Why Is Reading My Dog’s Signals So Important?
To be able to anticipate your dog’s behavior, you must be able to read her.
The majority of dog aggressiveness is prompted and predicted, therefore learning the signs and understanding the context is crucial. In reality, observing your dog’s responses to the world around her, including humans, other dogs, and other environmental stimuli, can allow you to get a better understanding of her development as you assist her in navigating potentially stressful circumstances.
When some persons approach on the sidewalk, for example, your scared dog may display uneasiness and even avoidance: her tail may drop, her speed may decrease, her ears may shift backward, her eyes may expand, and she may lick her lips. You can’t overlook any of these indicators of dissatisfaction with the circumstance she’s in.
What should you do in this situation?
Giving the approaching individual a wide space while talking gently and reassuringly to your dog would be ideal at this time. Rather of slowing her down or causing her to go closer to the person, move quickly in the other way, behind a parked vehicle, or across the street to prevent deepening her dread.
Your dog’s body language will reveal less worry if you choose the right course of action, such as walking rapidly again, tail held higher, and ears relaxed. Food may also be used to divert her attention away from her worries.
You may anticipate the causes of your dog’s fear and, as a result, prevent the fear from turning into hostility by keeping a close eye on her. Remember, this isn’t about “giving in” to your dog; it’s about respecting her emotional state and enabling her to learn to trust you to keep her safe and let you decide what is and isn’t a danger.
Finally, you must be proactive, be aware of your dog’s signals, and shield your dog from circumstances in which she can only react like a dog. Not only will you protect your dog and prevent unpleasant behavior such as biting, but you will also build a better bond with her as she learns to trust you to make the right decisions for her.
Is Aggression Always a Reaction to a Provocation?
All dogs have the ability to bite, no matter how calm or gentle they seem.
That does not imply that they are “abusive.” Meanness has no place in our canine friends’ lives. Dogs aren’t out for vengeance or hatred; they’re just employing canine skills to adapt to social settings.
Aggression may be triggered by a variety of factors, including a desire to maintain ownership of a beloved toy, a reaction to a “intruder” approaching the yard or home, or a too-vigorous combing of a matted coat. These triggers, though, aren’t always clear. Maybe you didn’t see the unchewed rawhide chip three feet away from the dog beneath the couch, or you mistook your dog’s remaining still for the combing as accepting it.
Aggression might look spontaneous and unprovoked to persons who are unfamiliar with dogs, and even to those who are familiar with dogs. In most circumstances, however, if you understand what triggers an aggressive dog’s behavior, you can predict and prevent it.
The fact is that most aggressive behavior is triggered and predictable (at least from the dog’s viewpoint), but it does not happen every time a dog meets a certain trigger. It is because of this lack of efficient communication between us and our companion dogs that their conduct might seem unexpected at times.
Humans have a tough time comprehending resource protection.
Food or food-related things, such as rawhide chews or food bowls, are traditionally valued and guarded by dogs. However, it is critical to consider “worth” from the standpoint of each particular dog. Dogs may defend a favorite resting location or bed, the garbage can, or even their food-giving owners.
However, detecting the provocation might be challenging. It might be difficult to pick up on all of an aggressive dog’s subtle behavioral signs. Some dog breeds, and individuals within any breed, are stoic, or their signaling apparatus (or body language) has been tampered with by breeding, sickness, or cosmetic surgery, as previously mentioned.
If this sounds like your dog, make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist, who may assist you by gathering additional information about the aggressiveness and then providing a diagnosis and treatment plan.
Aggression isn’t a training issue; it’s a problem with how the dog perceives what’s going on around her and how she reacts to that impression. As a consequence, effective action is required to address the particular cause of violence.
We can safeguard our children and canines by understanding the disparities in their perspectives on the world. A dog that is sleeping or eating may not want to be disturbed, cuddled, or touched, and small children may be unable to understand such signs, resulting in biting.
How Do We Get Started in Management?
Even though we all like our dogs, we must accept that they may bite in certain circumstances. Any dog, especially the floppy-eared family pet you share your bed with, has the potential to bite. As with any risk in life, the probability does not always imply that you should not take it—if the rewards exceed the dangers.
Veterinarians, who must sometimes do uncomfortable tasks like as touching a sore paw, are well aware of this. What can you do in everyday situations to avoid hostility and, in particular, biting?
Get to know your canine companion. Each dog is unique, with its own personality and set of sensitivity. Physical health, as well as the dog’s responsiveness, experience, and personality (including inherited disposition), all impact aggressiveness.
Do you have a reactive or resource-guarding dog or a dog that is afraid of loud noises? When assessing your dog’s aggressiveness risk, keep this in mind and prepare appropriately.
Keep in mind that as you become older, your chance of being aggressive increases. Physical maturity comes after behavioral maturity. If your puppy or immature dog is afraid or uncomfortable around new people or settings, there’s a good possibility she’ll bite when she’s a mature adult, about one to three years old.
When things first start to shift, make an appointment with a veterinarian behaviorist to get the knowledge you need to know what to do.
Recognize, prevent, and reduce your dog’s biting triggers. For one dog, an ordinary event may be inconsequential, but for another, it may pose a serious danger. Consider what occurs when you approach a rawhide bone that hasn’t been eaten and is laying near your dog. While your dog may raise one eye as you approach and then return to sleep, your neighbor’s dog may snarl and lunge to protect the bone.
Be cognizant of canine body language and communication. Fear, excitement, and uncertainty are common dog signals. To figure out what your dog is saying, pay attention to her face, eyes, head, tail, and body position.
It’s not a good idea to presume your dog will tolerate particular people, canines, settings, or events in general. If she seems to be anxious, remove your dog from the situation as quickly as possible.
Recognize the common causes of aggressiveness in all dogs.
• Pain • Punishment • Self-defense
• Being disturbed while resting • Physical manipulation, pushing, pulling
• Being disturbed while in a denlike area
• Being disturbed while on a high-value bed
• Defending the home, yard, car, and other territory
• Being approached when behind a fence, in a car, or in a crate
• Defending high-value resources that are approached, touched or removed
Safety
Preventing aggressive behavior from occurring in the first place is the greatest technique for dealing with it. However, if you are confronted with a snarling or lunging dog in an emergency scenario, you should get out of the way as soon as possible. Remember how we spoke about punishment and how it might lead to more aggression? Turn and move away if your own dog is snarling at you or trying to bite you.
Consider the scenario when you’ve securely distanced yourself. If the cause is obvious (for example, you were reaching to clip on a leash when your hesitant dog retreated into a corner), avoiding the issue the next time may be just as straightforward (call the dog to you rather than cornering her).
In certain cases, avoiding the circumstance is the best option.
In other circumstances, and when it is safe to do so, working with the dog to training her to tolerate such approaches or interactions is also vital. Changing the tone of the conversation from annoyance to joy might be beneficial.
Food-loving dogs may be coaxed out of their hiding places with a thrown handful of goodies, and the same food can be used as bait to get the dog to the door. Instead of protecting herself against an angry owner, your dog would suddenly consider the scenario to be safer and more appealing.
The Resource-Guarding Dog is a dog that guards resources.
You could opt to merely let your dog have an object that isn’t harmful, such as a tissue from the garbage, if she claims ownership of it. Take it away only if you’re certain your dog will be indifferent when “her” belongings are stolen. When you need to take something away, it’s a good idea to swap it for something else. This approach has the potential to be helpful, but it must be used with caution.
Dogs are really fast, and they may grab the reward you provide, return to the object as you reach for it, and still bite you. A better method is to toss the tasty food a long distance away, forcing the dog to abandon it.
Before the dog may return, you have an opportunity to pick it up. Alternatively, use the two-treat strategy of bringing the dog into one room with one reward and then drawing her away with the other. Close the door and go back to carefully dispose of the item.
Keep in mind that all you’re doing is diverting your dog’s attention away from something you wish to get rid of.
Any food supplied after your dog has gotten a safe distance from the object is unlikely to be related to the item she abandoned. Is this a case of bribery? In certain ways, yes. However, luring or persuading a dog to relocate from one location to another is perfectly acceptable. It is, in reality, a kind way of relocating a dog that is otherwise hesitant or bewildered.
You may always go one step further and train your dog to give up objects when requested.
What about dogs that protect food? It is critical that you do not remove your dog’s chew toys or food while he or she is chewing or eating.
Second, for their own protection, food-guarding dogs should be fed in a secure, separate place where they will not be disturbed. Third, try to correlate your approach and contact with providing a portion of tasty food with pups (with whom it is still safe to undertake handling activities).
Teach your dog that being around you is exciting and delightful, not frightening.
Moving Your Dog from One Spot to Another Teaching your dog to move from one place to another on command is a smart and safe method.
Again, a handful of thrown food may change a nervous, aggressive dog into one that is focused on kibble as an emergency measure. Take the time to teach signals like “off” (from the bed), “come” (from anyplace, at any time), and even “go to” for a longer-term solution (a particular spot).
Positive reinforcement will result in a happy, cooperative dog and eliminate the need to reach for the collar of a hesitant or fearful dog while teaching these skills. (For further detail on training.
Creating Predictable and Safe Interactions
Establishing a normal and consistent language is vital for any dog, but particularly for dogs that are fearful or worried. Make it a habit to ask your dog to sit before giving her whatever she wants.
We are employing the “life reward” of an open door or a thrown ball instead of food. These drills aren’t meant to compel “payment for services,” but they are a great approach to making our pets’ life as predictable as possible.
We educate kids to turn to us for direction and to let us make choices for them by asking them to sit before receiving good things for themselves. They are only too happy to pass over responsibility for their well-being to us with enough repetition and constancy. We instruct our dogs to do the same thing before they get things, just as we attempt to educate impetuous youngsters to say “please.”
This is crucial for frightened dogs for various reasons. First, when dogs don’t know what to anticipate at any particular time, they get more stressed, and our objective is to lessen their tension so that we may lower the risk of fear-related violence. Second, apprehensive, concerned dogs (like many of us when we’re scared) are driven to take care of themselves by taking control of the situation.
Refugee/Safe Haven
This has already been explored in earlier chapters of the book, but it bears repeating here. If your dog has learned that her safe area is when things are peaceful, she will find it much simpler to return there when things are hectic and she should not be involved.
A secure haven enables your dog to escape the craziness of parties and playdates while also ensuring the safety of both your pet and your guests. Keep your dog away from stimuli that are known to induce aggressive behavior in dogs in this region. (See Chapter 8 for further information on safe havens/refuges.)
Avoiding Punishment
When it comes to controlling your dog’s behavior, harsh treatment and punishment are unnecessary, and at worst, are likely to create fear and hostility. There’s no need for leash pops (a fast yank on the leash), shock collars, alpha rolls (turning the dog onto her back), dominance downs (physically restraining the dog on her side), snarling, punching, or any other adverse dog interactions. Treatment like this isn’t suggested for any canine behavior issue, but it’s especially bad for handling aggressiveness.
Taking Care of Your Dog’s Daily Needs
Every dog’s requirements must be satisfied. Make sure your dog gets the social connection, exploration, exercise, and play he or she needs on a regular basis. This does not have to be a two-hour walk; a five- to ten-minute sniff walk a few times a week would suffice. Dogs like sniffing and chewing and should be able to do so in a safe environment. Finally, dogs must be able to interact with their owners on their own terms.
Some dogs like being petted and stroked, while others do not. Please keep in mind that your dog may be happiest sitting at your feet or lying on your bed as you read your e-mail. However, you should find a manner to securely connect with your dog that is enjoyable for both of you.
When You Need More Than Management: Tools for modifying and controlling behavior
Once a diagnosis and prognosis have been determined, a treatment plan tailored to you and your pet will be discussed during your appointment with a veterinary behaviorist. This strategy will incorporate a variety of strategies, including the management interventions mentioned earlier.
The following four goals should be included in every behavior change plan:
To be able to anticipate your dog’s behavior, you must be able to read her.
The majority of dog aggressiveness is prompted and predicted, therefore learning the signs and understanding the context is crucial.
In reality, observing your dog’s responses to the world around her, including humans, other dogs, and other environmental stimuli, can allow you to get a better understanding of her development as you assist her in navigating potentially stressful circumstances. When some persons approach on the sidewalk, for example, your scared dog may display uneasiness and even avoidance:
her tail may drop, her speed may decrease, her ears may shift backward, her eyes may expand, and she may lick her lips. You can’t overlook any of these indicators of dissatisfaction with the circumstance she’s in.
What should you do in this situation? Giving the approaching individual a wide space while talking gently and reassuringly to your dog would be ideal at this time.
Rather of slowing her down or causing her to go closer to the person, move quickly in the other way, behind a parked vehicle, or across the street to prevent deepening her dread. Your dog’s body language will reveal less worry if you choose the right course of action, such as walking rapidly again, tail held higher, and ears relaxed. Food may also be used to divert her attention away from her worries.
You may anticipate the causes of your dog’s fear and, as a result, prevent the fear from turning into hostility by keeping a close eye on her. Remember, this isn’t about “giving in” to your dog; it’s about respecting her emotional state and enabling her to learn to trust you to keep her safe and let you decide what is and isn’t a danger.
Finally, you must be proactive, be aware of your dog’s signals, and shield your dog from circumstances in which she can only react like a dog. Not only will you protect your dog and prevent unpleasant behavior such as biting, but you will also build a better bond with her as she learns to trust you to make the right decisions for her.
Is Aggression Always a Reaction to a Provocation?
All dogs have the ability to bite, no matter how calm or gentle they seem.
That does not imply that they are “abusive.” Meanness has no place in our canine friends’ lives. Dogs aren’t out for vengeance or hatred; they’re just employing canine skills to adapt to social settings.
Aggression may be triggered by a variety of factors, including a desire to maintain ownership of a beloved toy, a reaction to a “intruder” approaching the yard or home, or a too-vigorous combing of a matted coat. These triggers, though, aren’t always clear. Maybe you didn’t see the unchewed rawhide chip three feet away from the dog beneath the couch, or you mistook your dog’s remaining still for the combing as accepting it.
Aggression might look spontaneous and unprovoked to persons who are unfamiliar with dogs, and even to those who are familiar with dogs. In most circumstances, however, if you understand what triggers an aggressive dog’s behavior, you can predict and prevent it. The fact is that most aggressive behavior is triggered and predictable (at least from the dog’s viewpoint), but it does not happen every time a dog meets a certain trigger. It is because of this lack of efficient communication between us and our companion dogs that their conduct might seem unexpected at times.
Humans have a tough time comprehending resource protection.
Food or food-related things, such as rawhide chews or food bowls, are traditionally valued and guarded by dogs. However, it is critical to consider “worth” from the standpoint of each particular dog. Dogs may defend a favorite resting location or bed, the garbage can, or even their food-giving owners.
However, detecting the provocation might be challenging. It might be difficult to pick up on all of an aggressive dog’s subtle behavioral signs. Some dog breeds, and individuals within any breed, are stoic, or their signaling apparatus (or body language) has been tampered with by breeding, sickness, or cosmetic surgery, as previously mentioned.
If this sounds like your dog, make an appointment with a veterinary behaviorist, who may assist you by gathering additional information about the aggressiveness and then providing a diagnosis and treatment plan.
Aggression isn’t a training issue; it’s a problem with how the dog perceives what’s going on around her and how she reacts to that impression. As a consequence, effective action is required to address the particular cause of violence.
We can safeguard our children and canines by understanding the disparities in their perspectives on the world. A dog that is sleeping or eating may not want to be disturbed, cuddled, or touched, and small children may be unable to understand such signs, resulting in biting.
How Do We Get Started in Management?
Even though we all like our dogs, we must accept that they may bite in certain circumstances. Any dog, especially the floppy-eared family pet you share your bed with, has the potential to bite. As with any risk in life, the probability does not always imply that you should not take it—if the rewards exceed the dangers. Veterinarians, who must sometimes do uncomfortable tasks like as touching a sore paw, are well aware of this. What can you do in everyday situations to avoid hostility and, in particular, biting?
Get to know your canine companion. Each dog is unique, with her own personality and set of sensitivity. Physical health, as well as the dog’s responsiveness, experience, and personality (including inherited disposition), all impact aggressiveness. Do you have a reactive or resource-guarding dog, or a dog that is afraid of loud noises? When assessing your dog’s aggressiveness risk, keep this in mind and prepare appropriately.
Keep in mind that as you become older, your chance of being aggressive increases. Physical maturity comes after behavioral maturity. If your puppy or immature dog is afraid or uncomfortable around new people or settings, there’s a good possibility she’ll bite when she’s a mature adult, about one to three years old. When things first start to shift, make an appointment with a veterinarian behaviorist to get the knowledge you need to know what to do.
Recognize, prevent, and reduce your dog’s biting triggers.
For one dog, an ordinary event may be inconsequential, but for another, it may pose a serious danger. Consider what occurs when you approach a rawhide bone that hasn’t been eaten and is laying near your dog. While your dog may raise one eye as you approach and then return to sleep, your neighbor’s dog may snarl and lunge to protect the bone.
Be cognizant of canine body language and communication. Fear, excitement, and uncertainty are common dog signals. To figure out what your dog is saying, pay attention to her face, eyes, head, tail, and body position.
It’s not a good idea to presume your dog will tolerate particular people, canines, settings, or events in general. If she seems to be anxious, remove your dog from the situation as quickly as possible.
Recognize the common causes of aggressiveness in all dogs.
- • Pain
- • Punishment
- • Self-defense
- • Being disturbed while resting
- • Physical manipulation, pushing, pulling
- • Being disturbed while in a denlike area
- • Being disturbed while on a high-value bed
- • Defending the home, yard, car, and other territory
- • Being approached when behind a fence, in a car, or in a crate
- • Defending high-value resources that are approached, touched or removed
Safety
Preventing aggressive behavior from occurring in the first place is the greatest technique for dealing with it. However, if you are confronted with a snarling or lunging dog in an emergency scenario, you should get out of the way as soon as possible. Remember how we spoke about punishment and how it might lead to more aggression? Turn and move away if your own dog is snarling at you or trying to bite you.
Consider the scenario when you’ve securely distanced yourself. If the cause is obvious (for example, you were reaching to clip on a leash when your hesitant dog retreated into a corner), avoiding the issue the next time may be just as straightforward (call the dog to you rather than cornering her).
In certain cases, avoiding the circumstance is the best option.
In other circumstances, and when it is safe to do so, working with the dog to training her to tolerate such approaches or interactions is also vital. Changing the tone of the conversation from annoyance to joy might be beneficial.
Food-loving dogs may be coaxed out of their hiding places with a thrown handful of goodies, and the same food can be used as bait to get the dog to the door. Instead of protecting herself against an angry owner, your dog would suddenly consider the scenario to be safer and more appealing.
The Resource-Guarding Dog is a dog that guards resources.
You could opt to merely let your dog have an object that isn’t harmful, such as a tissue from the garbage, if she claims ownership of it. Take it away only if you’re certain your dog will be indifferent when “her” belongings are stolen.
When you need to take something away, it’s a good idea to swap it for something else. This approach has the potential to be helpful, but it must be used with caution. Dogs are really fast, and they may grab the reward you provide, return to the object as you reach for it, and still bite you.
A better method is to toss the tasty food a long distance away, forcing the dog to abandon it. Before the dog may return, you have an opportunity to pick it up. Alternatively, use the two-treat strategy of bringing the dog into one room with one reward and then drawing her away with the other. Close the door and go back to carefully dispose of the item.
Keep in mind that all you’re doing is diverting your dog’s attention away from something you wish to get rid of. Any food supplied after your dog has gotten a safe distance from the object is unlikely to be related to the item she abandoned. Is this a case of bribery?
In certain ways, yes. However, luring or persuading a dog to relocate from one location to another is perfectly acceptable. It is, in reality, a kind way of relocating a dog that is otherwise hesitant or bewildered. You may always go one step further and train your dog to give up objects when requested.
What about dogs that protect food? It is critical that you do not remove your dog’s chew toys or food while he or she is chewing or eating. Second, for their own protection, food-guarding dogs should be fed in a secure, separate place where they will not be disturbed.
Third, try to correlate your approach and contact with providing tasty food to pups (with whom it is still safe to undertake handling activities). Teach your dog that being around you is exciting and delightful, not frightening.
Moving Your Dog from One Spot to Another Teaching your dog to move from one place to another on command is a smart and safe method. Again, a handful of thrown food may change a nervous, aggressive dog into one that is focused on kibble as an emergency measure. Take the time to teach signals like “off” (from the bed), “come” (from anyplace, at any time), and even “go-to” for a longer-term solution (a particular spot).
Positive reinforcement will result in a happy, cooperative dog and eliminate the need to reach for the collar of a hesitant or fearful dog while teaching these skills.
Creating Predictable and Safe Interactions
Establishing a normal and consistent language is vital for any dog, but particularly for dogs that are fearful or worried. Make it a habit to ask your dog to sit before giving her whatever she wants.
We are employing the “life reward” of an open door or a thrown ball instead of food. These drills aren’t meant to compel “payment for services,” but they are a great approach to making our pets’ life as predictable as possible. We educate kids to turn to us for direction and to let us make choices for them by asking them to sit before receiving good things for themselves.
They are only too happy to pass over responsibility for their well-being to us with enough repetition and constancy. We instruct our dogs to do the same thing before they get things, just as we attempt to educate impetuous youngsters to say “please.”
This is crucial for frightened dogs for various reasons. First, when dogs don’t know what to anticipate at any particular time, they get more stressed, and our objective is to lessen their tension so that we may lower the risk of fear-related violence. Second, apprehensive, concerned dogs (like many of us when we’re scared) are driven to take care of themselves by taking control of the situation.
Refugee/Safe Haven
This has already been explored in earlier chapters of the book, but it bears repeating here. If your dog has learned that her safe area is when things are peaceful, she will find it much simpler to return there when things are hectic and she should not be involved.
A secure haven enables your dog to escape the craziness of parties and playdates while also ensuring the safety of both your pet and your guests. Keep your dog away from stimuli that are known to induce aggressive behavior in dogs in this region.
Avoiding Punishment
When it comes to controlling your dog’s behavior, harsh treatment and punishment are unnecessary, and at worst, are likely to create fear and hostility. There’s no need for leash pops (a fast yank on the leash), shock collars, alpha rolls (turning the dog onto her back), dominance downs (physically restraining the dog on her side), snarling, punching, or any other adverse dog interactions. Treatment like this isn’t suggested for any canine behavior issue, but it’s especially bad for handling aggressiveness.
Taking Care of Your Dog’s Daily Needs
Every dog’s requirements must be satisfied. Make sure your dog gets the social connection, exploration, exercise, and play he or she needs on a regular basis. This does not have to be a two-hour walk; a five- to ten-minute sniff walk a few times a week would suffice.
Dogs like sniffing and chewing and should be able to do so in a safe environment. Finally, dogs must be able to interact with their owners on their own terms.
Some dogs like being petted and stroked, while others do not. Please keep in mind that your dog may be happiest sitting at your feet or lying on your bed as you read your e-mail. However, you should find a manner to securely connect with your dog that is enjoyable for both of you.
When You Need More Than Management:
Tools for modifying and controlling behavior
Once a diagnosis and prognosis have been determined, a treatment plan tailored to you and your pet will be discussed during your appointment with a veterinary behaviorist. This strategy will incorporate a variety of strategies, including the management interventions mentioned earlier.
The following four goals should be included in every behavior change plan:
- Change the underlying emotion, in this example hostility, that is driving the unpleasant conduct. This implies that instead of being worried or fearful, your dog will be calm and content.
- Recognize how the dog’s reaction changes when various parts of the stimuli that causes her aggressiveness vary. This might be the strength, distance, sound, or any other stimulus element that influences the dog’s reaction intensity. These must be comprehended and taken into account while developing an effective treatment strategy.
- Teach your dog a different reaction to the scenario. This is only possible if training sessions are properly organized to prevent full-strength stimulus exposure and full-strength reaction. When your dog is relaxed, she can only learn. You can be relaxed if your dog is calm and under control.
- Reward the correct reaction, which is frequently done with delicious food and/or play.
Even with a behavior modification plan in place, certain circumstances may never be safe for your dog and must be avoided at all costs.
Control devices, such as head collars, leashes, and muzzles, are another important addition to therapy. These items may help you gain greater control over your dog, as well as providing protection for those who may come into touch with your dog.
How Do We Work With Dogs Who Are Afraid Of Children?
When Does A Wagging Tail Mean?
Why Infants And Children Should Never Be Left Unattended With Dogs.
How To Train Your Dog To Allow You To Brush His Teeth
Why Dog Fights Every Time I Try To Clip His Nails
Dog Training Alternate Behaviors
