Tell me how you feel Part II
In previous entry titled "Tell me how you feel;Canine body language test", I wrote about dogs do not use just vocalization as way of communication,and they use their whole body to communicate with you: facial expressions, vocal tone, position of ears and tail, body postures etc.
As you know, dog's do not have words to use to express their emotion,and for them, body language,vocal tones becomes such an important tool to communicate with you.Sometimes,people's friendly manner can be unwelcome manner for dogs,and people get snapped at or growled at.
If you read the word "growling", you may imagine growling equal to bad behavior of dogs,but it does not necessary be bad aggressive behavior, and you need to look around to see what make them growl at you. There should always be a reason behind it.
Situations examples comes to my mind are ..
1> kids play dog's ears,tails,paws,sometimes step on paws...
If dogs were not getting used to be touched on those sensitive parts, snapping at kids or growling could be the only mean for them to tell kids to stop. From early time, getting them used to be touched around such sensitive area can help the situations.
This is one of the tips I got from our vet. She said to touch the paw,praise, give treats,repeat them over over until comfortable enough. Then,if it were readily be accepted,touch and hold a bit longer,praise,give treats. It goes same for touching around muzzle too. Touching paws helps us to do calm nail clipping and touching around muzzle also helps doing calm teeth cleaning time. Even if you had nothing you really need to look at inside the mouth or hold paws,repeating touching those parts helps them be calm when you really need to touch those area.
2>when brushing,dogs that are not getting used to the sensation of grooming tool may snap at you
You can always let them sniff at tool first, and give praise,and treats. After that, one stroke of brush or maybe just a touch them with tool and praise and treats. After that, one stroke of brushing,next some more brushing etc and kept the number of being stroke higher.
When she came to our house,she was puppy and she did not like the tool to touch her at all. So,I went through all these baby steps and now,I show Furminator or other grooming tool and she comes trot to me with big grin,position herself to be brushed very good.She gets tongue hanging out,pant sometimes with big big grin on her face. Even though she likes to be brushed,I still let her sniff at whatever tool I use even when I do clipping her nail.I take time and start session when she is ready not when I am ready.
<3> when kids that dog doesn't know try to hug dogs,or try to pet the head of the dog..
Dogs feel uncomfortable when being hugged especially by someone they don't know. Dogs feel threatened when people try to pet on their head. If someone tower over the dog AND try to pet on their head,it will be even more scary or feel threatened by these body language for them and,as a result,growling or snapping at them.
Hugging or petting are affectionate gestures of people but,unfortunately,dogs do not perceive them same as you.
<4>when people try to take something they are chewing on or maybe something in their mouth which they stole such as socks
When dogs think things they have will be taken away, they probably freeze the body posture and start growling a little. If you actually try to take things away with force,you probably would get more louder growling plus nipping.
My puppy training trainer told us to practice "trade" or "drop it" or "give" from early on. If dogs knew this command, you would not get growling or nipping when you want to take something away from them which possibly be dangerous items for them.
Before enrolling into puppy training class, I did not know better and this fuzzy little stumpy dog "Palette" back then saw a penny dropped from our pants. She chased the penny coin and hold in the mouth. We were so worried it could choke her if she ate it and we were trying so hard to get the penny out from Palette's mouth. She of course growled at us because she knows the precious penny will be taken away. So, she came to conclusion: swallowed it. I remember I was poking her things to see if the penny coming out from other side, and was very worried. Lesson learned,try not to take thing away with fight. Palette did not choke with it and it seemed ok,but the fact Palette now knows the command "drop it","give","trade" is big help when I want to take thing away from her. She can now be happy to leave big hunk of meat behind OR anything she was chewing on to trade with something smaller.
I started off with her boring toy exchange with small treats and I gave it back,and asked her to "trade" and I gave her treat when she dropped the item. I repeated them over and over and made sure I give item back. I then step up to trading ball with treats for play fetch game, then, her chew treats to trade,then real food to trade. The treats I trade with is usually something I do not give her all the time,so it adds more value to the treats and,it seems working great for Palette and I. I also have special treats I use only when clipping nail, and since she does not get the special treats on other occasion, she is very happy to hear clipping nail.
These are situations I could think of when dogs growl as warning sign. If you had growling from your dog,try look around situation and, evaluate how you can communicate better with them. Often times,simple gesture or behavior can be misunderstood by dogs.
If you were to take something away from them,don't try taking thing out by pulling back hard.It just make situation worse.Just be calm, offer special treats for trade,teach them "trade" command.
And, sometimes, Palette growls when we play game with her,she sometimes do play bow posture to me and growl. It is not an aggressive behavior I think. She just telling me that she is having fun playing with me. She is very talkative and she groan when I rub her tummy and come closer and closer to me and change position so that she gets better rubbing on the spot she likes.
Next time when you got growl from your dog,be calm and listen to what they say.
As you know, dog's do not have words to use to express their emotion,and for them, body language,vocal tones becomes such an important tool to communicate with you.Sometimes,people's friendly manner can be unwelcome manner for dogs,and people get snapped at or growled at.
If you read the word "growling", you may imagine growling equal to bad behavior of dogs,but it does not necessary be bad aggressive behavior, and you need to look around to see what make them growl at you. There should always be a reason behind it.
Situations examples comes to my mind are ..
1> kids play dog's ears,tails,paws,sometimes step on paws...
If dogs were not getting used to be touched on those sensitive parts, snapping at kids or growling could be the only mean for them to tell kids to stop. From early time, getting them used to be touched around such sensitive area can help the situations.
This is one of the tips I got from our vet. She said to touch the paw,praise, give treats,repeat them over over until comfortable enough. Then,if it were readily be accepted,touch and hold a bit longer,praise,give treats. It goes same for touching around muzzle too. Touching paws helps us to do calm nail clipping and touching around muzzle also helps doing calm teeth cleaning time. Even if you had nothing you really need to look at inside the mouth or hold paws,repeating touching those parts helps them be calm when you really need to touch those area.
2>when brushing,dogs that are not getting used to the sensation of grooming tool may snap at you
You can always let them sniff at tool first, and give praise,and treats. After that, one stroke of brush or maybe just a touch them with tool and praise and treats. After that, one stroke of brushing,next some more brushing etc and kept the number of being stroke higher.
When she came to our house,she was puppy and she did not like the tool to touch her at all. So,I went through all these baby steps and now,I show Furminator or other grooming tool and she comes trot to me with big grin,position herself to be brushed very good.She gets tongue hanging out,pant sometimes with big big grin on her face. Even though she likes to be brushed,I still let her sniff at whatever tool I use even when I do clipping her nail.I take time and start session when she is ready not when I am ready.
<3> when kids that dog doesn't know try to hug dogs,or try to pet the head of the dog..
Dogs feel uncomfortable when being hugged especially by someone they don't know. Dogs feel threatened when people try to pet on their head. If someone tower over the dog AND try to pet on their head,it will be even more scary or feel threatened by these body language for them and,as a result,growling or snapping at them.
Hugging or petting are affectionate gestures of people but,unfortunately,dogs do not perceive them same as you.
<4>when people try to take something they are chewing on or maybe something in their mouth which they stole such as socks
When dogs think things they have will be taken away, they probably freeze the body posture and start growling a little. If you actually try to take things away with force,you probably would get more louder growling plus nipping.
My puppy training trainer told us to practice "trade" or "drop it" or "give" from early on. If dogs knew this command, you would not get growling or nipping when you want to take something away from them which possibly be dangerous items for them.
Before enrolling into puppy training class, I did not know better and this fuzzy little stumpy dog "Palette" back then saw a penny dropped from our pants. She chased the penny coin and hold in the mouth. We were so worried it could choke her if she ate it and we were trying so hard to get the penny out from Palette's mouth. She of course growled at us because she knows the precious penny will be taken away. So, she came to conclusion: swallowed it. I remember I was poking her things to see if the penny coming out from other side, and was very worried. Lesson learned,try not to take thing away with fight. Palette did not choke with it and it seemed ok,but the fact Palette now knows the command "drop it","give","trade" is big help when I want to take thing away from her. She can now be happy to leave big hunk of meat behind OR anything she was chewing on to trade with something smaller.
I started off with her boring toy exchange with small treats and I gave it back,and asked her to "trade" and I gave her treat when she dropped the item. I repeated them over and over and made sure I give item back. I then step up to trading ball with treats for play fetch game, then, her chew treats to trade,then real food to trade. The treats I trade with is usually something I do not give her all the time,so it adds more value to the treats and,it seems working great for Palette and I. I also have special treats I use only when clipping nail, and since she does not get the special treats on other occasion, she is very happy to hear clipping nail.
These are situations I could think of when dogs growl as warning sign. If you had growling from your dog,try look around situation and, evaluate how you can communicate better with them. Often times,simple gesture or behavior can be misunderstood by dogs.
If you were to take something away from them,don't try taking thing out by pulling back hard.It just make situation worse.Just be calm, offer special treats for trade,teach them "trade" command.
And, sometimes, Palette growls when we play game with her,she sometimes do play bow posture to me and growl. It is not an aggressive behavior I think. She just telling me that she is having fun playing with me. She is very talkative and she groan when I rub her tummy and come closer and closer to me and change position so that she gets better rubbing on the spot she likes.
Next time when you got growl from your dog,be calm and listen to what they say.
Posted by yassy at 8/29/2009 3:36 PM 
Categories: Miscellaneous (dogs)
Tags: dogs body language growling
Categories: Miscellaneous (dogs)
Tags: dogs body language growling
Comments