Eat Play Love? By Veterinarian Dr. Cassie Jones
Eat Play Love?
By Veterinarian Dr. Cassie Jones
Oh, my! In this summer of COVID-19, the spike in new cases of puppyhood peaked around July, with all those new additions romping and playing now through the fall and winter. What a joy to watch puppies at play. But what are they really doing?
Doggonit, Play is Serious Business!
One theory is that play helps puppies learn motor skills.
Another theory is that play is training for unexpected things to happen.
A third theory shows evidence that play promotes social cohesion between dogs
And a fourth theory scientists have considered is that play is just a side-effect of other processes, such as having too much energy or a deprived, unstimulating environment. Poor environments are linked with the development of stereotypies (repetitive behaviors), rather than actual play.
Studies reviewing play behavior in adult dogs show us that play and playfulness was probably selected for in domestication of dogs. Makes sense, right?
Enough of the book-learning about play, however. Let’s have some fun with it!
Might seem obvious, but dogs like to play with humans, and would prefer to play with a human than to play on their own with a toy.
Maybe you have a COVID puppy right now and want to harness this delight. Oh, and combine it with some training. Might want to look into a puppy class, small but in-person or an-in-home trainer who can train you and your pup to live and play well together. What, you say? Puppies have to go to class to learn to play? Well, it helps a lot. A good puppy class should include opportunities for play. This will help your puppy to develop useful skills for later in life. Play should be a positive experience, so expect the dog trainer to monitor it carefully. If at any time you are not sure if your puppy is enjoying it, do a test: separate the puppies in the class and see if they want to return to play or not.
Whether your new best friend came from a breeding facility or a shelter or a single family home, it may not have had many play opportunities with their littermates because of the environment in which they were raised (also a potential source of problems in pet store puppies). In these cases, it may be even more important to have play sessions during puppy class so they can learn appropriate canine social skills. Also, using play to promote the adoption of shelter dogs is example of using play to improve animal welfare.
Considering that they're a social species, it is unsurprising that most dogs play just fine with each other. They wrestle, chase, bow, and bounce, with what looks like abandon but is actually a well-choreographed dance governed by intricate dog-dog communication.
"Does not play well with others"
So. I did say most dogs play just fine. As any veterinarian will tell you, some dogs who enjoy play also seem to be...well, not that good at it. Sometimes they may play well. But at other times, or with other dogs, they seem to go into overdrive, or head off to la-la-land: not picking up on signals from their playmates when things get too rough, they then end up in a snark-off or real squabble, and they just don't seem to get it when other dogs who try to tell them to back off, please.
If this sounds like your dog, don't despair. Push up your sleeves, call in a great dog trainer, and help your dog to find their inner play expert. Knowing some common play postures can help you realize when play is happening and when it is becoming not fun.
What are all those postures and sounds during play about? Recognizing proper dog play behavior lets you know when it’s escalating into inappropriate play and getting closer to a fight, so you can press pause and allow the dogs to reset.
A play bow is when the dog "bows" at the other dog with their front elbows on the floor and their rear in the air (like the downward dog pose in yoga). This is a signal that is inviting another dog to play, or is something that happens during play that says, "I'm still playing, you're still playing, too, right?" It provides a nice break for both dogs to catch their breath and reaffirm that they're both on the same page.
Well-mannered dog play includes lots of brief pauses to prevent play from escalating into a fight. Some dogs do a great job of managing their own escalation of energy during play by pausing briefly during wrestle and chase episodes.
You'll also notice that good playmates switch roles during play — at first one is on the bottom while wrestling, and then the other takes a turn underneath. A dog might start as the one being chased, and then turn around and start chasing the other. That’s good play behavior!
Look for fluid and relaxed bodies and faces during dog play; dogs should be nice and floppy in their movements. Dogs make big, overstated movements when they're playing. You should see dogs happily falling down and making themselves vulnerable to the others; this means they are comfortable with their playmate that they are not worried about exposing their belly.
Sounds and vocalizations during play are exaggerated too! Play growling and snarling is prolonged and often loud, frequently punctuated by medium to high-pitched barking.
Studies have found that male puppies frequently let their female puppy playmates win during play, even when the males were bigger and stronger. Male dogs will even put themselves in positions that leave them vulnerable. For example, they may occasionally lick their playmates’ muzzles, which gives the female puppies with an opportunity to easily play-bite in return.
So, now that you know a few more things about what to watch for and encourage in dog play, it’s time to put that knowledge in to practice! Get out there and have some fun! There is a great public art display of dog play poses in Long Beach at Rosie’s Beach. Look up Dogs at Play there and rejoice!
Dr. Cassie Jones, veterinarian, principal owner and founder Point Vicente Animal Hospital in Golden Cove, Rancho Palos Verdes. Past President of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy Board of Directors. UCLA and UCDavis. Native plant enthusiast and collector of art that captures something of what we are all about. Husband Lewis Enstedt, peninsula native and cat mom to Howie and Dewey.
Point Vicente Animal Hospital
pointvicentevet.com