Using his mouth during play

Post by **kingalls** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:06 pm

Just curious on your opinions....Mr. N and I have just recently been playing a little game where I "chase" him in the garage...then he will "chase" me. When I chase him he will do a head roll thing and then go into a play bow...then when he "chases" me he follows me and will put his mouth on my hand. He's not biting...just mouthing my hand like "I got you!"...
Do you think this is an okay type of play to encourage.... or discourage? I'm not sure if it's okay for him to use his mouth on my hand while doing this kind of play. My initial thought is that it's okay but I'm not 100% sure...

Post by **Zhuyos mom** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:13 pm

I play that way with my chows, except for the hand in mouth. I don't care for that too much because of possible transferance issues and interpretations from other's outside your circle of family. So, if it were me, I wouldn't continue with my hand as an object after play, but it's up to you. Maybe you can teach Mr. N instead of mouthing your arm, maybe he can nudge you with his muzzle... close mouth versus open... as the sign that "it was fun ma, let's do it again someday".

Nonetheless, fun to play like that, isn't it? I miss playing with Zhuyo. That's how I learned to say, "hahahaharoop" which translated in chownese as "hey, hey, hey, let's play". Zhu taught me that.

Jeff&Peks · Post by **Jeff&Peks** » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:27 pm

Pekoe does that but like most Chow things It dosn't bother me. With Pekoe if I look at her and say gonna get Pekoe she goes into play mood, she knows the term get it or get Pekoe when ever we see a cat or squeral after she freaks out I say did you get it she starts running around and snorting like she's the great hunter.

Debs chow · Post by **Debs chow** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:38 pm

I've always played rough with my dogs rott's,pits,and even cheyenne they love it. i always teach them to stop with be nice and start loving on them and they know where done. the one main thing is no one else is allowed to rough house with them. some may disagree with it but they seem to like the interaction.

Al&Deb

Fidel · Post by **Fidel** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:50 pm

HAHA, Fidel does the same thing! He also uses his front feet (we call them his hands) to get us to pet him or play.....but he does put out hands in his mouth in the same manner!

I agree with Al&Deb though. I don't let anyone else play with Fidel like that except me and hubby

Victory · Post by **Victory** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 1:55 pm

See if you can get him to lick or just tap your hand with his cold nose, (Firesong does that, she's got the coldest nose on earth I swear!) Actual mouthing, especially during a chase game can become nipping too fast, maybe not with you, he may have good control with you, but with someone else he may get too excited, and chasing even in fun can stimulate nipping on it's own. I don't allow mouthing at all, licking, touching with the nose, those are okay.

Just my opinion here.

Wollfie · Post by **Wollfie** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:21 pm

When Wolfie was younger, we used to play hide and seek in house. Obviously, I would always be the one to hide and it always amazed me that he could be as close as one foot away from me (such as behind a bedroom door) and he still couldn't find me by using his sense of smell, instead of just his eyes or ears.

A couple of times he would get carried away and start jumping on me, but I never even came close to getting hurt. It was always so funny to see his expression when I would unexpectedly jump out and "scare" him.

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 2:28 pm

Karen, that's so interesting that you mention that. Usually, when Special zoomies, we just have to make a move towards him (a half a step in his direction usually keepes him going). While my brither was home from school a few weeks ago, we were all in the backyard and Special went into zoomies and my brother chased him, when my brother tired out, Special ddin't want the game to be over so he mouthed my brothers jeans and sweatshirt. He's never done that before, I was really suprised. I think it is just like you said, they're too excited. But I also told him that was a no-no for the same reasons Lou gave.

Post by **Zhuyos mom** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:10 pm

Oh, I wanted to add... if you haven't joined your chow during a zoomie, you must! Mine love it and it brings the BIGGEST smile on their faces! Just don't get hurt by not paying attention or getting in their pathway.

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 3:17 pm

Haha!

Two days ago we were in the backyard and it's like a swamp out there now because we've gotten so much rain instead of snow and we were zoomie-ing and for the second time, I suffered a zoomie accident. Special slipped and slid full-force, head-first into my legs.

I almost buckled, and my poor poor little cutest Special, what did he do...looked back at me in an annoyed fashion (for being in his way) while he kept on going!

The first zoomie accident I may have posted about already, it was over the summer (also in my parents backyard). I was an innocent bystander while my hubby and Special zoomied. I went to pick the last of the tomatoes and was doing all I could to keep them all in my arms, when Special charged against my legs... I felt my legs give way but it was like in a cartoon when they stay suspended in air until they realize what's happened, then down I went and a single tomatoe rolled away. Special watched it roll with a total look of disgust!

IliamnasQuest · Post by **IliamnasQuest** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:32 pm

It's neat that Mr.N is being so gentle with you. Dora will, on occasion, very softly mouth my hand. It's an affectionate thing with her, though, and not done in play. If the dogs grab at me - even softly - during play I usually discourage it. It's not because I'm worried they'll bite me but I do worry that they may do that to someone else and that person might assume it was a bite. So they're all taught "no mouths".

What you can do instead is take a tug toy or even a rag and encourage your dog to mouth that instead. Khana even learned a tug game (tugging doesn't come natural to her) and we use that instead of her touching my skin in any way.

On the zoomie games: I love jumping in and encouraging mine to run as fast and as long as they will! I laugh SO hard watching them. And as they go by me, I pretend to grab them and they zig-zag and give this little growly sound. I really think our dogs need to be able to express themselves at times (and they do all SORTS of growling when they play).

Melanie and the gang in Alaska

Post by **Auddymay** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 7:40 pm

I like to play tag with Lily when she zooms. To initiate the game, I jump in the air and land facing Lily in a crouched position with my hands reached out (think of a sumo wrestler's stance). From then on, it's game on. Lily tags me with her entire muzzle, and occasionally my hand ends up in her mouth (I'm trying to tag her as well, after all). When this happens it is quick and unintentional, but I think Lily counts it as her point in the game...lol.

Post by **kingalls** » Mon Jan 15, 2007 8:00 pm

Yesterday, Mr. N started his preliminary zoomie look - his butt is tucked in, he looks at me with wide eyes and does a couple of quick jerking jumps, then off he goes.
He comes back towards me a couple of times like - C'mon, Mom! I actually tried to get them to stop because of some ice on the deck and I was worried they might slip and get hurt.
I'll try giving Mr. N something else to mouth when we're doing the chase game. He's just so hilarious to watch - he arches back his head and rolls it, then goes down to his play bow - he makes a funny "arrhh...arhhh" noise. After I grab his rump area and give it brisk rub, I'll turn and let him chase me - he's such a hoot to play with. I don't think I could keep up with his zoomie runs!

Post by **Zhuyos mom** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:13 am

kingalls wrote: ...I don't think I could keep up with his zoomie runs!

Cheat!!! I used to cross through the kitchen to get to the stairs before Zhu would so I could be the first up the stairs on that leg of his Zoomies. I'd also zig-zag as I ran up the stairs when we were leg to leg there so I could have the advantage. Unfortunately, while I'm at the top of the stairs doing the "victory" whoohoo's I won ritual, he'd look at me, smile, turn around quick and jump the entire stairway down to the front door where he'd do his "victory" woohoo Mom, I'm the one who won again!

Now with PB, I do the "sumo wrestler" pose too, Auddymay! I sometimes feel like we look like those plastic football players my brother use to have when he was younger. He had this field that you plug in which makes the plastic football players vibrate around the field. Anyways, it's really cute when PB does her "sumo wrestler" pose with me. Oh and I remember Zhu's big, big smile when PB would do zoomies. He loved seeing her Zoom since he couldn't zoom as much and as fast towards the last year of his life. He always tried to get in the middle of her zoom path too.

Special's mom, goodness, be careful there!