You are adopting or have adopted a dog as a fun, family companion.  We do really want you to have fun with your dog, but there are some rules that are important to think about when playing with your dog.  Through appropriate play, you can teach your dog to be a happy and obedient companion.

Here are some rules to follow when playing with your dog:

• Humans are not chew toys! Don't let your dog play with any of your body parts including your hands, hair, and clothing.  Don't entice your dog to play with your hands by reaching and grabbing or slapping at her face.
• Don't wrestle with your dog.  This encourages your dog to mouth you, body slam you, and even growl.  Wrestling can be very confusing to dogs because you are acting more like a dog than a human.  Dogs play very differently with each other than they do with humans.

A great book on the subject is Dr. Patricia McConnell's "Play Together, Stay Together!"  Check it out!