Is this play too aggressive?

[SchrodingerCat]

Cheshire is a bundle of energy and runs around all day. He is estimated to be about 10 weeks old (just recently rescued from the shelter). He likes to play with my dog who has been extremely patient with him. The thing is, Cheshire sometimes bites while playing (the first two videos). I've been working on teaching him that my fingers are not chew toys, but he seems to bite kind of hard while playing with my dog. My dog is not physically harmed, but I am wondering if I should teach him to have a softer mouth? My concern is that he is still very small, but he will get bigger and stronger as he grows up. Otherwise, the two seem to get along fine.

 

[susanm9006]

I think your dog is wonderfully patient and the two clearly get along and like one another. The dog could shake the kitten off in a second (and may as the kitten gets older and stronger) if he wanted to but seems to be enjoying himself. There is nothing I would change about their relationship.

I do think each should be eating a different kind of food though, ie kitten food and dog food.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

That's perfectly normal play for a kitten, and your dog doesn't seem to be bothered at all. So, I'll repeat susanm9006 's advice. Work mostly on the hands. A sharp, loud "OUCH" or a hiss each and every time he bites too hard will do it. And I imagine that if Cheshire gets too rough with the dog (what is the dog's name? I don't want to call him "whatshisface," it isn't polite), the dog will, indeed, shake him off, and may even pin him. So would his mother, so that's fine.

I will also repeat the advice to make sure that Cheshire is on a good kitten food. His needs are very different from a dog's, especially at this time in his life.

 

[SchrodingerCat]

Thanks for the feedback! Glad to know it is normal kitten play.

They both have separate foods and eat separately most of the time.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Kittens are the most rambunctious little forces of nature, ounce per ounce, that exist, in my (not so humble) opinion. And every single bit of their play is practicing for the hunt and the kill. No wonder it looks so rough to us! But yeah, perfectly normal.