My puppy is rubbing and pawing my older dog. Is this normal?

Question

I adopted Pip a few weeks ago & she is doing great. I have an 8 year old boxer who is adjusting to his new little sis very well. Just wanted an opinion on the behaviour in the attached pics. Pip is pushing up against Cruz, rubbing herself on his face/neck. Is this playful behaviour or is this something I should try to stop her from doing? She will also sometimes place her front paws on him and prop herself up. Cruz doesn't seem to mind, but I'd still like to stop it if it's not playful. Pet's info: Dog | Chihuahua (Smooth Coat) | Female | spayed | 3 years and 11 months old | 5.5 lbs

Ana M, DVM · Accepted Answer

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Pip. From the pictures, her behavior appears playful. Puppies will commonly nip and mouth around the necks and muzzles of adult dogs. As long as her tail is wagging and she is not forcefully growly, then I suspect this is normal play behavior. You can always enroll her in puppy classes as this will help her socialization and to learn how to appropriately play with other dogs. I hope this information helps!

My puppy is rubbing and pawing my older dog. Is this normal?

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