Dog body language

[Serpentine]

I wanted to make a few posts on dog behavioral care a while ago but due to account issues got quite a delay!

I got pretty heated emotionally after seeing other members talking about Ceaser Millian and figured may as well start some educational post.

So to start let’s get to the basics of just being able to read your pets body langue.

Most people can tell when there pet is happy to see them with the bright eyes and wagging tails but too many seem blind to when their pet is uncomfortable.

Things to look out for

Whale eye- Dog showing the whites of the eye
Lip lick-different from a lip smack after eating
Pinned/ low ears
Mouth closed tight
panting
Tail low
Frowed brows

Shaking off- ever see your dog shake like they’re wet? This is a sign the dog just experienced something that made it uncomfortable and is trying to calm down. I usually tell people your dog is going from a higher state of arousal to a lower state of arousal.

Here’s a great video explaining these behaviors

https://youtu.be/8bg_gGguwzg

These signs are called warning/ appeasement signs. They are very low for bite risk, the dog is very unlikely to bite if giving one of these warnings and there is usually a good amount of time to make the dog feel more comfortable.

More extreme warning signs would be an agnostic pucker-showing the teeth
Piloerrection- when the hair on the back stand up
Barking- sometimes just one loud bark, sometimes excessive
Tail high and wagging- this one’s huge, I’ve heard too many times “oh but his tails wagging” this is a sign of over all arousal not a sign of friendliness
Air snapping

And I just found another video by the same person above

https://youtu.be/t4N2XvnY7Mo

Cats show similar appeasement behaviors , cats will lip lick and yawn when stressed. As well as show avoidance and displacement behaviors.

As and end note use the 3 second rule when meeting a new dog,

Greet the dog standing sideways or ever crouching if they seem timid

Let them sniff you; a slightly closed extend fist works well

Start petting by petting their chest first and move to the sides/ back and pet for around 3 second then stop.

Watch what they do, if they take this opportunity to get away from you they were most likely uncomfortable with the interaction, if they are begging for more then obviously they want your love.

I do this with my dogs all the time; during periods of extended interaction I like to make sure I’m not pushing my self on them lol.

Let me know if you guys liked this information and I can post way more! I can help with a wide variety of behavioral/ training problems and would love to help out more in our online community

 

[Aquarius]

Nice info! I love dogs and I have my own dog who I love with all my heart. My advice to those who have dogs that don’t behave too well is to never harm them in anyway, no slappinng or anything, that in my experience caused the dogs to have trauma and it just isnt right. You have to educate them to have proper manners, i really recommend clicker training for that as dogs have fun with it, you don’t punish your dogs, you train him with positive reinforcement which makes him behave better