Does your pack play always get out of hand?

[Removed #2]

So, my boys have been together for about 3 weeks now. We initially decided on Jackson because of all the other Sibes we met, he and Andy got on quite well, and even were great together in the back seat of a sedan driving home when we picked Jackson up.

We have had a few incidences of fighting, but no injuries. Here's my question, seems like when they play, it always escalates to speed racer around the house and constantly mouthing each other. No growling or mean biting (except on a couple occasions), so I'm wondering if this happens in other packs?

Also, neither of them really came from their own pack except of course their litter and spent 3-4 years alone or with one other dog. Poor Jackson was always tied up outside, and Andy had a new home it seems every year, and I still can't figure that one out.

How long before they are a pack? I can usually redirect any upcoming aggression, like just now when Jackson dared to stick his head in Andy's safe spot under my desk. So I'm just wondering what are your experiences? They are well exercised, eat at the same time in different rooms and do not go after each other's food stuffs, they lay together, sleep in our bed together, etc. I'm thinking it's a process, and maybe I'm just expecting or wanting too much too soon.[ATTACH]6631.IPB[/ATTACH][ATTACH]6632.IPB[/ATTACH][ATTACH]6633.IPB[/ATTACH][ATTACH]6634.IPB[/ATTACH]

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

mine still go wild we have had skyla for 7 months now and her and blaze still do exactly what your describing - i think it will deffinately take them longer than 3 weeks to settle, its still all new and exciting for them

[Removed #2]

mine still go wild we have had skyla for 7 months now and her and blaze still do exactly what your describing - i think it will deffinately take them longer than 3 weeks to settle, its still all new and exciting for them

Are you concerned that yours won't eventually settle? Or are they more settled than not? Most days are good days, and considering they share the leftover space in our bed with no growling, I figure it can only get better....thanks for the response, good to know I'm not alone here.

[meeshsalts]

That's just normal husky/malamute play fighting. My two do this at least 4 times a day. They jump around with out a thought about us and usually it is Jennifer and I that get most of the knocks for getting in their way

[Andy]

Sounds quite normal, lots of playfighting and chasing in, under, over and around all people and furniture at high speed.

You'll soon know the difference if the playfighting escalated into real fighting.

The sounds they make are completely different.

Playfighting you have a sort of fencing with teeth, and it's all standing up and boxing.

Real fighting they get low to the ground ears back lips pulled up and growling teeth,squinty eyes snapping at each other.

[valkyries]

sounds normal to me mine are like that all day every day lol, can be abit crazy at times xxxxxx

[sutsibe]

Good description, Andy, +1. It's normal play, and probably a little sibling rivalry, which is also very normal. From the pictures, they look like they are very compatible! If you can walk them both at the same time, try getting what's called a "brace coupler", which is a device made to attach to two collars - the ones I like best are nylon, as opposed to chain (lighter), with a snap at each end and a ring in the middle, to which you can attach a leash. Walking them together in that way should help build "team spirit"...

[Tikaani&Aiyana]

Thats normal!

My two are exactly the same and look the same as your do in your pics. They are just play fighting and its fun for them

Mine will do it for a while then stop and rest then go again, it will be interesting to see if it ever dies down a bit but its nice to see them doing what they would normally do

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Are you concerned that yours won't eventually settle? Or are they more settled than not? Most days are good days, and considering they share the leftover space in our bed with no growling, I figure it can only get better....thanks for the response, good to know I'm not alone here.

im not concerned, they only do it once maybe twice a day and then sleep for the rest lol, they usually go wild about 2pm-ish and occasionally before a walk lol but thats it and its not everyday either

[Rosemary]

My two will normally play fight, but there have been one or two occasions when it escalated into a full on brawl. No blood or anything too serious, but the sound and body posture definitely changes, but it just as quickly dies down and they continue playing. Strange.

[Removed #2]

Thank you to all....especially the "it sounds normal" descriptions. We have had a couple of the low posture, growling/barking, mean teeth baring incidents, usually though in the kitchen when food is being prepared...or around their toy...roadkill raccoon. It's a flat, no stuffing squeaky toy that nobody wants till the other has it. I'm not even sure that having two would make a difference. Andy is usually the aggressor when it sounds dangerous, and he has become somewhat of a "mommy guarder" but much better now. They do go for walks together and never ever fight or even play on a walk. Thanks for the suggestion Gigi...they actually want to walk right next to each other so healing is usually out of the question!

Jackson never even used to lift a leg, and now they do it simultaneously on opposite sides of a tree. I think it's more that it is so exhausting....and I can't help but wonder what they do when I'm not home. They each get a peanut butter stuffed bone in their respective corners on their rugs, and I've peeked in a few times at 5-10 minutes and they are even further separated. So I'm not concerned about that. The other day we came home and they were nowhere to be found and then both came down the stairs and around the corner with their ears back like they had been busted on the bed! If they can sleep together on our bed when we are not here, then I'm feeling fairly comfortable.

I do plan to get a video camera so I can record their play. This comment from above: "Playfighting you have a sort of fencing with teeth, and it's all standing up and boxing." is what they are usually doing!

Thanks again to all that have commented and those that still will comment. It's been so long since I've brought a new dog in the house and now we've brought 2 new ones over 3 months time! My last Husky came into our home with a black lab sib that was very laid back and well behaved. Stormy collected all the bones in one pile and told him whose they now were! He told her where to go when she tried to lay down on his pillow, and then they were fine. They never were much for toys, and these guys seem to just want to play keep away/chase with the toys!