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The Many Forms of Dog Play

Dog’s Social Play: An Overview

Dogs have an uncanny semblance of social structure and interaction, which is notably reflected in their play antics.

They are known to demonstrate behaviors that bear a striking similarity to those evident during hunting and agonistic altercations.

These different forms of dog play, however, are charged with a distinct purposefulness and execution. The canine play spectrum encompasses a significant gamut of activities, from lying play fights to high wrestling.

Their social play essentially integrates elements of competition, cooperation, and communication, offering a blueprint of canine social structure in action.

It’s like watching an opera – a magnificent display of emotions, roles, cues, and gestures all composed seamlessly.

Variations of Play Fighting in Dogs

Play fighting in dogs is a multifaceted affair that exhibits an array of variations. These play fights can range from lying play fights, standing play fights, to high wrestling bouts. Each variation is characterized by distinctive body language, movements, and interaction strategies.

One such variation is ‘lying play fighting’ involving a dog adopting a prone position with a relaxed demeanor, coupled with playful threats and movements.

Another common variation is stand-up play fighting where dogs strategically use their paws to destabilize their playmate and induce submissive postures.

Similarly, high wrestling, a more energy-consuming mode of play, features two dogs on their hind legs, locked in an embrace, and trying to out-manoeuvre each other for balance supremacy.

Forms of Dog Play: Lying, Standing and High Wrestling

Llying play fighting entails dogs lying down, engaging in biting each other’s throats, flews (thick, pendulous upper lips), and fur with gentle force.

This action emulates hunting behaviour and mimicks predators clamping down on their prey’s throat.

The primary idea here is to engage in a playful tug of war rather than to inflict harm. Stand-up play fighting, on the other hand, is more dynamic and involves the use of paws to destabilize the play partner.

This game aims to inspire submission or surrender postures – a prevalent theme in dog interaction. Lastly, high wrestling predominantly occurs at the start of play sessions due to its high energy expense.

The dogs stand on their hind legs, attempting to unbalance each other through embraces. This high-energy play is typically short-lived due to its exhaustive nature.

  1. Mounting in play includes various non-sexual clasping positions among dogs.
  2. Play mounts in dogs occur from different angles and are performed by both genders.
  3. Puppies initially exhibit non-sexual, non-social mounting behaviors.
  4. Mounting in play may signal sexual motivation, dominance, or stress relief.
  5. Play fights often start with play biting and use various body parts.
  6. Hip slamming in play could indicate aggression or predatory instincts.
  7. Play fighting mixes offensive and defensive tactics with inhibited bites.
  8. Play forms are categorized as either offense-related or defense-related.
  9. Play biting is characterized by exaggerated gestures and controlled force.
  10. Defensive biting in play involves different vocalizations.
  11. Bite-shake play mimics predatory behavior with restrained force.

How Play Mounting Works in Dogs

Play mounting is a non-sexual activity observed in both male and female dogs as they engage in play. This behavior involves one dog clasping onto another dog’s torso with their front legs and involving pelvic thrusts without a sexual purpose.

Interestingly, puppies initiate mounting during play, with neither sexual context nor social significance. However, as they grow older, their mounting behavior can develop sexual components, especially with an increased degree of physical contact.

This behavior may be initiated from various angles, such as behind, from the side, or even a front-facing direction.

Play Mounting Behavior

There are different theories regarding the motivation behind a dog’s penchant for play mounting.

For instance, Jean Donaldson in 2009 proposed a theory involving sexual motivation for this behavior, while other theories suggest it as a dominant display or a stress-related activity.

Each of these interpretations offers a unique insight into understanding dog behavior and communication.

‘You know, a dog can snap you out of any kind of bad mood that you’re in faster than you can think of.’ (Jill Abramson)

Play Fights and Play Biting in Dogs

Play fights between dogs are often initiated by play biting, a common canine behavior where dogs target the head, throat, or scruff of their play partners without showing signs of aggression.

During the process, dogs use various techniques like employing a wide-open mouth and shoulder use to block and fend off their counterparts.

Play biting is typically characterised by exaggerated open-mouth gestures and inhibited biting pressure to prevent causing harm.

Understanding Offensive and Defensive Play Behaviors in Dogs

In dog play, partners engage in various offensive and defensive actions. According to Althaus’s 1982 study, play forms can be categorized into offense-related or defensive and warding off actions.

The first category includes play biting, high wrestling, mounting and clasping, while the defensive category comprises evasive maneuvers, warding off with paws, and voluntary rolling over.

In addition to these maneuvers, underbelly exposure and inhibited bites often highlight these playful encounters.

Play Aggression and Predatory Behavior in Dogs

Hip slamming during play can signify aggression or predatory behavior in dogs. It is a correlated tactic to those used by wolves to knock down their prey.

Additionally, bite-shake play behavior can simulate actions used by predators, but in a playful context, force is inhibited to prevent harm.

Defensive biting in play is often accompanied by multiple vocalizations like growling and barking. These sounds and actions are an important part of the communication process during play, signaling the other dog to back off or engage more intensely.


Canine play styles and tactics

Dog play styles are a fascinating manifestation of their instinctual behaviors, particularly those related to hunting.

An example of this can be seen in the varied running styles dogs employ during play, mirror images of predatory strategies. For instance, amongst their playful gambits, canines showcase exaggerated body language and alter their gait patterns for a more theatrical effect.

This is evident when they adapt an exaggerated rocking horse gait, a playful motion involving a combination of running and leaping. This gait is characterized by the bracing of the forelegs and the propulsion from the hind legs, thereby evoking mimicking action displays typical in the animal kingdom.

Another playful tactic used by dogs is the display of zigzag running patterns, which introduce an element of unpredictability into their chasing games.

These non-linear running patterns mimic the evasive tactics employed by prey to escape predators.

As a part of these games, the chased dog often displays submissive behavior, shown through a cozy grin and specific ear positioning alluding to the mock prey status.

Bite inhibition and target selection in canines

Bite inhibition is a significant skill learned early in a dog’s life. This behavior allows dogs to engage in playful biting without causing harm, emphasizing the importance of gentleness.

This skill is typically acquired during early-life play experiences with littermates, with the learning process reinforced by different feedback mechanisms that alert the offender of a transgression, thus facilitating bite control.

Interestingly, dogs demonstrate selective preference when nibbling in non-harmful intent. They avoid sensitive areas such as the eyes, opt for less sensitive areas including the neck, shoulders, and the tail region.

Canines begin to display these learned biting behaviors from a fairly young age. For instance, Siberian Huskies and Samoyeds begin to show preference in their bite targets during playful interactions between the eighth to the tenth week of life.

When it comes to human-directed bite inhibition, dogs are trained through cues and signals that highlight human skin sensitivity.

When a dog’s bite exceeds acceptable strength, humans express their discomfort, signaling the dog to be more gentle. Althaus and Günther’s observations reinforce this, noting the shifting focus of play bites in developing Siberian Husky and Samoyed puppies.

As the puppies mature, they demonstrate an increased understanding of appropriate bite areas, helping maintain a friendly, peaceful interaction.

The Science Behind Bite Targeting and Play Forms

In the realm of canine behavior, bite targeting and play forms become refined post the second tooth growth stage.

Dr. Althaus hypothesizes that during this period, canines begin to focus their play bites on differing body parts, showcasing an advanced level of development. The variations observed in this body part focusing during playful biting could be related to specific characteristics like differential amounts of body hair or the presence or absence of a thick mane across different dog breeds.

Recognizing Complex Play Communication in Dogs

Complex play communication manifests differently in dogs and can be identified through various behavioral signals.

These signals could be as obvious as a dog positioning itself in a playful bow or as subtle as exaggerated facial expressions or vocalizations. This form of communication allows dogs to engage in nuanced interplays, displaying a sophisticated level of social interaction. Recognizing and understanding these can help foster a healthier and more nurturing relationship with your canine companion.


Understanding Canine Vocalizations in Play

Canine play is often accompanied by vocal signals like play growling or barking, extending the jovial atmosphere. These sounds are not signs of aggression— they’re just part of the fun.

Similarly, play panting is another characteristic canine vocalization during play that may closely resemble a dog’s version of laughter. Distinct from the panting induced by heat or exhaustion, this unique sound is reserved purely for play.

The interactive nature of dogs is observable in variously unique vocalizations like growling and barking, which play key roles in maintaining playful contexts.

These vocal signals, though they might seem aggressive, intrinsically serve the purpose of encouraging continuation of play.

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