Puppy biting older dog's fur: Is this normal and should I stop it?

Question

I have a 7 yr old male and a 1 yr old male German Shepherd. The 1 yr old always bites my 7 yr olds hair and tail, like to play. I correct my 1 yr old bc it looks like it hurts. The 7 yr old goes with it for a while but then gets fed up and finally barks at him or snaps. Why is the pup biting the others fur?? Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | unneutered | 7 years and 4 months old

Lauren Kennedy, DVM · Accepted Answer

This is normal play behavior for a puppy. It is also normal for the older dog to allow the play for a period of time and then stop the behavior by barking/snapping at the pup. As long as the older dog is not harming the younger pup with his snaps I would let this behavior continue because it is helping the younger dog to learn boundaries which is a very important part of his development. Again, just monitor their behavior and make sure the younger dog is not getting hurt. If not, then I would allow them to play.

Puppy biting older dog's fur: Is this normal and should I stop it?

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