All dogs love to rough house and play, but sometimes it can go too far, and the dog can become too aggressive during playtime. Rough house play is a natural socializing event that mostly all dogs love to do. It helps them socialize and teaches them how to act better amongst other dogs. However, there are times where a dog’s rough play can lead to a more aggressive personality. This can happen to any dog of any breed as it comes down to the dog’s personality and how they are trained.
If left unchecked, the dog’s personality can become more aggressive and dominating, resulting in the dog hurting other dogs and possibly small children. The best way to handle this is through training methods that teach your dog when to play rough and how rough they may play. You should use toys such as rope to play with your dog and not use your body, as that may influence their behavior to be more aggressive and bite or nip you. You should use the rope toy to play with them and use it gently, so they know not to get too aggressive while playing. You should stop playing with them if your dog starts to bark or jump and try to bite the rope from you to avoid giving them attention. Saying “No” and ignoring them until they calm down then rewarding them with treats is a good way for the dog to understand the positive behavior you’re trying to teach them. If your dog starts to get too persistent and starts barking and jumping on you, the best action to take is to move your body away from them and ignore them to show that they will not get a reaction with that bad behavior.
Basic training commands in general will also help your dog when they play. If your dog is trained with basic commands such as “stay” and “come,” your dog will gain discipline and have a more cooperative personality. Another way to release your dog’s energy and prevent aggressive play is to give them a good amount of exercise daily. Dogs have more energy to burn than humans, so giving them decent long walks daily will help reduce their energy and stress levels. Playing fetch and throwing a toy around for them to chase will also help a decent amount as they will burn access energy. You could also spay or neuter your dog as well, that will decrease their energy and make them less aggressive and dominant towards other dogs.
There are many ways to decrease your dog’s aggressive rough housing and personality, and in the long run it’ll be better for both you and your dog. Your dog will learn to socialize and play properly with other dogs, and you won’t have to worry about your dog jumping on you or biting you when it wants attention or playtime
