When does play turn into fight

[Bloopy]

my cousin recently brought her dog to come socialize with my lab and they seemed ok at first.. but then gumby (my lab) his fur on his back went really high up and they were barking and yelping and biting each other very loudly.. my parents keep telling me that they are still playing but it really seems like they are fighting too me. Does anyone know when playing and wrestling turns into fighting. and yea my dog crunches up his nose and you can see all his sharp little teeth

 

[LabBreeder]

Well, it could be bordering on fighting...if it's not already. When they "bite" does the bitten dog yelp like its hurt? I've got 2 Labs, a 2 yr old and a 4 mo old. They both play rough together when they get riled up. He'll bug her, she'll show her teeth, he'll bug her some more, she'll lunge forward showing her teeth and snap at the air (but not him), he'll play bite (teeth on skin but no puncturing) or air snap back. Neither have ever been bitten, drawn blood or left marks. Both of their hair will stand up on the neck and upper back when they are really, really excited or playing really rough.

I'd say if either one ever acts like it's in pain from a bite or snap or gets REALLY vicious then it's beyond play. How old are these 2? If you are worried, don't let them play rough. Keep it geared towards toys or fetching.

 

[Bloopy]

well they never really yelp like it hurts but they bark back at each other very loudly and well very fast in a way there mostly bitting each others mouths and necks.. body checking each other and such.. the thing im worried about is that we will be taking this dog in for about 2 weeks while my cousins go on vacation and well it would be really hard too keep them seperated at all times if they really were fighting..

i never really let them finish doing w/e they were doing i kinda just pulled them apart.. there both fairly small.

well.. they usually mess around bumping into each other and then all of a sudden it gets crazy barking very quickly and one ontop of another.. the on one the bottom kicking like crazy.. kinda scares the crap outta me

 

[Violet21]

My dogs play, it looks like wrestling. My golden crinkles his nose to show his teeth too but his tail is wagging and hes half smiling.
They kinda fflip around, biting on eachothers heads, jowels, etc. lol

Sometimes zac, my golden will bark or growl at hugo my cane corso if hugo is trying to get zacs bone. If hugo wont back off zac will bark loudly and lunge at him, but never bites or anything. Thats just dog pecking order i guess.

With playing the are fine tho.. no issues yet.