Rough-and-Tumble Play: Okay or No-Way?
Peggy Moran

What is one of the most enjoyable types of interaction between pets and
their people?---PLAY! Few can resist when a playful dog approaches with a toy
in its mouth and looks up hopefully, eyes bright and tail wagging. This is what
the "human/companion animal bond" is all about---feeling good together! And
while it seems like a perfectly natural idea to jump right in and play "I’m-a-dog,
you’re-a-dog" with man’s best friend, many people are justifiably cautious about
letting the games begin. One of the first forewarnings new dog owners often
read or hear is to completely avoid rough play, such as wrestling, tug-of-war,
and chase games. Most professional trainers advise pet owners never engage in any sort of play which might encourage or reinforce aggressiveness from their dogs. Aggression problems, unruly behavior, and failure to obey commands are frequent fallout from the inappropriate games people play with their pets.
Yet these are forms of play dogs seem to enjoy, and which come to them
naturally. Play can be divided into various types; social play, aggressive play,
manipulative play with objects, and diversive play, in which the dog seems to be
exploring some aspect of its environment. Play can be difficult to describe in an
exact way; however it does have certain characteristics (Hinde, 1970), which are
not necessarily all going to occur in one bout of play. They include:

       Animals observed playing demonstrate incomplete sequences of behavior;
an example would be a dog pouncing upon a toy, but not following through with
biting and shaking it back and forth, as it would with "real" prey.

       There may be exaggerated physical behavior patterns specific to play, such
as a puppy poking at a toy with its nose, then leaping into the air away from it .
Different types of behavior are intermingled, such as offering or "teasing" with
a toy during a "keep away" game; dogs feeling genuinely possessive do not
"share".

       The intensity of the movements may not be in keeping with the sequence
as a whole; for instance the "savage attack" on a thrown toy may be
exaggerated.

       Social play is usually responded to as non-threatening by members of the
same species, and is often preceded by a special signal; communication of
this sort (termed "metacommunication" for those who like technical terminology)
indicates "what follows is play"; other dogs recognize "aggression" after a
play-signal (such as bowing, presentation of a toy, etc.) is not real or threatening. Behaviors which occur during play are elicited by a wide range of stimuli which wouldn’t be sufficient enough to elicit a response under normal circumstances, for example, a dog pouncing on a toy is not actually believing the toy is dinner and is not feeling truly predatory. In dogs (and other higher mammals) the play of the young is often elicited by an older animal, such as a mother dog lying down and assuming a submissive posture to draw the puppies into play interaction with her.

       Play is an important element of a puppy’s development, and continues to
be important to canine social relationships in adulthood. Play is thought to be
essential in order for an animal to acquire the communication skills of its species
(Bekoff, 1976). Play may help a dog learn to predict how other animals (including humans!) are going to behave, and to alter its own behavior accordingly. Amongst undomesticated dogs, play is important to survival; stalking, pouncing, chasing and biting  during play help fine-tune and train predatory mechanisms for better hunting accuracy. Vigorous play stimulates and strengthens muscle, bone and cardio-pulmonary systems, serving as physical training which increases the likelihood of survival and reproduction (Brownlee, 1954). In canine social hierarchies the "perks" go to the fittest individuals, who emerge as "leaders of the pack" in part because of success experienced while playing. During playful "sparring matches" dogs test each other’s strength and leadership capabilities. These ritualized fights allow dogs to prove who actually is "top dog" without bloodshed or harm.
       Dogs interact with one another in rough-and-tumble ways when playing. A
dog trying to engage another dog in play will often approach with a toy, stick or
other tempting possession, luring the other dog into attempting to take it. When
the second dog goes for the bait either a chase, game of tug, or wrestling match
will inevitably follow. Dog-to-dog relationships seem strengthened, not harmed
by the play they engage in. So what is the harm in engaging in similar play with
human family members? Why does interactive play between humans and dogs
so frequently escalate into dominant, unruly and even overtly aggressive behavior from the dog? The answer to both questions is: miscommunication.
       Animal loving people work hard to understand and communicate with their pets, but sometimes they make the mistake of interpreting animal behavior by comparing it to their own. And while there may be some parallels, there are many more differences. We interact in ways which come naturally and make sense to us, and we are not always perceived by our pets in the ways we intend. Speaking, punishing, rewarding and playing, we are often communicating unclear or undesirable messages to our dogs. It is obvious these social animals need and appreciate our attention, as they continue to seek and initiate it. Play is a great way for us to positively interact with and even educate our pet dogs, provided it is done knowing what we are really saying with our physical interactions and body language.
Certain human actions cause predictable, reflexive reactions from pet dogs. During play these reactions can be exaggerated, just as many other play behaviors are. Barking during play can reach a nerve racking level of intensity, as can mouthing, jumping and tenacious, playful persistence. Some people, aware of this cause-and-effect relationship between themselves and their dogs, use their knowledge to help improve their dog’s behavior while playing. Others accidentally agitate dogs during play because they don’t recognize how their own behaviors reinforce and contribute to their pet’s escalating excitement and resulting loss of self control. Still others (hopefully a minority), know exactly what they are doing when they deliberately provoke dogs during play, trying to get any response, however inappropriate. These individuals enjoy the negative effect their attempts at "play" have.
Inappropriate behavior released during play helps negatively shape the way a dog will behave in non-play situations. It also influences a dog’s perception of, and relationship with, the person it is playing with. People who stimulate defensive reactions from dogs in play will cause their dogs to become fearful and shy in general. People who encourage or accidentally reinforce excessive roughness, rather than teach control or inhibition of aggressive behaviors during play, may soon experience serious aggression from the same dog. Dominance behaviors being allowed or improperly countered by an owner during play only heighten a dog’s overall perception of itself as leader rather than follower in relationship with that person.
When children are allowed to engage in rough play with dogs, it opens the door to serious trouble. Most children between the ages of five and ten who are bitten by their family dog have a history of inappropriate play with the dog. Aggressive play is not just play to a dog; it is a way to work out dominance issues. When children play rough with a dog they allow the dog to score many dominance "points"; mouthing, mounting, pawing, and tugging all may communicate "I am the top dog" and in many cases aggression is reinforced. When adults play rough with a dog in a household which includes children, the backlash may be increased dominance behavior over smaller or less assertive family members. Even when a dog defers to one family member, if the option of  "hand-to-mouth-combat" has been introduced during play it will probably make a reappearance in non-play situations, with other family members. Children tend to imitate their parents’ methods of playing with and disciplining a pet. If a young child plays rough games with the family dog, the dog has been allowed to "spar" with and to use aggression toward the child. Later if the same child attempts to reclaim a stolen toy from a dog who is now in a seriously possessive rather than playful mood, the dog may bite. During play the dog was being allowed to subtly demonstrate "I have greater strength and dominance". A puppy would know better than to later confront the dog, but a child may feel entitled to authority over it, and will probably ignore or not understand the dog’s "back off or I’ll bite" warning behaviors. Confronting an aggressive dog is unwise for anyone, but especially dangerous for children. And if children DO back off when warned by the dog, the dog will be reinforced as successfully dominant over that child. Dominance aggression is best handled proactively, by never letting it surface and escalate in the first place. Aggressive play is a sure-fire way of increasing dominant tendencies in dogs who are not completely controllable and self-controlled.
It is important to NEVER leave children to play unsupervised with a dog unless you trust both the dog’s temperament and the children’s’ judgment completely (I know many nice dogs and responsible children, but still err on the side of caution and supervise time they spend together). Dogs have reflexive responses to provocation and children are frequently provoking, whether deliberately or accidentally.
When restricted from inappropriate play interaction with their pet, many owners are at a loss as to what they can do, instead, to have fun with their dog. Instructed to play fetch games, many owners are frustrated by the dog changing the game to "keep away". If the thrown object is actually returned by the dog it may not be released, and when not tugged upon by the owner, the game turns negative one way or another. Either the owner must give up and walk away, relinquishing the "prize" to the dog and reinforcing the dog’s dominance, or the frustrated owner becomes punitive, taking the wind out of everyone’s sails or worse, provoking possession-related aggression.
Here are some wrong ways to play, their possible negative repercussions,
and some alternative suggestions:

Chasing a dog during play increases flight behavior and leads to
difficulty later, when wanting the dog to come when called. Too many owners
play "I’m going to get you" day after day, never seeing how it contributes to their
high blood pressure and lateness to work when the dog decides to play an
untimely game of "keep-away".

What to play instead:

Stop on Command--take your dog out into the yard on a
long (20’) light line or leash; allow the dog to play and run about, but do not
chase. Give a command such as "Stop" (or whatever you want to say) whenever
you observe the dog voluntarily stopping; this will teach the dog a positive
association with the word as a command which means: "stand still". Reward full
stops with the toss of a toy; give an "okay" command as the dog moves to chase
the toy, and the dog will learn to associate the word "okay" with release. After
using this shaping approach, with no confrontation or correction for several
days, allow the dog to do a few "okay’s" to the tossed toy. Suddenly confront the
dog as it is running away from you with the "stop" command; if it continues to
move use the long line to help the dog stop. Do NOT punish your dog for flight! HELP it to stop GENTLY with the line. When the dog is actually standing
still whether you helped or not, repeat your "stop" word, then give back freedom
with your "okay" command. Work up to saying "stop" and approaching the dog; if
it takes off, trying to evade capture, use the line. Require the dog to remain still
until you have come up and touched it. Praise as you approach, as long as the
dog is standing still, but do not keep repeating your command. Teach your dog
to associate waiting obediently for your approach with positive reinforcement,
and be sure to make any corrections for flight remote, or impersonal. Do NOT
jerk hard or punish your dog; and do not speak as you use the light line to
prevent or correct flight. You are not trying to punish your dog for being "wrong",
you are trying to help it to be right! This exercise will help you and your dog both
enjoy future off-lead play, and helps change "keep away" into "I’d rather stay!".

Allowing a dog to chase people during play may increase the dog’s predatory
and territorial aggressive drives.

What to play instead:

Teach your dog to chase TOYS, not people and to stop in mid-pursuit on command. Tie a stuffed toy to a length of sturdy cord, and drag
it about, allowing your dog to chase and bite the toy. Occasionally ask your dog
to "stop" (see above) while in hot pursuit; use the light line (also explained
above) to make certain the dog respects your stop command (it helps to have
the toy stop moving as you give the command). Reward the dog for stopping by
giving the "okay" command and allow it to chase the once-again moving toy. The
dog will enjoy a safe chasing game while you gain control of the dog’s predatory
behavior.

Allowing unruly tugging and mouthiness during play may increase the
likelihood of the dog becoming more dominant and mouthy all of the time. This can be especially dangerous for children, who tend to encourage increasing excitability until the playful dog has gone completely out of control. It is best to stay away from this game in families where children may initiate or engage in tugging with the dog without an adult's understanding of and ability to enforce rules.

What to play instead:

Go ahead and tug--the right way! Though tug-of-war is considered by most trainers to be a dangerous game, and despite forewarnings of possible problems, many dog owners engage in tugging with their pet to some extent; most admit it is their favorite "rough" game to play with their dog. If an owner is determined to participate in this sort of play rather than to err on the side of caution by sticking with less agitating games, they might consider the following suggestions for teaching dogs to tug and release on command. Tug-of-war with permission and proper training can actually be used to reduce mouthiness and possessiveness, when done carefully and following strict rules. This is NOT a game to play with a dog who has any history of inappropriate aggression. Use only one toy for tug-training, and be sure the game always ends with the owner keeping and putting away the toy. Do not engage in tugging play initiated by the dog, or using any toy other than the designated training toy. Some people create monsters by playing tug with their pet with cloth toys, old dish towels, or socks. Later they can't be too surprised when their dog is chronically stealing items from the laundry then refusing to relinquish them, instead engaging in untimely and inappropriate "tug-of-WAR". Teach your dog to tug at a toy and to immediately release it on command. Never allow dogs to bite or "mouth" hands; never play tug-of-war with toys unless you initiate and control the game. Do not begin to teach the "tug" game until your release command is being consistently obeyed. Teach your dog to release, or "drop" on command, by observing your dog playing with toys; each time you see your dog voluntarily release a toy, say "drop" (or whatever you’d like to say as a command--I actually use "thank you"). Praise enthusiastically and immediately throw another toy (you may need a bucket of them--tennis balls, soft toys--whatever your dog likes best); when the dog picks up a toy say "take". Keep repeating and your dog will learn: drop one to get one.
Next begin to offer the designated tugging toy out of your hand while the dog is near you and on its leash. You must be holding the leash in one hand and the toy in the other. Say "okay" and if your dog takes the toy say "take"; do not let go of the toy, but praise, and if the dog begins to pull, say "tug!" After a few tugs, suddenly command "drop" and if the dog doesn’t let go, tighten the leash (but do NOT start "jerking" it or lift the dog up with it!) enough to make it slightly
uncomfortable. Don’t make eye contact with the dog while it is uncomfortable,
and don’t repeat your command; just wait it out until the dog finally lets go.
If your dog has a history of showing possession-related aggression and
begins to get more assertive, trying to "win" the battle for the toy, you may need
to startle it with a shake of a "dog bomb"---a plastic pop bottle with a few pennies
in it. This may be more effective if you allow your dog to meet and develop a
dislike for the "bomb" and the sound it makes, unrelated to the play experience.
Drop one bomb on the ground, and when your dog sniffs it drop a second one
just behind it. DON’T say anything; allow the bomb to speak for itself. The noise
it makes will derail your dog’s train of thought when it hears it. This allows the
impersonal bomb-sound to do the subtle correcting, while you remain the fun
"good guy". When the dog does finally drop, whether you just waited it out or did
need to use a shake of the bomb, repeat "drop!" enthusiastically; say "okay" and
offer the toy back. The toy is really what the dog wanted all along, and it is a
great reward! Note: If you do have to shake a bomb with a dominant, possessive
dog, be forewarned it may have an excessively inhibiting effect on your dog’s
play, at least for awhile. But that is okay, because if you needed to shake the
bomb, your dog needed inhibiting! Play will be no fun at all if you can’t trust your
dog not to lose control and become overly aggressive. If it seems your dog is
over-corrected by the bomb, go back to playing with toys indirectly, such as in
the chase game, until it is over the slight aversion the bomb may have created to
a toy in your hand. Most dogs only "sulk" for a short while, and are easily enticed
back into a now-controllable interaction. Serious aggression requires hands-on
help from a professional behaviorist; ask your veterinarian for a referral if you
need help.
When teaching the give-and-take rules, don’t always hold onto the toy;
sometimes give it over to the dog completely. When asking a dog to "drop" a toy
it is in possession of, do not reach for or take it out of the dog’s mouth; instead
teach it to "drop" on command while you remain hands-off. When the dog lets go
(use the leash-stopping technique if necessary, to help the dog WANT to let go
of the toy), pick the toy up and reward the dog for dropping by saying "okay" and
giving it back. This exercise teaches dogs to drop on command, and introduces
a safe way to play tugging games. The reward of letting go of a toy is getting the
toy back or getting another one. Be patient when teaching, and be sure not to
punish; let the dog learn voluntarily giving up the toys is what keeps this game
moving along; possessiveness causes the game to come to a boring standstill.
The dog will speed up as it learns what works to have fun (giving in) and what
doesn’t (holding out).

Games To NEVER Play:

Wrestling; Teasing; Slappy-Bitey Face:
Physical combat games lead to unruliness, jumping, snapping and aggression in dominant dogs; skittishness, distrust and hand-shyness may result in more inhibited ones. There is no safe, correct alternative way to play these "games" with a family pet.

Other "games" not to play include:
* Sneaking up on or stealing things from dogs as a form of "play" teaches
increased possessiveness, defensiveness or fear.
* "Hero-dog" games, such as "Help me I’m being hurt" or "Sic ‘em, its the
BAD guy!" lead to aggressive biting, with the usual victim being a
non-threatening good guy.  

Does rough play always lead to more serious aggression? Not if the
owner understands how to control and teach self-control to his or her dog. Is
aggressiveness always an "undesirable" characteristic?--Of course not; just ask
any proud Terrier owner! Often it is the owners of the reputedly genetically
"aggressive" breeds of dogs who have the most manageable and self-controlled
pets. They are aware of, appreciate and respect their pets’ aggressive drives,
and do not agitate or encourage inappropriate play. Responsible owners learn
ways to harness a dog’s more assertive tendencies. Play can be used as a
positive approach to training; done carefully and kindly it results in a more
controllable, LESS inappropriately aggressive dog!