[Sandy and Bo]

When I first got Bo, he and Duke played abit, but I didn't realize Duke was sick, so they didn't play very much.

Well, NOW that I have Moose, he and Bo are destroying my house! I kicked them outside this morning, and blocked the dog door, so they can run all they want. But do they play??? Nooooo. They just stand there, looking in. They'll only play outside, if I go with them.

So when I let them in, and tell them to behave, they start crashing around my house again. ALL DAY LONG! Will this ever end? Is it just because they are new to each other? They go at it for hours...

Also, Sometimes when they are really wrestling, things get out of hand, one of them will get too rough and I'll have to break them up. They are both equally agressive with each other. Is this normal?

Sandy

 

[charvie]

Sandy, not sure if this will help or not - if only maybe to let you know you're not completely alone ...

I got Mocha and Beldin just over a year ago. They're from the same litter and have always been together ... BUT ...

They do that too ... inside they'll wrestle and play and run (and now that we're in the house with the hardwood floors) they'll skid and crash into things and chase each other and slam into things and basically act like they're possessed!

And they've scared me sometimes with the umm ... enthusiasm and energy they put into their wrestling and play-fighting sometimes.

Honestly this hasn't seem to diminished any over the last year.

I thought that maybe now with the huge yard and another dog to play with and help wear them out that might change ... but noooooo *hehe*

Sometimes, they'll be doing their thing - I'll put them outside and they'll stay out on their own for a good couple hours running around with each other and my mom's dog ...

Then I'll let them in when they're at the door ... they'll come in, flop on the floor... look at each other for a couple minutes then BAM one will pounce on the other and it's "game on!" all over again!

So I feel for you.

Mostly because I've read on this board about a "tired hound being a happy hound" I try my best to do my part with these two.

They get a morning walk, and afternoon walk and an evening walk ... they get to run around the yard with my mom's dog ... when the kids get home from school they can play with them ...

The rest of the time, I just make sure stuff that can be knocked over or broken is put away or on things not so easily toppled. There's nothing on my coffee table they can knock off ... and when it gets to be too much I'll crate them for 15 min or outside they go again.

heh around here though the ones that don't have to clean up the messes (my folks and the kids) think it's hilarious when they start doing their thing.

Maybe grab your video camera and send it in to AFV? :roll: :lol:

 

[Lynne & Huck]

Tee hee hee.... :wink: Life has just become interesting, eh? I would hope that they will work it out between them - you know all that male testosterone!! If you ignore them and leave them out, eventually they will get the idea (I would hope). Of course my answer to just about all bad behavior in our house, including excessive rough housing, is the trusty squirt bottle. Sorry girlfriend, that's about all I can offer. Huck just about runs this house anyway so I'm not the best advise giver on this one.

 

[biscuit]

the only thing that works here is to ignore them.

okay, so that works maybe half the time.

what really works, though, is to go outside with them. for some reason, the human presence :roll: is required for much of the doggie antics around here. even if i'm not even watching. :roll: :lol:

get a nice outdoor table set and hang around for a while. maybe that will get them used to roughhousing outdoors.

if that doesn't work ... DOGPROOF THE HOUSE AND GET OUT OF THE WAY!!!

 

[Elvismom]

One of my great joys in life is watching the bassets play together. Sometimes they get so noisy I think they are tearing each other apart - but it is only the game they are playing.

Every morning Georgia and Maggie race up and down the length of the house. At one end is a couch in front of some windows. They both leap on the couch - at full basset speed - climb up on the back to check out the yard and then jump off and race back to the other end of the house. They love it & it is part of my morning ritual that I would dearly miss if it were to end.

So, move anything breakable or dangerous and enjoy the show.

Chris, slave to Elvis, Georgia, Ginger & Maggie

 

[Lina]

:lol: I know how you feel. They are like a really high maintenance boyfriend! :lol:

I love watching my two playing and trashing at each other. They need to let that energy out, a tired dog is a good dog afterall.

 

[Guest]

I know how you feel!! We got Rusty & Stickers in February. They had just turned a year old the week before. They've never been separated and are together constantly. The play for hours on end!!! Luckily they don't run too much. They're more into the rolling and wrestling, biting each other. They've never gotten too rough with each other but sometimes Rusty tires out before her. The only way I've found to stop it is to pull her by the tail. The soda can with the penny didn't work, the squirt bottle worked the first time! When I've had enough of their rough housing I stop them and separate them for just a few minutes. Then they normally settle down and crash.

The breeder says they will always be close and most likely always be very playful with each other.

 

[Dozer-Digger]

It doesn't matter if my two are inside or outside. The damage is all the same. They wrestle, bite, run, chase, and of course the 'Basset 500'. Usually from the backyard into the house, and using the couch as a backstop, and back out again.

 

[Grommett]

Rough playing

I have found that if I put a quick stop to any rough housing, Olivia will calm down fairly well. But if I let it go on for a bit she seems to have a harder time getting calm. It's almost as if she get's so excited she can't help herself. She has gotten so hard headed and excited that I will take her in the room away from Buddy to give her a timeout.

 

[Mikey T]

Also, Sometimes when they are really wrestling, things get out of hand, one of them will get too rough and I'll have to break them up.

Has blood ever beed drawn? If not are they really playing too rough. Dog hide is much tougher than human skin dogs are typically much rougher with each other than say a human.

This quote comes from the SF/SPCA Tug of War[url] article but I think it is also appropriate in this situation
"Also, many people have issues about witnessing intensity. Intensity is not aggression, however."

 

[trouble maker fred]

Are your dogs neutered? The behavior in male dogs becomes a lot less calm when they are neutered because they dont have to constantly prove to one another that he is the dominanat one. My mother has 2 male bassets from the same mom they are a year apart and for many years you couldnt take one somewhere without the other. they were inseperable until one day my mom found a female basset and took her in. She was just a puppy and the first time she went into heet. The 2 boys did not get along. The female died and my mom thought that the boys would get along now but they still dont. My mother has to keep them seperated at all times now (which isnt easy being that my mom has 7 dogs). Her vet said if they were neutered they would most likely get along and she wouldnt have to keep them seperated

 

[Buttercup]

Mine do that too, start playing rough inside but won't do it outside unless I'm there for them to show off to.

I'd be willing to bet that they'll settle down in a few weeks. When I got Miles in January it was absolutely crazy here for about a month. Those three hounds played non stop during that time. Now, they're all settled into life as a threesome so it's not so bad.

 

[Sandy and Bo]

Moose is getting nuetered on Monday morning, at 9:00 am. That might slow him down a bit. Today wasn't so bad. No actual fights, just noisy wrestling.

Thank goodness for the crate. They each had a 'time out' in it, with a bone. That helped them settle.

Sandy