Why does my dog have scratches after daycare?

Dogs wrestle with their front paws and their mouths. Paws land on shoulders, backs and flanks, and a nail drawn across short fur leaves a thin line, sometimes slightly raised, rarely more than skin deep. Mouthing play aims at the scruff, the cheeks and the ears, so a small graze there is what a game of jaw-wrestling looks like the next morning. Short-coated dogs such as pointers, Weimaraners and boxers show every mark, while a doodle may carry the same scratches unseen under its coat.

Marks from the place itself are a third kind. A scuffed elbow or hock from sliding on the turf, or a scrape on a pad from a fast stop, looks like a graze rather than a line and is usually on the legs. All three kinds share a profile: shallow, dry or lightly scabbed within a day, not hot to the touch, and on a dog that eats, plays and sleeps as usual. Even so, VCA's urgent care guidance is stricter than many owners expect, and says an open wound of any size needs to be seen by a veterinarian.

A short routine turns worry into information. Part the fur around the mark with your fingers or a comb and look at it in good light. Feel gently around it for heat, swelling or a firm area, and watch your dog's face as you do; a dog that pulls away from a light touch is telling you it hurts. For a painful wound, VCA's advice is to use a muzzle even on a normally gentle dog, and never to clean a bite with hydrogen peroxide unless your vet says so, because it can delay healing.

Photograph the mark beside something for scale, and look again the next morning and the evening after. Most play marks look smaller each time. A mark that looks bigger, wetter or angrier, or that your dog keeps licking, is going the wrong way, and so is a dog that is quieter than usual. Check where scratches hide on a long coat: behind the ears, under the collar, in the armpits and inside the back legs. From April to November on Cape Ann, look twice at any small dark scab, because it may be an attached tick.

A scratch now and then is part of play. Fresh marks after most visits suggest that your dog's play style and its playmates are not well matched, perhaps a gentle dog among wrestlers, or a youngster who plays harder than its friends would like. Playgroups at Dogtown are 7 to 10 dogs matched by size, play style and temperament, starting at the free evaluation on a weekday between 6:30 and 9:30 AM, and a dog that has changed may suit a different group. Ask the front desk whether that is the answer for yours.

Other changes can help too. A half day at $33 is a shorter dose of play than a full day at $42. A Dogtown Academy day at $89 replaces some open play with training, enrichment and fitness. A nail trim at $16 for your own dog keeps its paws from leaving marks on others. Our answer on how we handle rough play at daycare explains what handlers watch for during the day, and the answer on telling play from a fight covers the signs owners can learn to read at home.