Observing dogs

Four days ago I was playing with our visitor, Kiana, and a de-squeaked Good Cuz toy (the orange one that has seen Dexter through puppy months and into adulthood, somewhere along the way losing its squeakability). Eventually she grew tired of me throwing it for her and laid down to chew on it. Dex got up, approached and tried to entice her to play (posturing, pawing, nose-bopping, nomming on her head; the usual stuff they do to each other when they want to play). It didn't work. Instead, she kind of became protective of the Good Cuz. (Or, at least that's how it appeared to me). She tensed before lifting her lip at him while clenching the toy. He took a step back but didn't leave. When he didn't leave she dropped the Good Cuz to bare her teeth. As the Good Cuz rolled away, Dex laid his muzzle across her muzzle. When he did this Kiana stopped baring her teeth. He stood there for a moment, his body relaxed and his muzzle rested on hers. Then he slowly walked away, picked up the Good Cuz and brought it back to her. He dropped it in between her paws, gave a goofy grin, and asked her to play again. She responded by initiating biteyface with him.

The Good Cuz was quickly forgotten.