Adult dog and puppy

[Nancy]

I have a 12 week old ALD "grand dog" that visits frequently.  Oliver is 8 and tolerates the puppy play fine with no issues at all.  Ivy on the other hand was a bit stand offish (as she is with all new dogs), but now started what looks like playing but I'm not sure.  Archie (puppy) will approach her in a playful or mischievous manner and Ivy will react by putting her mouth around his neck.  She does not seem to hurt him, as he does not yelp or squeal  but I'm thinking she definitely could.  As soon as she starts the behavior, I intervene and she stops.  This continues on and off while they are together.  Is Ivy just saying that she is not interested in puppy antics or is she thinking of hurting him? I'm interested in thoughts as I don't want Archie to get hurt.  The puppy trainer at Petco told my daughter that she should not allow Archie to interact with Ivy because that is an aggressive behavior on Ivy's part.  Thoughts????

[Nancy]

Thanks Karen...I think I just needed reassurance.  My daughter and her fiance' were a concerned because of what the Petco trainer said.  I get that the trainer was being cautious but I  probably have more experience than the trainer even though I am not a certified trainer...LOL.  I also know my dog and have seen her get really annoyed with other dogs and she is not acting the same way with Archie.  I think it is more of a dominance thing because Ivy is definitely the "boss" when it comes to her and Oliver.  He is very passive and has tolerated her puppy antics and even now, if Ivy wants something that Oliver has, whether it be a toy or attention (and she always does), Oliver allows her to have it.  Archie seems to have a bit of Ivy's personality and he is challenging her so I think she is just not going to allow him to think he is above her.  

[Stacy]

It's all wrestling all the time over here. And they mostly chew on each other's faces and neck. No one seems to mind. They are always wet after they play like that. So much slobber. Sometimes I make the puppy let go of Maggie's ear or her collar, when Maggie looks at me like, "mom, she's so annoying." But mostly I just let them do their thing. They all seem aware of the boundaries.

[Barbara, Zoey and Zeke]

My Zeke is 16 wks old , and this is very familiar to me!  His neck seems to stay moist because Zoey is always correcting him!  She makes this light errrrrrrr growl and mouths around his neck.  He is doing naughty puppy stuff like biting her ears and tail.  Sometimes I think they will never be wonderful companions, then I catch them lying down together, or Zoey going off to find him.  She might think he's a bad little puppy, but if only she knew that she was twice as bad!!!   lol

[Sebastian and Chester's Mom]

Without seeing Ivy and Archie interact, there is no way to tell what underlying emotions are leading to the mouth-on-neck behavior.  In a perfect world, the Petco trainer would have known that.  

What does Ivy’s body language tell you?  When she interacts with Archie, is her body soft and relaxed, or is it tense and rigid?  Does she tend to distribute her body weight evenly in Archie’s presence, or does she tend to shift it forward or backward?  What about the position of her mouth?  When she is around Archie, does her commissure seem normal, or does she hold it more to the back or front?  Does she spend a lot of time looking straight at or purposely away from Archie?  Is there any excessive yawning or lip licking from either of them?

If you can safely get video of their interactions, that could be helpful in determining the meaning of Ivy’s behavior toward Archie.  It could very well be that she is playing with him or trying to discipline him, or it could be something else.

I can also offer some resources in learning more about Canine Body Language If you’re interested.  Each of mine has required behavior modification work, and I found that learning to read their body language better was in integral part of that process.  It helped me to see the subtle signs that an outburst was imminent, and redirect my dog’s emotional state before the outburst happened.

[Nancy]

I never thought to record Ivy and Archie's interactions, but will do so the next time he visits.  To me, Ivy's body language is relaxed and she is just disciplining him. However, when he sneaks up on her and pounces on her, she definitely reacts with a snarl or snap but when she is very aware of him and they seem to be playing, that is when I see the behavior.  I will definitely post a video soon.  Thank you all for your comments.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

That sounds pretty normal to me.  An older dog disciplining a rowdy puppy, as they should be so puppy learns proper manners.  

If she is putting her mouth on his neck during play she is likely just trying to assert her position over him since you said she is a more dominant dog.

A video will definitely help!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

My two Doodles also play this way all the time....shark bites.  There is absolutely no aggressive intent.  As others have said, I wouldn't worry unless it escalated to something more and if that happened you'd see a change in body language.

[Nancy]

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipOMoRnLGkce4PQwuOhwnIaWVcNqvSY...

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipM7VHpQtlSw6kJXxdUKvcimEr1SH5C...

Archie came to visit last night and this is what they did.  Now unless I completely do not understand body language, this is definitely play.  Please let me know if you think I am wrong. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Definitely play! And Ivy is egging him on! Looks like she is enjoying it as much as he is! I wouldn't worry one bit about these two. 

[Nancy]

Yes I agree.  We felt so bad for Oliver as he laid in his pen and had to watch.  Almost 2 weeks down and only 8 to 10 more to go......LOL!!!

Oliver is doing great, he is putting I would say 90% weight on his leg.  We go tomorrow to get his staples out.  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Oh good! 

[Rosalyn Ancrum]

I am going through the same thing.  My grandpuppy Koda is 6 months old.  My yorkie who is almost 8 years old is used to being the only one around.  Khloe is only 5 pounds and sometimes she gets tired of Koda. I try to let them be because I think it's just puppy play and correction.  No one has drawn blood or left a mark on each other. Sometimes it does get scary because I don't want them to hurt each other.