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Different breeds have different kinds of play needs

By Trish King

One of the more complex problems that guardians face is matching dogs' play styles so that play partners will get along. We can separate dogs by size, but anyone who knows a Jack Russell Terrier knows that they are not small dogs! It's probably better to choose dogs by their temperament traits, and add age into the process.

It's very important for guardians and caretakers to understand their own breed or breed mix. Dogs were bred for centuries to fulfill various functions, and they developed different temperaments as a result. Some dogs are tough, some are very sensitive. Some only want to play with known play partners, while others think every other dog is a potential friend. Of course, individuals within each breed or breed mix are going to differ, and some are so flexible they can play with just about any other dog.

Sporting dogs such as labs and lab mixes have a tendency to be robust and resilient. Their play styles reflect their physical hardiness. They tend to have rough greeting behavior, especially when young. They might race toward another dog, maybe even run into each other. Golden Retrievers are usually a bit more gentle than labs, but still have that cheerful "hail fellow well met" attitude. Herding dogs in contrast are often quite sensitive - mentally and physically. Herding dogs were bred to be responsive to the slightest cue from their owner, and to act quickly and decisively. They tend to be more lightly built, with smaller bones than labs. Their play styles are often less physical, with more visual signals, and they love to chase. Some herders race up to other dogs, then stop just before they get to them - an inhibited predatory sequence (eye, stalk, chase, catch, kill) that they use for playing (or for scaring other dogs off).

This can be disconcerting to other dogs, who have no way of knowing the runner will actually stop.

Terriers play the way they do everything else - with full involvement. Terriers were bred to kill varmints; unlike herders, they must learn bite inhibition, and it's more difficult for them than for some other breeds. They can be quick to use their teeth and are persistent, and extremely agile. Terriers also can be physically intolerant, and take offense if they're body slammed by, say, a happy-go-lucky lab mix.

Pit bulls, bull terriers and American Staffordshire terriers can have the terrier temperament, plus size. As they age, their tolerance level can drop, and they can become untrustworthy with other dogs. It's wise to remember that a social puppy does not always turn into a social adult. Other bully breeds - like boxers and bulldogs - play hard and rough as well, and can be misunderstood by other breeds. Boxers use their front paws to "box." This can be taken as a dominance posture when it is not meant as such, and a fight can be the result.

Some guarding dogs play well, but many become distrustful and less playful as adults. It might take Rottweilers or Dobermans quite some time to actually strike up a friendship, and they can overreact to an overture from another - friendlier - dog. They also may tend to guard another dog in a community - it's natural to them.

Sight hounds often don't want to play with dogs at all - they just want to chase things and rest, whereas many scent hounds are quite social, until their nose is engaged by something fascinating. It's worth noting that some sight hounds - greyhounds, whippets and Italian greyhounds - have extremely thin, sensitive skin, which can be torn during play.

More than size differentiates small dogs from large dogs - and from each other. A Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is likely to be highly social, whereas a Lhasa Apso is likely to be reserved and cautious.

Of course, individual differences can be even more striking. Whatever the breed, no dog is exactly the same as another dog.

Trish King is the director of behavior and training at the Marin Humane Society.


Tails of Marin appears every Saturday in the Home & Garden section of the Marin Independent Journal