Dogs fighting or playing?

Monday May 25th, 2009

Question:

Dog fighting and dog playing look so similar to me--how can I tell the difference?

Answer:

Great question! You are right, sometimes dog play can look like dog fighting because many of the behaviors used during play are also used during fighting, except during play, these behaviors are modified so that they don't inflict injury. For example, during both fighting and playing, dogs jump on one another and sometimes try to "pin" or force the other into a down position. Dogs bite, they chase, they snarl and show their teeth, and they vocalize. These similarities are why we sometimes refer to rough and tumble play between dogs as "play fighting."

Even though on first take, play fighting and real fighting may look similar, there are some key differences between the two. For example, during play, dogs often engage in self-handicapping behavior. Self-handicapping occurs when one player voluntarily puts herself in a vulnerable or disadvantaged position in order to give her partner a competitive advantage.

One example of a self-handicapping behavior that dogs use during play is the voluntary down, where one player falls to the ground (without assistance from her partner) and may flip over on her back and expose her belly. This type of behavior would never occur during a real fight. Dogs also use play signals during play, and one of the more commonly seen signals is the play bow. The dog doing a bow will face her partner and crouch down with her forelimbs nearly touching the ground. At the same time, the hind end is high in the air, and the tail is often wagging. In our research on dog play*, we found that play bows and voluntary downs tend to occur in conjunction with one another and that they may work together to help keep play fun and encourage the participants to continue with the game.

Dogs who are playing, as opposed to fighting, will also sometimes display a characteristic play face (also seen in wild canids and primates), which looks a little bit like a relaxed open-mouth smile. Unfortunately, we don't know if it has any communicative function during play or whether it simply is an outward expression of an internal emotion (i.e., joy, happiness), or maybe it serves both functions. Research on the play face in dogs would make a great scientific research project!

*Ward, C., Bauer, E.B., & Smuts, B. 2008. Play partner preferences and asymmetries in social play among domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) littermates. Animal Behaviour, 76: 1187-1199. See www.AboutDogsLLC.com (click on "Dog Science News") for more information about the study.

Dr. Camille Ward lectures nationally and internationally at scientific conferences, where she presents her research findings on dog cognition and social behavior. She teaches a class called "Dog Cognition, Behavior, and Welfare" at the University of Michigan, and she has published on animal behavior in a variety of scientific journals. She recently completed a book on dog obedience and behavior entitled Relationship Training for a Well-Behaved Dog.

Tags Dog Behavior

DogTime newsletter

Related Content on DogTime.com

The dirt on dogs who dig
March 31st, 2011
If your lawn or yard looks like a buried treasure hunt, your dog's digging problem is probably out of control. Cementing in the entire yard is one solution, but there are other options. The dirt on...
Buckarooz! Free Range Antler Chews
March 31st, 2011
Pet Product Review - Buckarooz! Free Range Antler Chews Hooray! I have found a new favorite dog treat; Buckarooz! Free Range Premium Quality Antlers. Did you know that every year deer of all kind drop...
Raising a puppy: Training your puppy what to chew
March 31st, 2011
The dog is a social and inquisitive animal. He needs to do something, especially if left at home alone. What would you like your dog to do? Crosswords? Needlepoint? Watch soaps on the telly? You must...

	There's more information on dogs and getting along if you look up cesar millan, dog whisperer. He's great! 4 months ago by emmyreno
	Hello. I have had my dog (female German shepherd/lab mix) for almost five years. One of my family friends have decided they need to give up their dog (female German Shepherd, 4 months old) and if they couldn't find a home she would be put in the pound. So we wanted to bring her home for a day or so to make sure they got along well, and they have been fighting, chasing each other, and pouncing since they met. They do show the "play face" most of the time, but sometimes (i.e., when the new dog tried to eat from the old dog's bowl; when the new dog was being petted by one of us and the old one wasn't) they snap at each other. It scares all of us, because we can't tell if they get along, and they are just playing, or if they really might hurt each other. We don't know if we can keep her if this keeps going on without us knowing if they are friends or not. They growl at each other, and they both bark every once in a while. They seem happy, because their tails are wagging and they usually have a play face. I've also noticed that the young one often chases the old one, even though the older one is much faster (is this the "voluntary handicapping" you mentioned?) I just need help deciphering if they would be compatible living together without hurting each other. Thank you! 8 months ago by Anonymous
	Hello! I have an 11-month male Ridgeback mix. My concern is that he seems to play too aggressively. He constantly tries to bite at other dog’s legs to bring them to the ground. Also, he's started to bear his teeth and does not display the “play face” that is spoken of in this article. We have stopped taking him to the dog park for fear he will upset the other dog owners. Once he calms down, he’s a very sweet puppy – do you think he just gets overwhelmed when playing and he becomes overly aggressive? about 1 year ago by Anonymous
	Hi there, I have a 2 year old Rhodesian Ridgeback male. He is a very good dog and has been very well socialised since a puppy. He is extremely friendly with people and also other dogs. He is though (as the breed normally shows) a bit reserved or wary when first meeting other dogs, especially if larger. He doesn't immediately play with them until he has fully scoped them out. A problem seems to have developed though following an attack in the park 6 months ago. He was attacked by a retriever and german shepherd and had a bad slash to his ear. Since then, he has been agreesive to any retriever or german shepherd he has seen since. It has also grown recently to include any large male dog. He is fine with smaller dogs, even if they should initially come across as unfriendly or yappy (which often happens i think due to his side - they feel the need to try to assert themselves). He just ignores them. However anything past a large Labrador he starts to feel quite threatened and has started to lunge out and try to go for them should they come over to him with that upright, dominent stance. Initially it was just males but recently he's done it with a couple of large female dogs. i've tried to make him feel at ease with larger dogs and by stopping and talking to them and the owners so he can see they are no threat but this doesn't seem to help. Will this get worse? Can it be stopped? over 1 year ago by Anonymous

Recent conversations on these topics

Canine Communication, II: "Calming Signals" & the Mel Gibson Tapes
Hi dog lovers! Check out my latest article on how dogs communicate, including input from Sigmund Freud, the Beach Boys, and the Mel Gibson tapes. Enjoy! <a href="http://ow.ly/2cxgt">Canine Communication, II: Calming Signals & the Mel Gibson Tapes<a>” LCK
Political Animals: Why Some Stray Dogs Have Joined the Greek Riots
An interesting sociological phenomenon is taking place in the city of Athens. Some of the city's stray dogs are joining the anti-government demonstrators! <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/my-puppy-my-self/201005/political-animals-why-some-stray-dogs-have-joined-the-greek-riots">Political Animals: Why Stray Dogs Have Joined the Greek Riots<a> LCK
Anyone heard of the Hotdoll for Dogs?
This is too funny! Saw this on divinecaroline.com... "The Hotdoll is a doggy love doll that is supposed to help channel the sexual appetite of canine pets." The Hotdoll website doesn't appear to be ready yet but checkout the article and picture here:<a href="http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/33672/33237-hotdoll-dogs">Hotdoll Article</a> Doesn't the dog in the picture look satisfied??!!
replica swiss watches
If you want to buy some,I recomeend <a href="http://www.repliquemontres.org" title="http://www.repliquemontres.org">replique montre</a>,<a href="http://www.repliquemontres.org" title="http://www.repliquemontres.org" >replique</a>,<a href="http://www.sir-mgmt.com" title="http://www.sir-mgmt.com">swiss replica watches</a> to you!You maylike this <a href="http://www.sir-mgmt.com" title="http://www.sir-mgmt.com">replica watches</a> <a href="http://www.repliquemontres.org" title="http://www.repliquemontres.org">repliques montres</a> and <a href="http://www.replicaswisswatches.us" title="http://www.replicaswisswatches.us">replica watches</a>.Thank you for come to replicaswisswatches.us!