[Mei]

So Mei has completed her first heat cycle, probably 4 weeks ago. We're allowing her to play again with other dogs again, especially her best boy friend lab, Angus.

Every now and then when she plays now with other dogs, even Angus, she starts growling and getting a little more aggressive. She never really did this prior to heat. Is this going to be an ongoing thing? When she starts growling, I just say her name and she stops and continues on. But it seems like I'm doing that every few minutes now. Is there something else I should do when she starts growling? Is this "bitchy" attitude going to continue??

 

[MaggieRoseLee]

May just plain be her age and nothing to do with her heat cycle.

I know my dogs get loud and crazy when they play with each other. If I suspect it's getting too intense and no longer play, I break up the game completely. If you can't play nice, you can't play at all. May just have them all come and get a treat. Or someone gets crated for a bit, or behind a baby gate. Not a punishment, just a cooling down period to get the edge off the rough housing.

 

[wolfy dog]

Her heat cycle might have changed her to be more mature and the days of happy-go-lucky with other dogs may be over. Maybe she is content with just her human pack.
A minute down stay after you say "Time Out!". I use this at home and it does work here. Same if one of them humps or tries to hump the other.
Funny, as I am writing this, Griff made an attempt to hump Deja and I told him "Eh, eh!" She lied down and he came over to me, looking at me like, "Yes, what do you mean?" But it was over.

 

[Mei]

Good point, i never thought of the fact she has matured a lot more now. I'm going to try the time-outs as well. Last night she was playing with a black 11 week old tiny GSD and started growling at her. I got her to stop by calling her name, but I will try the time-outs too. I felt so bad for the little floppy eared puppy lol. I was like, i hope she's not traumatized. It never got super aggressive though.

Thanks!

 

[Katsugsd]

Is it actual growling or is it more play talking? Katsu play growls my other two and a select few friend's dogs. I did notice she was a bit more pushy after her first heat cycle. More confident, maybe, but not aggressive.
I agree with breaking up anything you think is inappropriate.

 

[dogma13]

May just plain be her age and nothing to do with her heat cycle.

I know my dogs get loud and crazy when they play with each other. If I suspect it's getting too intense and no longer play, I break up the game completely. If you can't play nice, you can't play at all. May just have them all come and get a treat. Or someone gets crated for a bit, or behind a baby gate. Not a punishment, just a cooling down period to get the edge off the rough housing.

This is what I do too.When they get over excited and suddenly there's tension in the air,an EH! breaks the spell.Then we move on.If one of them is still wound up he\she is separated until cooled down.

 

[Mei]

Is it actual growling or is it more play talking? Katsu play growls my other two and a select few friend's dogs. I did notice she was a bit more pushy after her first heat cycle. More confident, maybe, but not aggressive.
I agree with breaking up anything you think is inappropriate.

It could be just that. Nothing has escalated to the point of fighting, but i still stop it. Maybe she just does have that more confidence now.

 

[wolfy dog]

I personally do not allow my grown dogs to "play" with young pups. Young pups get easily traumatized by big dogs who don't know how to be polite in "dog". Young pups need a super good reliable teacher dog to teach them. But they are rare. Of all the dogs I have had in my life it was only one that I trusted with young pups.

 

[Mei]

Thanks for all the responses. Here's a short video of what I'm describing. It's never escalated to a fight even. Could just be how she plays now? Lol. I'm going to talk to our trainer this Saturday about it too.

https://youtu.be/Xs3AYxGSAp8

 

[wolfy dog]

I watched the video. It is a good illustration of what you mean. My take: borderline play vs pushy, controlling behavior on the GSD's part. The Lab is tolerant and seemingly oblivious. It doesn't look like either one of them is having real fun though. At the end there is some appropriate play. She is nicely obedient to you though. I think she will be happier to play with you. As they grow up they lose their desire to hang out with other dogs and prefer their humans. GSDs tend to be control freaks; everything has to go their way or just the right way. At least that's what I see in my dogs, esp. Deja. Griff is a good "old" boy who easily complies with the queen... so far.

 

[Bramble]

Do you have a video of her playing prior to the growling? Is he play style still the same, minus the growling? If you watched the video with no sound would you notice a change in how she is playing?

 

[Mei]

I think she will be happier to play with you. As they grow up they lose their desire to hang out with other dogs and prefer their humans. GSDs tend to be control freaks; everything has to go their way or just the right way. At least that's what I see in my dogs, esp. Deja. Griff is a good "old" boy who easily complies with the queen... so far.

Awesome thanks. I did not know this about GSDs. Its strange though, whenever she sees another dog she gets excited and wants to meet them. Especially at the group obedience class we go to. Right when I turn into the park she gets super excited and anxious to get out of the car. I think it's an unsaid thing in the class, that we all have no problem with, is to let the dogs get the initial excitement out by letting them run around for few minutes.

Once that's out of her system, she does seem to turn that off and knows its training time and doesn't even notice the other dogs. Just focused on me from that point. They're small classes, ten is max and that's rare.

And yes, she is a control freak. Maybe if the playing doesn't go her way, she begins to growl. I wonder if she wants Angus to be more aggressive. She knows she cant run around top speed, which she loves to do with other faster large breed dogs, and I also wonder if that frustrates her with Angus. Yes Angus is oblivious, clumsy and slow lol.

 

[Mei]

Do you have a video of her playing prior to the growling? Is he play style still the same, minus the growling? If you watched the video with no sound would you notice a change in how she is playing?

I have a few, yes. Wish they were a little longer.
This is like 4 days before she started bleeding. As you will see, Chase seems to know she's going into heat and has other intentions than play time lol.
https://youtu.be/nzbOzCU7xAc

She's played with Chase once so far after heat and it was completely different. I had to step in and separate which I wanna say was a full on fight. Got leash burn on my ankle and everything. I really believe it was Chase starting it. Chase did not want to play but only wanted to hump Mei. Like all over her but not even in the right place lol. Mei wasnt having any of it though. Chase's owner said he humps everything at home. His food. His toys. Kids toys. Chairs. Legs. The stairs lol. I think he had a dominance issue. It sucks because he's left outside all day long by himself barking. He barks a lot. I really dont think they should have got him and I'm worried about when it will start snowing. All he has is a trampoline for shelter.

https://youtu.be/UGwXPZwh1uA
Here's another one with Angus. The play style does seem different. She doesn't seem annoyed by him. Wonder if she is just turning into a control freak.

 

[Mei]

Just took Mei to a dog park. She was nice to all the dogs. Didnt growl once. Wierd. She didnt play with any really. Just runnin around sniffing everything. It was just her second time there.

 

[wolfy dog]

Just took Mei to a dog park. She was nice to all the dogs. Didnt growl once. Wierd. She didnt play with any really. Just runnin around sniffing everything. It was just her second time there.

You were lucky that all other dogs were nice. (couldn't resist)

 

[Mei]

Just took Mei to a dog park. She was nice to all the dogs. Didnt growl once. Wierd. She didnt play with any really. Just runnin around sniffing everything. It was just her second time there.

You were lucky that all other dogs were nice. (couldn't resist)

Ya right! I was surprised.