Aggressive playing...

[Corlando465]

My pup is almost 5 months old and I have a question for other bulldog owners. Tank is my first bulldog and the first large breed dog I have had. Tank is usually very sweet and passive, non-Alpha but sometimes stubborn and/or persistent which I understand is just normal bully personality traits. My question: Tank likes to play with me every night and tug of war is his most favorite. When playing, he pretend growls and carries on like he is the meanest, baddest dog ever. Is this okay or could it lead to aggression as he gets older?


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[bullmama]

Great question! Although I have heard different theories, I think it's okay as long as you win. Let's ask [MENTION=2614]Vicaroo1000[/MENTION] she is great with training!

 

[MamaAndi]

Two of our dogs like to play tug with rope. I will engage them in a game of tug but if either one starts growling or moving their mouth up further on the rope I drop it and turn my back and refuse to play any longer. That way they understand that only tugging is acceptable.

 

[RiiSi]

We play tug of war with Usko and that is the only time he growls. Usko lets go of the rope no matter how in to it he is, so I let him growl. I've heard him growl to a dog once and them he was very, and I mean very excited about a female.

 

[Vince00]

With Kain no tug a war is allowed, he sometimes tries to start when we play fetch, I will simply grab another toy get his attention and keep switching off. With the bulldogs nature and desire to win it's a game I do not want to play with him so no one is allowed. He does instantly start to growl as well even as a pup at 10 weeks so not something I want to nurture.

 

[Watson]

I also don't play tug of war with Watson. Playing fetch wears him out pretty well. I dont want to play any kind of games that may cause him to go into aggressive mode.

 

[Davidh]

I have always plated tug a war with mine and they will play growl and such and it has never made them aggressive. now sometimes they will play tug a war with each other and sometime it will escalate, and I just stop the play until they calm down.