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Help Your Client – Is this Play? Video Assessment and Coaching Practice
Your client sends you a cheery message and this video saying, “I thought it was so cute that they were playing so well together this morning and wanted to share it with you!”
First, observe and list the behaviors you see.
Second, craft language to your client in response.
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10 Replies
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Catherine…so hard to know what to say to a client…What I see
The darker dog laid out on the floor with the lighter dog above. Darker dog attempted to get up but was unable, possibly due to lighter dogs’ mouth position right inside and seemingly grabbing the commissure of darker dog.
Darker dog sounded like they were whining/ crying and then lifted a front paw up to hold lighter dog’s mouth farther away.
Lighter dog responded with a growl and agnostic pucker.
I would want more information from my client about the play history of these two dogs. I might say something like…thank you so much for sharing this video with me. I spent some time watching the dog’s body language in this video and I’d like to share my observations and interpretations with you would that be alright? What I like to see in interactive dog play is both dogs with inefficient movements, plenty of breaks and room, dogs switching who is paying on the top or bottom position and a lack of stiffness. I didn’t see any of those things in this particular encounter. In fact I see the lighter dog on top in an aroused state and the growl and snarl at the darker dog could lead to a more serious confrontation. I do think that it is great enrichment for dogs to socialize with other dogs but just like people, socialization goes much better when the dogs are well matched. Let’s talk about your dog’s play style and what to look for in a well matched friend and how to help dogs take breaks and lower their arousal when playing if needed.
Is that too much information? Not serious enough? I had a puppy client the other day who was so proud that he takes his 13 week old puppy on 1 and 1/2 hour leashed walks every day. Gahhh
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Let’s talk about your dog’s play style and what to look for in a well matched friend and how to help dogs take breaks and lower their arousal when playing if needed. – Abbie D.
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@abbie Abby, I really love how you ask about each dogs play history, and explain what you like to see in play and what you don’t see in the video. I think it’s so hard to make a decision of play in such a small clip of video. What was play like before they got to this position? I did read in a book that most dogs are not in fight mode if they are laying down being more play. But again on that note. We don’t know these two dogs play style or what happened before this moment.
I have seen many dogs do this in doggy daycare and what i like to do is Interrupt the play and see if they want to interact again. @abbie did a really good job asking so many questions- I don’t think we can ever ask too many!!
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@Abbie I LOVE that you started the conversation with a consent request and then setting the standard for what good play looks like! So many people begin with “Here’s what’s wrong with your dog.” You didn’t do that, at all. Your coaching skill here is top-tier, and very likely to get a good response from the client. Well done!
Also, depending on the breed, 90 minutes of a leashed walk may be just right for that puppy and owner. It’s good to discuss the overall goals, for sure. Going back to our enrichment discussions – exercise alone leads to athletic fitness, so the dog requires more. Perhaps this puppy owner would benefit from an overall enrichment plan?
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Fun facts Thursday! Unfortunately I didn’t read this on friday lol. Exercise is great for dogs but too much exercise is not good for puppies. The medical reasoning for not taking puppies under a year on long walks is because their bones are still growing. If there is too much strain on their joints at such a young age they can stunt their growth, get bowed legs, or other malformities in their bones. Giant breeds are even worse, you have to wait until they’re 2yrs old in order to bring them on lengthy walks because they grow a lot slower. Same thing goes for horses. You shouldn’t ride horses until they’re 3-4 years old because their bones are growing until 5yrs old. That’s why race horses always retire with lameness since they start racing at 2yrs old. Hopefully this is informative!
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@cbradley the trick is getting just the right amount – which can be hard to recommend to pet owners. When in doubt, it’s great to recommend they check with their veterinarian on health concerns, right? Your analogy with young horses is good, too. Thanks for sharing. It’s so fun, having you refresh these convos.
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So true, it’s very tricky since most puppy owners think that more exercise is better. I feel like those that are a bit excessive could work with 30min walks. Being in the veterinary field for the past 5.5 years and the emergency veterinary field for 4 years helps me learn a lot about what is appropriate and inappropriate for our amazing pets. No problem! I love learning from all of these posts and being able to give a little bit of my knowledge or my interpretations as well in the process!
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Fabulous, Carissa – and I couldn’t agree, more. I think people UNDERestimate how much “mental exercise” puppies need and OVERestimate what kinds of physical exercise they should be getting, right? (Typing this as my 8mo Aussie bounces around me and shakes her squeaky toys…lol)
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I totally agree! That is so cute haha! Oh that reminds me, are you able to post my dog under breed discovery? I was going to try to but my phone doesn’t like downloading things. Trying to post pictures on Facebook normally takes about 5-8 tries over the span of 3 days lol
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Hey Carissa – sorry about that! Sent you a private message.
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