Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

You win this discussion.

But yes, big dogs play hard. If you don't play hard with them, they're being neglected. I can't speak for those people who own miniature dogs who have been so completely detached from their ancestry via breeding that their roughest moments involve leaping from the couch to the floor, but for full-sized dogs, there is a certain level of desire for equal rough play that is extremely evident in their demeanor and actions, if you haven't pussified him by being overly authoritative and isolating. Rough play is a bond-forming thing. Modern wolves still do it in their packs. It's a form of communication and expression... at least, much more so than talking to it like a baby and thinking it knows what the hell you're on about.