I love watching these sorts of video's I find dog behaviour and interaction with each other very interesting.
I woudl say it is play, but there are other things trying to be established through the play. Fighting might not be the right word for it though. Lexi and Jasper are at this stage at the moment, and that play style is very normal, especially for two dogs living together and especially when one of the dogs is at the age Mint is and is the 2nd dog that has been brought into the house.
My opinion is that they are playing, but also Mint is also seeing if he can be boss of Cinnamon, through play. Mint is very unlikely to become the boss/higher in the pack than Cinnamon though as she is older and also a female. If you watch Cinnamons behaviour towards the end she is getting fed up of Mint trying to boss her around, so she starts standing up straighter and stiffer and then even jumps on the seat to put herself higher - in dog language height is everything. Jasper is doing the exact same thing to Lexi at the moment, he is coming over the top of her, standing over her when she's lying on the ground - all during play, he's seeing if he can actually be boss, in the end Lexi gets fed up as it has turned more into a challenge and not a game, she stands up straight and stiff and reminds him that she is the boss, and if he doesn't get the idea she will put herself higher and start giving all the warning signs of getting irritated - lip lifting, turning away, growling.
Really it is a style of play that can sometimes turn into more of a challenge, and is all very normal dog behaviour. I thought I might just give a more behavioural view if you were interested :)
I hope it made sense, I'm definately not very good at explaining things in writing :p
Definately playing, we play like that every night but even rougher and faster and we are both 6 years old. Slam dunking and body slams off the couch are the best. And Magoo vocalises through the whole thing which can sound scary but we's still only playing. Once in a while you might even hear a yelp and it will just be that someone has "mouthed" too hard, the yelp will stop it. You will know if it suddenly turns to fighting, which is hardly hardly ever.
Playing, for sure!
ReplyDeletePlay-fighting, rather!
You guys look like you're having a blast. And, Mint is getting really big!
Hehe I think Cinnamon was having even more fun than Mint!!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely playing - looks just like our house :o)
ReplyDeleteSuper playtime. The rougher the better.
ReplyDeleteSlobbers,
Mango
Yeah! Play-fighting is the best!! :-)
ReplyDeleteA lil bit of both, plus exercise thrown in. Kess outgrew this. So, now she gets really annoyed when a young pup wants to play with her. Sigh...
ReplyDeleteNo question - playing - we wrestle all the time.
ReplyDeleteOh we loved watching you two play!
ReplyDeleteBut we could hardly believe our eyes!!! Mint is so big now!
We love playing like that too!
your pals,
Digby and Delta
I love watching these sorts of video's I find dog behaviour and interaction with each other very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI woudl say it is play, but there are other things trying to be established through the play. Fighting might not be the right word for it though.
Lexi and Jasper are at this stage at the moment, and that play style is very normal, especially for two dogs living together and especially when one of the dogs is at the age Mint is and is the 2nd dog that has been brought into the house.
My opinion is that they are playing, but also Mint is also seeing if he can be boss of Cinnamon, through play. Mint is very unlikely to become the boss/higher in the pack than Cinnamon though as she is older and also a female. If you watch Cinnamons behaviour towards the end she is getting fed up of Mint trying to boss her around, so she starts standing up straighter and stiffer and then even jumps on the seat to put herself higher - in dog language height is everything.
Jasper is doing the exact same thing to Lexi at the moment, he is coming over the top of her, standing over her when she's lying on the ground - all during play, he's seeing if he can actually be boss, in the end Lexi gets fed up as it has turned more into a challenge and not a game, she stands up straight and stiff and reminds him that she is the boss, and if he doesn't get the idea she will put herself higher and start giving all the warning signs of getting irritated - lip lifting, turning away, growling.
Really it is a style of play that can sometimes turn into more of a challenge, and is all very normal dog behaviour. I thought I might just give a more behavioural view if you were interested :)
I hope it made sense, I'm definately not very good at explaining things in writing :p
~Laura
It looks like the sort of play Dennis is constantly trying to get the others to engage him. Dennis wants younger siblings ...
ReplyDeleteDefinately playing, we play like that every night but even rougher and faster and we are both 6 years old. Slam dunking and body slams off the couch are the best. And Magoo vocalises through the whole thing which can sound scary but we's still only playing. Once in a while you might even hear a yelp and it will just be that someone has "mouthed" too hard, the yelp will stop it. You will know if it suddenly turns to fighting, which is hardly hardly ever.
ReplyDeletePlaying or not, that would freak me out. But I'm as wimpy as my beagle. We're lovers, not fighters. Er..players.
ReplyDeleteOh that's playing lol - looks just like Ruby and me in our daft half hour! Mint is nearly as big as you Cinnamon x
ReplyDeleteThat's playing of course. Mint is as big as Cinnamon! Amazing.
ReplyDeletelove & wags,
River