This post was inspired by Sarah Kalnaj’s video seminar called The Language of Dogs: Understanding Canine Body Language and Other Communication Signals. You can pick up the DVD on her website: http://www.bluedogtraining.com/videos-dvds.html
As part of the Happy Pets Palace & Playground staff, there is extensive training involved, and this DVD is part of the training. Although I will be doing mostly marketing for the luxury doggy daycare/boarding facility, I am still training with everyone else on how to handle dogs. I love this. I love to learn, but I especially love to learn about dogs. I’ve been working in animal shelters for 7 years but you never truly get formal training – you just kind of learn by experience.
This DVD taught me that “wow, I have encountered dogs exhibiting these behaviors before, but never knew how to deal with it.” Well, now I am more well versed. I wanted to share some of the key points and behaviors I learned about.
Signs of Stress:
*Many of us have witnessed these signs of stress, even in our own dogs, whether it is in a new environment like a vet’s office, around unfamiliar people, or perhaps during a thunderstorm.*
– sweaty paws
– penis crowning
– lip licking
– teeth chattering
– yawning
– whining (stress vocalizations)
– dilated pupils
– “Whale Eye:” seeing the white of the eye
– dog won’t eat
– urination (not marking, submissive urination)
– ears pinned back (“bunny ears”)
– freezes
– pacing
– slow or little movement
– tucked or low tail
– stiff posture
– excessive shedding
– stretching
– trembling
– muscle “ridges” around eyes and mouth
– urogenital “check out”
– excessive salivation
– shallow or fast breathing, or holding breath
Distance Increasing Signals
*Used to gain social distance to avoid bites and aggressive behavior. The dog is letting you (or another dog) know that it needs its space.*
– marking territory
– hard eyes
– showing teeth
– full front lip curl
– heightened posture, and height seeking
– piloerection (hair standing up on back, neck and tail)
– tail position (high, fast, flagged)
– ground scratching
– freezing
– very brief look-aways
– whale eye
This information has been extremely helpful for me. I will use it at the shelters, at the boarding facility and with my own animals. I suggest consulting a certified dog behaviorist, or professional for other information if you think your dog has a serious behavioral issue.
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