# Playing too rough with smaller dogs



## Asten (Feb 1, 2015)

As you probably know, B'Elanna has two smaller furry siblings. Their pack order has remained unchanged. Sophie (dachshund) is leader of the furry pack after the humans in the household of course. Xavier (shih poo) is next, and then the new (big) kid. Everything goes really well with them, they eat milkbones or chew favorite toys within close proximity without issue, they share a water bowl once in a while, and they even begrudgingly share the attention of their respective humans occasionally.

The problems start when B'Elanna gets into a playful puppy mood. The two smaller ones try to correct her and she jumps back at them immediately and usually with too much force, knocking them down. It doesn't look like she's challenging their authority, it's just normal puppy play. She's nipped Sophie's leg hard enough to make her whimper, and Xavier (the usually-too-rambunctious one) even braces himself for impact when he sees her coming lol All Sophie has to do is stand her ground and growl, and B'Elanna backs off of whatever toy, but she hasn't been able to correct the rough play yet. 

So far, for the last couple of weeks, we've been keeping them separated most of the time when she's in the need-to-burn-energy phase so she doesn't accidentally hurt them. We'll throw a ball through the kitchen/dining/living room (open floor plan), play tug, or take her out for a good 15 min walk. 

She's 13 weeks, so if any of you can let me know there's a light at the end of the tunnel, it would be much appreciated  We need to know that calmer days are ahead, even if they're still several months out haha


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Two years ago we had a similar situation between a male GSD pup and a female Italian Greyhound. When the pup was still very young she still had authority but as he grew bigger, he learned that he was plain stronger and had the attitude of "the heck with the little dog's authority". It became dangerous so it was constant management and never leave them alone together. I never saw improvement and hoped for the GSD's maturity to set in at one point. Unfortunately I lost that him a year later and The IG never cared about that. She actually became happy the day he died and celebrated it by running back and forth and rolling on her back on the rugs.
I now have Deja. The IG is also gone now and I won't do the small dog - big dog thing anymore, ever!


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## Kyleigh (Oct 16, 2012)

Asten said:


> So far, for the last couple of weeks, we've been keeping them separated most of the time when she's in the need-to-burn-energy phase so she doesn't accidentally hurt them. We'll throw a ball through the kitchen/dining/living room (open floor plan), play tug, or take her out for a good 15 min walk.


Even at 13 weeks, this is not enough exercise to tire her out.

Do you know anyone with another puppy that they could play together with and really tire each other out?

When Ky was 3 months old she had a best bud (still has the same one 3.5 years later) and those two could easily play for 2 hours and STILL not be tired.


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## Ruger Monster (Jan 29, 2015)

I'm having a similar issue too - Ruger wants to play play play playyyyyyy with our BT, and she just freezes up when he comes over to entice play time. She'll play for *HOURS* on end with another BT, and will play with the BF's dad's Min Pin, but wants nothing to do with Ruger & his puppy play. He does his play-bark, jumps with his butt wiggling in the air, nips, etc. We constantly are having to redirect him to play with us instead, and you can tell he just wants to play with another dog! We have a friend with a Pittie pup that's about 2 months older than him, they love going nuts together, but we can't be at their house all the time for them to play. He ends up playing with the cat more than either of the other dogs at home  

When he's not playing with the cat, we're throwing tennis balls down the hall (and teaching him that giving me back the ball means more chasey-time), rolling on the floor with him, getting zoomies going, etc.


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