How much do you interfere in dog play/conflict?

[sippor]

My dog can be reactive to bigger dogs and I don't trust that strange dogs will be able to understand that they need to back off. They may think she's an actual threat and respond accordingly. Their owner may not be able to call their dog off. Their owner may not recognize what's going on. Especially young dogs. So I need to be the vigilant one. I see way too many people who say "they're fine!" and suddenly something awful has happened. It may not lead to physical injury, but it can cause social issues and that's the last thing we need. This is why we never go to enclosed dog parks and only go to off leash places where you are hiking and generally don't have prolonged contact with other dogs. I know her well enough to predict how she will react to other dogs and I can tell if she's going to get reactive well before it happens, so I remove her from the situation before it can go any further. Yes, maybe they would work it out, but I don't want to find out that they can't and I need to take control while I still have her brain.

When she was younger and got along really well with other dogs I didn't intervene because I didn't think her actions would provoke a real fight. But around the age of 4 that changed and I just won't do it anymore.

 

[AmandaNola]

I don't go to dog parks, have play dates, ect. Really the only dogs the Duo interacts with are each other, my parents' dogs, and the occasional dog of a relative.
For the most part, I don't correct it intervene when Nola corrects other dogs. She's patient, but has her limits, and has no problems quickly and effectively putting another dog in it's place. It's usually one quick snark or well placed nip and other dogs back off. And for the most part, other dogs listen. The one time I'll intervene is when she's around my parents' female dachshund. Those two do not get along. Anything from over excitement to a resource (food, attention/toys, and Pike in that order) can cause a fight. Nola doesn't usually initiate the fight, but she won't back down.

Pike is getting corrected a lot from both myself and Nola with his dog interactions. He can be an obnoxious, in your face little asshat. Not aggressive, he just REALLY wants to play and is an annoying and mouthy puppy.

 

[CharlieDog]

I interfere a LOT. Not with my own dogs, but at the daycare I work at. With my own dogs. Indy is fine in a daycare setting, but she's extremely vocal, growling and stuff, even though she's just playing. It takes a while for a dog to get to know her to know that her growls are just play, even when things start getting fast and sprinting. Once a dog understands she's not trying to fighting, even if she's hackling, everything is cool. But until a new dog knows her, I keep her from playing at her top speed, which she gets disappointed with.

I'll occasionally take her to a different yard with a good buddy (a two year old Giant Schnauzer/Poodle (because that's totally an AWESOME idea) and let them rip and roar together. They both come back exhausted which suits me fine lol. They're probably the two highest energy dogs at daycare, and I'm so glad to be back in it because it's helping Indys feet and muscle tone tremendously.

If Enzo would get out from under my chair, she might have fun, but as it is, she just follows me around and ignores other dogs.