11/06/2025
The Importance of Teaching Appropriate Play Between Dogs
Social play is an essential part of a dog’s development and overall well-being. However, not all dogs instinctively know how to play appropriately with others—especially when toys or high-value items are involved. As trainers and guardians, it’s our responsibility to guide dogs toward safe, respectful, and positive play interactions.
When toys are introduced into multi-dog play, structure and supervision become even more important. Here are a few key principles to keep in mind:
• Supervise and set boundaries: Monitor interactions closely, especially when excitement levels rise. Step in early if play becomes too rough or unbalanced.
• Prevent resource stealing: Do not allow one dog to take a toy or item directly from another. This helps prevent frustration, competition, and potential conflict.
• Teach impulse control: teach your dog how to be invited into play along with reinforcing cues such as “leave it”, “wait”, and “drop it” etc. to promote patience and cooperation between dogs.
• Provide individual play opportunities: Some dogs prefer one-on-one sessions or parallel play rather than direct toy sharing. Tailor play sessions to the comfort level and temperament of each dog.
• Encourage fair play: Reward calm, respectful interactions and redirect inappropriate behavior before it escalates.
By teaching dogs how to engage politely and safely around toys and each other, we not only prevent unwanted behaviors like resource guarding, but also build mutual trust and emotional stability. Structured, positive play helps dogs learn valuable social skills that translate into better behavior in all areas of life.
