May 17, 2011
My young dog is yelping and whining when we play tug. Is this good or bad?
Full Question:
When I play tug with my 10 month old German Shepherd, she is starting to yelp and whine while holding on to the bite toy. She is pulling stronger than she ever has. Her prey drive is at its highest point also. So I do not know if she is whining because she wants the toy badly or maybe she is in pain. Is this common? Is it a good or bad thing?Sincerely,
Sven
Cindy's Answer:
Yelping and whining while playing tug is usually a symptom of neck or mouth discomfort. I'd get her checked out by a vet and chiropractor before continuing with the play.
If she checks out ok, it may be that she's feeling a bit of conflict while you are playing with her. Make sure you aren't giving her a lot of direct eye contact while she's playing and try not to lean over her in a strong way and see if the vocalization stops. Ideally, you don't want the dog making a lot of noise while she's gripping and tugging.
Cindy
If she checks out ok, it may be that she's feeling a bit of conflict while you are playing with her. Make sure you aren't giving her a lot of direct eye contact while she's playing and try not to lean over her in a strong way and see if the vocalization stops. Ideally, you don't want the dog making a lot of noise while she's gripping and tugging.
Cindy
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