My two bitches (akita 15months, lab 10 months) are injuring themselves whilst playing. They get so boisterous that often one gets hurt. The other is immediately sympathetic and worries but wandering if anyone has any suggestions?

They get on really well normally i.e. sleep curled up together but when they have their mad half hour in the garden it is absolute mayhem!

I personally think it is a dominance thing as the akita keeps putting the lab in her place but lab doesn't always want to be put there! Both dogs can start the antics i.e akita can be lying there not bothering anyone and the lab will pounce and vice versa. It used to be funny to watch but having had to clean cuts and scrapes on both dogs want to find a way to stop it

Suggestions gratefully received.

With them so close in age, and the Akita being a very dog dominamt breed I would feel that the behaviour will escalate, as they approach true adult maturity, and one day the lab will more than likely be seriously hurt.

I would ensure that you do not leave them alone together unsupervised. Break up any rough games as soon as they get too rough. After all I am sure neither of them would dream of being as rough with one of the human family as they get with each other? they must learn that you will only allow sensible quiet play, or they will have their game ended.

This is one of the reqasons many people advise against getting two pups (littermates or not) and waiting until older dog is a couple of years old before having a second, as there is a more natural hierachy.