Need help interpreting pups behavior

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Ssteffey09
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Need help interpreting pups behavior

Post by Ssteffey09 »

I recently brought home an 11 week old rescue, Maggie, who appears to be a lab chow mix. I did a bit of research and of course became concerned by all the articles claiming chows are agressive and terrible with kids. I have a 4 and 7 year old, and overall Maggie is a total love. She follows us (especially me) everywhere and doesn't take her eyes off us. She is quiet, laid back, and quite affectionate. She greets strangers and other dogs with kisses and tail wags. If it weren't for all the hype, I don't think I'd have any concerns. She is only 12 weeks so I'm just wondering if her friendly temperament might change much. I am working hard to socialize her and am using positive training methods. One thing I've noticed about her is she seems hesitant to really play with us. She will start to, but then asks to go outside, almost as if she needs a break. She does get a little more rough with my 4 year old, she definitely sees her as a litter mate. Today she got overexcited and started chasing, growling, and nipping at my daughter, who squealed with delight, and only got my pup more riled up. I pulled the Maggie away and she definitely seemed unsettled by the experience and asked to go outside for a while. She came back in a little while later and curled up next to my daughter, so no hard feelings I guess! I am now closely monitoring their interactions and redirecting things in a positive way. I'm just wondering how to interpret her behavior around play. Are there ways of playing with her that might make her feel more confident? Anything else we can do to avoid future issues? Thanks so much for any input. I'm a firm believer that the dogs upbringing has way more impact than the breed, but I just want to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep everyone safe and happy.
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