OLDE ENGLISH BULLDOGGE

ROUGH and TUMBLE. Bulldog puppies play hard!

Healthy rough-and-tumble play—especially with other well-matched puppies—helps puppies learn social skills and self-control. They practice reading signals, taking turns, adjusting their strength, and stopping when a playmate signals “enough.” If a puppy bites too hard, the other puppy may yelp or pause play, teaching bite inhibition: how to use their mouth more gently. Play also gives them exercise and a safe way to explore and build confidence.

Keep it supervised and balanced: both puppies should willingly re-engage, with loose, bouncy bodies and pauses in the play. Step in for a calm break if one puppy is repeatedly pinned, hiding, trying to escape, or getting overwhelmed. Rough play with people—especially hand-wrestling—can encourage mouthing, so redirect teeth to toys and end play briefly if biting gets too hard.