Willow is now 9 months next month and I have noticed recently that she is not very gentle with dogs /puppies smaller than her when playing. A friend has 2 shelties who are 3 months older than her,we went for a walk recently and Willow kept making them cry by rough playing. They wanted to play and be chased by her but once they realised how rough she was it put them off. I told her “no be gentle” and then put her on a lead, but don’t think she really got it as as soon as I let her off she was at it again. She plays fine with a black lab who is her age. But they are rough with each other. She is also rough with my friends chocolate lab, she is 5. We met each week and they do play but Willow goes too far with her also. The choc lab cries when Willow is hurting her . Again I don’t know what to do to stop her? Apart from putting her on a lead. My friend and I wish Chocolate lab would tell her off for going too far, but so far she hasn’t and we have been meeting up for a good few months. Any ideas how I can stop Willow being so rough.
Re: Teaching Willow to be more gentle when playing with smaller dogs / puppies You may just have to wait it out. Pops was very rough during play in particular with one of her friends, but has calmed right down lately.
Re: Teaching Willow to be more gentle when playing with smaller dogs / puppies Tatze became VERY rough with my neice's Springer, who is older but smaller. I had to keep her away completely between 9 and 12 months old, she just didn't get it. We tried again recently and she was great! So it came with maturity. Here they are after hoolying around for ages
Re: Teaching Willow to be more gentle when playing with smaller dogs / puppies Scout has a friend Berney, he is a Cockerpoo (toy poodle though) so he is quite small and Scout just rolls him and plays far too rough, I always end up putting her on her lead when we walk together. Some of my friends say leave them and Berney will eventually get sick and warn Scout off but so far he is showing no signs. We no longer walk together because of this..
Re: Teaching Willow to be more gentle when playing with smaller dogs / puppies Definitely put her back on lead when she is being rough. When she settles, let her off and give her another try, but be prepared to pop her back on lead again. Just keep persevering with it. If other dogs don't have the confidence to tell her she's being too rough for them then you can do it for them Time spent with an older dog who will be still and calm around young Labrador antics will also help her to learn that she needs to moderate her play style to suit the dog she's playing with. As others have said, they do calm down on their own eventually
