What is the correct procedure if a dog begins to mouth another dog during play with increasing intensity?

What is the correct procedure if a dog begins to mouth another dog during play with increasing intensity?

• A. Ignore and continue playing.
• B. Immediately interrupt play, separate the dogs, assess for safety, and redirect to calm, supervised activities.
• C. Stop the play but do not separate and let it continue.
• D. Punish the dog with a loud voice.

Answer: (D)

When play starts to escalate, the priority is safety and lowering arousal quickly. The right approach is to interrupt the interaction, separate the dogs, assess for safety (check for any injuries or heavy tense bodies), and redirect them to calm, supervised activities. This pause helps prevent a potential bite and gives both dogs a chance to reset before reintroducing play. After separation, observe for signs of stress or arousal, ensure injuries aren’t present, and then guide them to low-arousal activities or individual enrichment. Only after both dogs are calm and under controlled conditions should reintroduction to play be considered. Punishing with a loud voice can increase fear or defensiveness and doesn’t teach safe play. Ignoring the escalation and continuing to play lets tension build, while stopping play without separating can let the underlying arousal persist.

When play starts to escalate, the priority is safety and lowering arousal quickly. The right approach is to interrupt the interaction, separate the dogs, assess for safety (check for any injuries or heavy tense bodies), and redirect them to calm, supervised activities. This pause helps prevent a potential bite and gives both dogs a chance to reset before reintroducing play. After separation, observe for signs of stress or arousal, ensure injuries aren’t present, and then guide them to low-arousal activities or individual enrichment. Only after both dogs are calm and under controlled conditions should reintroduction to play be considered.

Punishing with a loud voice can increase fear or defensiveness and doesn’t teach safe play. Ignoring the escalation and continuing to play lets tension build, while stopping play without separating can let the underlying arousal persist.