Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 2 years and 5 months old | 30 lbs
My dog and puppy play nicely (they love to play!) but I think it may be too rough because they both receive tiny cuts/scratches or cause tiny bald spots to each other. Some marks that scar! It’s not aggressive in the slightest but they are definitely both really really really playful dogs in general. Is this something to correct, and if so how? Or is it normal and will die down over time as they get older? I’m just worried about them getting seriously hurt by accident one day.
1 Answer
Published on August 31st, 2018
If they are playing to the point of causing cuts and scratches, and you feel it is too rough, I'd definitely instill some "time out" time where both dogs can relax, rest, and maybe focus on a chew toy or quiet activity. Once they are calm, you can let them resume play. Normal play can be a little rough, and if the dogs are enjoying it, it's fine. You may also want to trim back their nails or file down the nails to make them softer to help avoid scratches while playing.
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