Play Gestures - When to say “go” and when to say “whoa”

Puppies have more energy and less life experience than adult dogs. It’s not surprising that puppies and adolescent dogs annoy older dogs with rude and persistent boundary-busting behavior. What does normal puppy play look like? The bounce, the bow, wrestling, barking, play biting, tug, and chase are all forms of puppy play. How do you know when to say, “go” and when to intervene and say, “whoa”. Look at the video below from Zoom Room. It shows real dog body language in play situations.

Note: Puppies should not learn how to play from other dogs. Your pup needs you as his human leader to let him/her know what is acceptable. He/she needs you to interrupt play when it becomes inappropriate or over-the-top.