My dog bites my cat's neck during play. Is this normal or serious?

Kittens are very playful at Jasper's age, and are often either teething or learning about the rules of play with humans. Shouting when he nips is not the way to go as it can cause him to become fearful of you and may increase his bad behavior rather than teaching him better ones. If gets playful and nippy when being petted, offering him a toy to chew on while you pet him can help him aim his energy to the toy rather than your hand. If he becomes too energetic, simply getting up and walking away until he calms down can teach him that being too rough ends the fun. You can also try to tire him out with a toy such as a feather on a string/pole to allow him to play and bite while keeping your fingers safe. Once he is tired, he may be more open to gentle petting.

Hello. I assume that Jasper is a fairly young puppy. He just needs to learn what is appropriate play & what is off limits. Always gently correct him as soon as he starts any inappropriate play by distracting him with a toy & always reward him with praise or a treat as soon as he turns his attention from your feet. He will soon learn & outgrow this behavior. thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This can be normal for long-haired kittens. As she grows and gets her adult coat, it will start looking less silly. Playful biting is also normal for kittens. I recommend getting her a toy or two that is appropriate for her to bite and claw at. This will decrease anxiety, decrease biting at you, and strengthen your bond with each other. Best of luck to you and Jandi!

It sounds like Neptune wants to play, and Pandora is responding appropriately. It doesn't sound aggressive to me, and honestly, you don't need to do anything because of that. Let them sort it out themselves. They will settle into a relationship. I'd only get worried if they get aggressive with each other. Best of luck.

This sounds like a typical play behavior. In general watch for signs that one cat is trying to avoid the other cat. Watch for the cats hissing at each other. Watch for any signs of intentional bites or scratches that leave marks. If the cats are willingly interacting and you don’t notice any hiding or avoidance behaviors, this is likely consensual play. You may also look into reading a few books about cat behavior as it is not only informative but also fun! I hope this helps.

I am so sorry that you are experiencing these problems with biting with Baxster. I am sure it is very upsetting for you. First of all rest assured that this is a very normal kitten behaviour. Kittens learn through play biting and it is part of our role as pet parents to help them learn limits. I would not attempt negative reinforcement such as striking Baxster or speaking harshly as this will potentially create more serious behaviour issues such as anxiety and fear-aggression. Try some calm corrections and positive reinforcement. If Baxster bites you, simply say in a calm voice "no" and stop interacting with him for a few moments. This over time will teach him that biting is not a desired form of play. Also try reinforcing him as he starts to play in a good way by not biting, and giver her a small training treat. If Baxster does manage to bite hard enough to break the skin be careful of a possible infection. Monitor your wound for heat. Swelling, or discharge. Make an appointment with your doctor if this occurs. If you are struggling with the biting after a couple of weeks of the above suggested training methods, potentially a few sessions with a behaviourist. Though these behaviours usually diminish naturally as kittens age. Other games which may be fun with Baxster, and can be used to deflect unwanted behaviours are, hide and go seek either with you and another person, or you hide his toys and she has to find them. Or classic fetch is surprisingly fun for cats too! I hope this was helpful!

Harry is still a kitten. It is normal for kittens to be much more "aggressive" in their playing techniques. The key is to get them to play more appropriately. The first thing I would do is to work on environmental enrichment for Harry. This website has a number of good ideas for that. https://indoorpet.osu.edu/cats Kittens need to be kept busy for hours each day and it is normal for them to spend a lot of time hunting. One of my favorite things for cats is a no bowl feeding system like Doc & Phoebe ( https://docandphoebe.com/ ) that requires them to "hunt" for their food. You could also try a feeding ball. I also recommend using laser pointers and interactive cat toys like a Cat Dancer ( http://www.catdancer.com/ ) to get cats to play with you more appropriately. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and gives you some ideas. Thanks for using PetCoach.