dogs get territorial over places, toys, or people -- this is called resource guarding and can be corrected. Other dogs are simply more reactive than others, and that’s okay too.

The important thing is that you recognize the signs of reaction and aggression in your dog so you can adjust their environment and training to address it. There are many courses in the Pupford Academy that can address specific behaviors, but you can always request an in-person consultation from a certified dog trainer.

🐶 Take a deep dive into all things Dog Body Language in our video course. Learn more here! 🐶

UNDERSTANDING YOUR DOG’S SPECIFIC BODY LANGUAGE

You’ve probably noticed that some of the behaviors listed as signs of playfulness can also be signs of aggression depending on the intent. That can get a bit confusing.

That’s why it’s so important to understand the context of your dog’s cues and how they fit in with their overall body language. Every dog is different in that regard, so it’s important to take the time to get to know yours. After all, nobody knows your dog better than you do.

Our Dog Body Language Course is designed to help pup parents like you understand your dog’s body language signals so you can help them stay happy and safe during playtime with others.

It includes video breakdowns of common body language signals, PDF cheat sheets, in-depth breakdowns, and more -- everything you need to know about your dog’s body language.

RECAP OF KNOWING WHETHER DOGS ARE PLAYING OR FIGHTING

While it is always easy to know whether dogs are playing or fighting, their body language is the most important way to decide and act accordingly.

As a recap, here are some common signs that your dog is playing fine with other dogs:

• Play bow
• Tag/chase
• Smiling
• Growling or barking
• Play biting

And, here are some signs that the play has become too rough:

• Raised hackles (the hair on the back of their necks and along the spine)
• Stiffness in their torso and legs
• Stiff tail in a high position
• Snapping and/or snarling
• Showing teeth in a wide “smile”
• Lunging suddenly at the other dog
• Continually attempting to chase a dog that’s not engaging in play
• Continually trying to put their paw or neck over another dog
• Biting that goes beyond nipping

To make sure you keep your pup safe, make an effort to learn about dog body language. Be sure to check out our Dog Body Language Course here!

What are your other tips for keeping your pup happy and safe while playing with other dogs? We’d love to hear about them in the comments!

🐶 Take a deep dive into all things Dog Body Language in our video course. Learn more here! 🐶