Dominating or Playing?

I was just wondering if, when playing, dogs can simulate dominant behaviours without wanting to actually dominate the other dog. I'm asking because yesterday we took Loki out to play with Barney again, and when they were off the lead, obviously he acts like a little maniac, jumping over him and on him, and on one of the pictures I took, it looks like he's hugging him, putting his paws on him and etc., which I think I read is a sign of dominance. Yet when watching him, it did look like he was relaxed and just playing, having fun. So I'm wondering now if this is the reason he annoys dogs; is he trying to dominate them? Or is it just that he annoys the laid-back ones because he's an over-playful fool?

Sometimes it is simply play. Often if it is dominance the other dog will tell the pup off. Hard to say for certain without seeing it though

If it was just a 'snapshot' during play, then that's all it is, play. The 'hugging' that could be considered dominance is normally a considered, "I'm going to climb on top of you" sort of thing - if that makes sense! During play they'll all jump on & around each other & it's very normal.

True. He does do the bowing thing that they do, and when he first meets other dogs, he seems more submissive than anything else, but it just got me thinking. Other dogs do sometimes tell him off, but they're the more laid-back ones who can't be bothered playing, so I've always assumed it's because they don't want to play, as opposed to him dominating them. Well, just wanted to hear opinions on it, didn't want him annoying any dogs, thanks both of you

Just watch him - if he's continually trying to climb on top of the other dog (rather than just jumping on it during play) then step in & calm the game down a bit. I doubt that there's a problem!

Suki used to annoy some of the older dogs. After being told off a bit she realized they didn't want to play and just looked elsewhere. When she sees the dogs now she will just have a sniff and wander off

My two take it in turns to be the dominant one during play. The other will flip on to their back in front of the other to BE pinned by the neck. After a while they will get up and swap. They do also do alot of hugging, pinning generally alsorts of 'dominant' actions but through play.

ETA this is why a lot of dogs can't keep up with them during play as they are so rough and will literally throw the other about to get them on their back. It's also why alot of people have been scared of them and think they are really fighting, when their not.

I don't think you've anything to worry about just keep an eye if he is annoying some dogs just to calm him down

Yeah, I guess the reason doesn't matter so much as how the other dog is reacting. Whether he's playing or not, if the dog is getting annoyed, he should be taken away to chill out I suppose.

That said, he plays with a big dog named Buster often, and they're always jumping on top of each other and have never had any issues. Buster's even tried to hump Loki quite a lot and Loki won't react negatively, so presumably if he was a dog that was more dominating, he'd have been annoyed with it.