DOG GROWLING

DOG GROWLING

A dog growling does nothing but express itself, it's not something negative, on the contrary.

Humans often equate grunting with pure aggression. Now, let's see it from the dog's viewpoint. How can he express a fear, an uneasiness? He will bark, cry, growl, and make a lot of facial expressions to make you understand things. Growling is an integral part of the dog's communication panoply.

So what does growl mean? What causes it?

The meaning of growl can be very varied. In fact, every dog will use growling in different ways and at different times depending on who he is and how he expresses himself and communicates.

Generally, we can say that growling signals 3 situations that the dog experiences:

• fear
• pain
• defense

More specific contexts that trigger a growl

1. The dog that growls without reason

The good news is that there is no such thing (unless the dog has a neurological problem for example, but this is very rare).

If your dog is growling, stop everything you're doing and try to understand WHY. This is the only way we will be able to solve the problem. What were you doing? What was he doing? In what place? Near what/which?

2. The dog that growls when I scold him

I'm one of those behaviorists who will tell you that "an aggressive reaction breeds an aggressive response". If you're pushed into the street, you have two options. Say nothing and walk away with your head down: inhibit yourself. Or say something calmly, shouting, pushing the other one, beating yourself up... It all depends on who you are.

Tell yourself that for your dog it's the same thing. If you scold him, and even worse if you use punitive methods such as training whip, rolled newspaper or even spanking, grabbing by the skin of the neck, howling, alpha roll/backing... you are attacking your dog. That's how he experiences it.

So he has two possibilities:

• Inhibit himself and take calming postures such as: squatting on himself, bowing his head, looking away, showing his belly...
• answer you! It starts with... a growl! He's warning you that he's scared or hurt or that he's going to defend himself. It's the beginning of a phase of aggression, but it's only a message. Your dog doesn't want to bite you, he wants you to stop attacking him!

You're doing it wrong, the relationship of trust is breaking down and he doesn't understand you. You need to rethink the way you reprimand and reward him!

3. The dog that growls at people

Your dog may be afraid or suspicious of people. This may be due to a lack of familiarity with all human morpho-types (male, female, child, large, small, fat, white, black, hooded, on a bicycle, scooter etc.) or a bad experience. For example, if your dog has been mistreated or has had a traumatic experience, he may be afraid of people matching this morpho-type or even generalize to all unknown humans.

It is necessary to do a slow work of familiarization to the Human without ever forcing the dog to come into contact. The dog will come when he is ready. If we force him, he will be even more reluctant and will enter into a panic state.

4. The dog that growls at its master, at the child of the house

If your dog is growling at you or a family member, he may be doing resource protection. It is then interesting to look at the event and analyze it. Who, what, where, when, how and this in order to define WHY the dog grunted. This makes it possible to act on the cause. Check that it is not one of the reasons mentioned above.

5. The dog that growls when I give him a kiss or a cuddle

Maybe it's simply because he doesn't like the contact that's offered to him. some dogs don't appreciate the cuddles and hugs that we humans enjoy. It is necessary to detect it in order to adapt. See if your dog comes to ask for cuddles and contact.

When you pet him, does he turn his head? Does he move away?  If so, offer more cuddle or more petting!

Also check that it is not painful. I am thinking in particular of old dogs suffering from osteoarthritis. You can't see it, but our caresses can make them suffer.

Finally, a dog does not like to be shackled in the arms of a Human. He doesn't like to be bent over, it's better to crouch down. These two things make your dog more comfortable. If you have children, it's up to you to manage the interactions and make sure that the cohabitation goes as smoothly as possible for everyone. The child must respect the dog's living space and that doesn't require training.

6. The dog that growls when he eats and when I approach his bowl

This is a classic. This can happen with a puppy as well as an adopted adult dog. Where does it come from?

In the puppy, it can come from having a single bowl for the entire litter. This set up food competition and having to eat fast to get as much food as possible.

In the adopted adult dog, he may not always have had enough to eat and this creates resource protection on the food. Simply put, he is protecting his food because he is afraid of missing out.

In these cases, teach your dog that you are there to give him, not take it. This way, get rid of putting your hand in the bowl or removing the bowl during the meal. This has the opposite effect to what is intended. On the contrary, give him something extra when you pass by! Eat it in a quiet place out of the way.

After eating, remove the bowl. Your dog protects his bowl so that an accident can happen even if the bowl is empty.

7. The dog that growls when he plays

Wonder if he's growling about not giving you his toy. If he does, he's afraid of losing it. Either you can barter or you can let him have it. There is no point in working on "give" or "you leave" until the relationship of trust is established.

Once trust is established, you can play take a toy and give it back to him immediately and he forgets the idea that you are going to take it from him without giving it back.

There is another grunt, the dog may growl in the game. When he is excited, he may start growling to show his desire to play again and again. This happens especially when you play shooting or dog-to-dog! Don't worry, this is completely normal and is not a threat or a sign of discomfort!

Is my dog aggressive when he growls?

1. Should I be worried if my dog growls?

I would say "not necessarily", but you must take action! Try to understand what's going on, especially if the growling is sudden.

If you don't understand, don't get angry or panic. Seek the help of a dog behaviorist to explain the reason for the behavior and how to resolve the misunderstanding. Be careful, this must be done with respect for the dog, otherwise it may make things worse.

2. The growl is it the beginning of the aggression?

There are different stages before reaching the actual aggression. Be aware that in order to move on to the next phase, the dog must feel misunderstood, disrespected, in danger... Ask yourself what stage he is at. The growling is nothing more than a warning, a threat... It should not be neglected but neither should you be afraid.

3. Will my dog bite me?

It will depend on the circumstances of the growling, the value of the circumstances to the dog, your reaction and the type of growling.

Look at your dog as a whole, his postures, is his mouth closed? In this case, we are at the beginning of the warning and he warns that something is wrong. If the dog starts to stretch his whole body, shows his teeth, the threat is more serious, you should calmly extract yourself from the situation.

How do I react when my dog growls?

In action, stop what you were doing. You are going to use the dog's communication signals so that the message is very clear and well understood by your dog.

These are the calming signals:

• move very slowly
• not to look him in the eye
• take a quiet distance and keep your hands in your pockets.

Then, once the situation has calmed down, try to determine the cause of the growling.

How do you stop a dog from growling?

You've probably figured it out, the answer is: find the cause! Tell yourself that to prevent aggression from escalating to the next level, you need to:

• Don't ignore the dog's message,
• understand his intent,
• take into account its requests,
• change your behaviour to change his.

What if two dogs growl at each other?

In this article, we've mostly dealt with the dog growling at the Human. It exists obviously between dogs and it is much more effective because dogs speak the same language.

If your dog is growling at another dog or being grunted at, do not intervene. Humans only interfere with canine communication when they do intervene and actually make things worse.

Don't do anything, don't ask him to stop, don't touch him (it would make him stronger), walk away. Your dog will follow you.

If your dog has a tendency to growl, use a lanyard. Try to understand what type of dog he's growling at: male, female, neutered/spayed or not, tied up or let go, in what places... You may need to call in a dog behaviorist to solve the problem and know how to handle the situation.

Read More

DOG BEHAVIORIST

DOG BEHAVIORIST

As the name implies, a dog behaviorist is a professional who specializes in dog behaviour. He observes and analyzes her behaviour.

A dog behaviorist, through his analysis, can detect a developmental or behavioural disorder. In fact, the behaviorist will come to help dog owners to solve the various problems they encounter. In this way, the dog behaviorist will allow the owners to rebalance the "Man/Dog" relationship.

Beware of charlatans!

This profession, just like that of dog trainer, is not yet regulated. This means that anyone can become a dog behaviorist without prior training. Nevertheless, a university or private training is indispensable to acquire the knowledge necessary for the function.

However, it is very important to know who you are asking for help as a dog owner. You need to be sure of the dog behaviour analysis skills of the person you contact. And beware, sometimes simple experience is not enough.

The most reliable professionals are certainly veterinarians. However, a simple consultation with a behaviorist veterinarian in his office may not be enough.

A dog behaviorist is good. A behaviorist dog trainer is better!

This is why it is important to use a behaviorist dog trainer, who has a double hat. You tell me, isn't that the way to do both wrong? And then I will answer you: impossible because these two professions are really complementary and allow us to offer a complete service to dog owners, sometimes in real distress. By calling on the services of a behaviorist dog trainer, you can rely on a complete work plan combining behaviour analysis and a reinforcement of your dog's education.

A necessity to create jobs related to dog behavior

These professions related to the canine world, and particularly the profession of behaviorist, have begun to emerge, especially since dogs are no longer used solely for their primary purposes (gathering, guarding, hunting, etc.).

Since they no longer "work" and hunt only their kibble, dogs sometimes develop behaviors that are disturbing to humans. Most of the time, these behaviors are caused by an incredible lack of physical and mental stimulation.

Dogs can no longer tolerate the lack of response to their needs and then develop behavioural disorders. This often results in uncleanliness, destruction, running away from home, etc.

Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to call a behaviorist dog trainer in order to detect the problem, to find the cause of the problem without only dealing with the consequence of the problem.

Let me explain this point of view with an example: Your dog is running away, you don't know what to do anymore so you ask a professional for help. The solution often brought is to put an electric collar anti runaway to the dog... You know the collars with detectors which inflict electric shocks if the dog comes to exceed a limit which you will have fixed beforehand... Error! Because by using this "solution", you may solve the consequence but absolutely the cause of the problem. Moreover, this solution is painful and violent for your dog.

In a case such as that of a dog that runs away, a dog behaviorist will be able to observe the dog's entire environment and will be able to suggest solutions to rebalance your relationship and above all to allow your dog to no longer have the urge to run away.

In 9 out of 10 cases, dogs run away because they have not been outside the garden enough. The solution will be to take your dog out every day, to spend enough physical and mental energy on him, but also to strengthen your relationship with him. Thus, the dog behaviorist, or behaviorist dog trainer helps you to rebalance your relationship and above all gives you the keys to best meet your dog's needs.

An overview and skills required to understanding dog

The behaviorist, in addition to having an overview of the environment you offer your dog, is specialized in understanding the dog. He will be able to indicate and describe to you the various signals of appeasement of your dog. This will help to avoid problematic situations and sometimes even bites. Dogs have a non-verbal language and few dog owners know how to read it. And when they do, they may not be able to decipher it. I am thinking in particular of the dog's yawning, which is often interpreted as a state of tiredness, whereas absolutely not, it is a signal of appeasement to be taken into consideration because it means that the dog is not necessarily at comfort. A dog behaviorist will be able to inform and above all warn about the different signals of appeasement of the dog.

To sum up, a behaviorist will be concerned with the whole environment surrounding your dog, he will not only deal with the consequence of the problem but will be more interested in the hidden side of the iceberg. The dog behaviorist will thus explain the rules to be put in place for a good integration of your dog at home, within your family but also, and above all, in society in general.

The dog behaviorist will teach you how to create and/or strengthen the "Man/Dog" relationship and above all how to find a balance with your dog. I also advise you to go and see a behaviorist dog trainer before adopting your dog. He will be able to guide you on the dog made for you, on which puppy/dog to choose in the kennel/shelter, which attitude to have, etc. This will allow you to anticipate and often avoid possible future behavioural problems.

But I would like to specify, to finish, that it is important to find a good professional with whom you will feel comfortable, because it is very important. Don't hesitate to change professional if you see that the feeling doesn't go away. You must also be well informed about the techniques and approaches used by the professional you choose, these must be in accordance with your values and principles and above all be adapted to the case of your dog. The professional to whom you address yourself must know how to listen to you and give you pedagogically all the necessary advice to solve your problems with your dog. The training courses, advice and exercises to be done at home must not be carried out in pain for you because your dog will feel it and the situation will not necessarily evolve as you would wish.

I really wanted to clarify this because, one often speaks about the incompatibility between a master and his dog, but this also exists between a professional of dog training and behaviour and the master who asks for help. We are only human after all.

Read More

THE MEANS DOGS COMMUNICATE

THE MEANS DOGS COMMUNICATE

It would be very much appreciated if our dog could use speech to make us understand what he wants sometimes, or simply to know for sure what is in his head.

But that' s not possible, the dog can't speak human. On the other hand, the human can speak dog, but at least he can observe and understand canine language.

Why should we know the dog's means of communication?

In a relationship, whatever it is, communication is a real pillar, without it everything can collapse. Well for the inter-specific relationship between a master and his dog, it is the same. Without communication, without understanding the other, there can be no balanced, healthy and cooperative relationship.

Knowing your dog's means of communication will also allow you to prevent certain problems, anticipate reactions, understand his "state of mind" and to better interact with him.

How does the dog communicate?

When we talk about communication, we obviously think of "verbal" language and sound externalizations such as barking, crying, vocalizations, growling, moaning, etc. But the dog doesn't only have this range of communication means to make himself understood. In fact, the dog functions more with "mute" language and non-verbal communication: its body language!

That's why I always advise my clients to talk to their dogs as little as possible, as this is the best way to lose them. "Losing" in the sense that the communication will be broken due to too much misunderstanding on the part of the dog.

Then, an important point, the dog communicates in an olfactory way in particular. This communication is only intended for other animals, of course, because our sense of smell is not sufficiently developed to perceive all the olfactory messages left behind.

The different means of communication of the dog

I propose to distinguish 4 emotional states in which the dog can be and especially how he will express it.

1. Communicate for a desire to play

A dog that wants to play will let you know by doing the salute position: front paws on the ground and buttocks in the air. But not only that, the dog who wants to play will also be able to make this clear by barking to get the attention of the dog or person he wants to play with.

2. Communicate to say that he feels good

A dog that feels good and is serene will be a dog with relaxed ears and tail, he will also have an open mouth.

You will also observe that a dog feels good if he lies down, especially on his side or on his back: these are "vulnerable" postures that the dog will only adopt if he is comfortable.

Similarly, if you see/hear your dog stretching and exhaling hard, it means that he is also comfortable and serene where he is by adopting this behavior.

Then the dog also adopts means of communication to calm a situation and communicate its "pacifist" side to others: these are called calming signals. So if you see your dog squinting, turning his head/body away, or lying on his back, then he is in a calming process.

Licking is also used by the dog to communicate a desire to soothe and to feel reassured. If it is offered excessively: a professional should be called in to help you understand your dog's need to reassure himself at all times.

3. To communicate stress

A dog that is stressed can show this in various ways, but it is above all by observing his behavior and attitudes on a daily basis that we can suspect a certain amount of stress: the fact that he is not getting fatter or even thinner despite his balanced diet, the fact that he has licking wounds, the fact that he is destroying or is dirty, etc. These attitudes do not always signify an anxious emotional state, they can be explained by other disorders but if a dog is stressed it is in any case by acting in this way that he will show it.

Then the dog will also be able to express some signals that may alert to sudden discomfort such as yawning or repeated licking of the nose.

4. To communicate that he feels threatened

The first way a dog will avoid a threat is to run away! Then, he will also be able to use calming signals to avoid the conflict: turning away from the head or body, squinting his eyes, etc.

A dog that feels threatened and cannot run away will then gradually adopt the panel of his warning signals to communicate his discomfort (in addition to the different signals mentioned above): growling, barking, attacking. Thus, never prevent a dog from running away if he wants to. Preventing a dog from running away will only increase the risk of aggression.

Concerning the language emitted by the positions of the tail, here is a small reminder:

• The tail is between the legs: a bad sign, the dog is anxious, uncomfortable and uneasy.
• The tail is taut and straight: also a bad sign! Your dog is in "attack mode".
• The tail is relaxed: a good sign, your dog is comfortable.

How to communicate with your dog?

Finally, when we communicate with our dog, when we give him orders or when we interact with him in a general way, the dog will feel all our emotions and our state of mind.

Therefore, the intonation of your words and the intention you put in your indications, and not the choice of words used, will be very important. So, Whether you say "Good dog" or "Rusk", it will be the same for your dog. Remember, he doesn't speak French!

One day I had a client who I advised to be firmer in his indications and he answered me: "but I don't want to get angry about my dog". Well, that's precisely the problem, we often tend to associate the way we say it with the emotion we think we're going to go with it. Let me explain, when my dog doesn't listen to me, I can be firmer, but that's not why I'm going to shout at him and get angry. Our attitude and emotions are important to control here because the dog is a real sponge.

If he feels angry, he will no longer be successful and you will enter a vicious circle. If you are sure of yourself, firm but not angry about the situation, your dog will rely on your state of mind.

Finally, be aware that you can also use your dog's canine codes to communicate with him. For example, when he yawns, yawn as well, when he looks into your eyes, squint slowly, etc. This will allow you to enter into real communication with your dog.

Read More

THE MAIN SIGNS OF ANXIETY AND STRESS IN DOGS

THE MAIN SIGNS OF ANXIETY AND STRESS IN DOGS

Let's take a look at the main signs of anxiety and stress in dogs. This will allow you to observe your pet's every move to know whether or not you need to worry and act accordingly.

I would like to specify that it is more the accumulation of several symptoms that can certify you or not the presence of anxiety in your pet. If we take a symptom from the list I will develop below, it does not mean that your dog is particularly suffering from anxiety.  It's exactly the same as for us, if we type "stomach ache" on the internet, we're sure to find at least 10 serious illnesses in just a few clicks. It is necessary to be vigilant, to be careful and above all to ask yourself the following questions:

• Did my dog adopt this behaviour overnight?
• What triggers this specific behaviour?
• Have there been any particular changes in the dog's environment recently (moving house, the arrival of a baby or another dog in the household, etc.)?
• Is my dog's breed "predisposed" to fear behaviour?
• Were his parents fearful? Do other dogs in the family litter behave similarly?
• Do I provide my dog with a serene environment, with reassuring cues and routines?
• Did my dog experience any trauma as a puppy? Has he experienced any recently?

One of the main anxieties known in dogs is separation anxiety. If your dog has not been used to being alone as a puppy, this can become a problem in everyday life.

Separation Anxiety Symptoms

• Your dog destroys everything within reach of the nose when you are away, especially objects that have your scent (sofa, cushion, remote control, slippers, etc.).
• If you install a camera during your absences, you can see that your dog never settles down, he goes back and forth repeatedly.
• Your dog vocalizes all a day long when you close the door behind you.
• When you are at home, your dog follows you around the house.
• Your dog is constantly asking for your attention.

Some tips to help alleviate your dog's separation anxiety

• Don't say "goodbye" to your dog, just ignore him.
• Decondition your dog from your departure rituals (put on a jacket, take his bag and keys, etc.). Repeat these different gestures on a daily basis, without necessarily leaving, so that your dog no longer equates these actions with your departure.
• Reduce your dog's space when he is alone, no need to leave him the whole house, it will stress him more.
• Keep your dog occupied, give him food or toys to occupy him.
• Do not respond to all your dog's requests for attention when you are at home, ignore him, wait for him to move on (it takes a maximum of 15 minutes for the dog to actually move on, so be patient and don't give in) and then call him to offer him a pet, treat or play sessions.
• Don't let your dog follow you everywhere in the house, you can even set up forbidden rooms so that your dog learns to be alone, even when you are present in the house.
• In the beginning, don't make absences too long, go in a progressive way: first 5 minutes, then 10, then 15, then 30, and so on.
• When you get home, ignore your dog, don't celebrate! Wait until he calms down and then call him to say "hello". In this way, we always keep this essential notion of the master's initiative!

I will give you a list of the main signs you may observe that could indicate some anxiety in your dog. Of course, not all the signs of anxiety are present here, there are an infinite number of them since each dog can develop specific stress-related behaviours. Just like for us, stress can be expressed in a multitude of ways.

• Your dog adopts repetitive behaviours: repeated coming and going, going around in circles in the garden, etc.
• Your dog adopts alternative activities: excessive licking, chewing on the lower limbs, licking wounds, etc.
• Your dog is exhibiting calming signals such as repeated yawning, licking his nose (not to be confused with licking his chops), tail between the legs, ears backward, etc.
• Your dog is experiencing digestive problems such as loose stools, diarrheal episodes, vomiting.
• Your dog has muscular tension due to the fact that he is always on guard. Don't hesitate to call in a canine osteopath to carry out a complete examination and to advise you on the various precautions to take and possibly the various manipulations to offer your dog on a daily basis.
• Your dog moans and/or barks excessively, which means that he is unable to settle down and relax.
• Your dog sleeps a lot (more than usual).
• Your dog sticks to you at the slightest "suspicious" and unusual noise. This causes him to become overly attached to you.
• Your dog is constantly asking for your attention, following you everywhere, insistently seeking your attention.
• Your dog is very destructive, whether you are present or not: this indicates a need to relieve stress.
• Your dog suddenly begins to tremble or pant, even though it is neither too cold nor too hot.
• Your dog drools regularly. This symptom is particularly noticeable during car journeys.

Finally, you should always try to know why your dog is behaving the way he is. It's important to understand the cause of the problem, otherwise, you won't be able to solve the problem thoroughly and soothe your dog. If you observe several of these symptoms in your dog, don't hesitate to call a veterinarian and/or a dog behaviour professional.

Read More

WHY IS MY DOG EATING GRASS?

WHY IS MY DOG EATING GRASS?

Why does your carnivorous dog sometimes think he is a herbivore? Does he really purge himself by doing this? Can this behavior indicate a health problem in your dog? The answers to your questions are in our article on the subject...

Why does your dog eat grass?

Although the precise origins of this behaviour in dogs are not yet known, several hypotheses are commonly put forward.

For example, a dog might eat grass:

By instinct

As a descendant of the wolf, the dog may instinctively seek to reproduce the diet of its ancestor, which consisted of herbivorous prey whose stomach contents contained berries, plants...and grass. It is in the stomach contents of small prey that wolves find fibers that contribute to their digestive comfort.

Because he likes it

Although dogs do not have the most developed sense of taste, they can still eat grass because they simply enjoy the taste.

Because he has a stomach ache

If your dog is unable to digest his last meal, he may experience stomach discomfort that he will want to get rid of. To do this, he will ingest a large amount of grass fairly quickly. This will irritate his stomach lining and make him vomit.

This behaviour is not a concern when it is occasional, but it should alert your vigilance when it becomes frequent. Indeed, the abdominal pain that causes this behaviour may be a sign of digestive disease or food intolerance that you will need to identify during a veterinary consultation.

Because he has pica

When your dog is constantly eating unusual and inedible materials such as sand, dirt, stones, cloth, poop, plastic or even grass, he may have an eating disorder called pica.

Pica may be the result of a behavioural or medical problem such as chronic digestive or metabolic disorders.

Because he's not satisfied

Finally, it is possible for a dog to eat grass because he's hungry... and grass rich in fiber would help fill him up. In fact, dogs whose diets are high in ferment-able fiber are less likely to eat grass. It is known that the fermentation of these fibers in the intestine during digestion may cause these dogs to feel fuller.

If you think your dog eats grass to satisfy his hunger, you can supplement his diet with rich ferment-able fiber to try to stop his behaviour. Ferment-able fiber is found in :

• Fruits such as apples, pears, plums, or bananas,
• Vegetables such as carrots, broccoli or artichoke stock,
• Legumes such as lentils, peas or kidney beans...
• Wheat bran.

Supervised grass intake

Although a dog's intake of grass is not always a concern, you should still be careful that the grass your dog ingests is not treated with chemicals such as fertilizers or pesticides that could harm his health.

In addition, you must ensure that your dog is dewormed regularly because it is on the grass that various parasites deposit their eggs and the dog can become contaminated.

My dog eats grass: when to consult?

Most of the time, the fact that your dog eats grass is completely harmless and does not present anything to worry about.

Nevertheless, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian when your dog eats grass:

•  Seems excessive and/or systematic, 
• Is associated with symptoms that may remind you of pica or digestive problems. Among these symptoms, frequent vomiting and/or worrisome vomiting should prompt you to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Does grass help the dog purge?

Purging is a practice based on the use of plants to rid the body of harmful elements that make or could make him sick. In dogs, these harmful elements can be intestinal parasites, so purging is often compared to worming.

A common misconception is that dogs may eat grass to purge themselves, in other words, to deworm naturally.

While it is true that eating grass can speed up intestinal transit thanks to the fibers it contains, it has no deworming action. On the contrary, it is often through the consumption of grass that dogs become contaminated with digestive worm eggs that are present.

The best way to deworm your dog is therefore to use veterinary deworming products whose effectiveness has been tested and proven.

Read More

WHY DOES MY DOG LIE DOWN WHEN HE SEES ANOTHER DOG?

WHY DOES MY DOG LIE DOWN WHEN HE SEES ANOTHER DOG?

When your dog sees another dog, he lies down, staring at it and waits for it to come closer? What does this behaviour, which is very often observed in dogs, mean?

In this article, I give you the answer to this question and the attitude to adopt when your dog reacts this way.

Why does my dog lie down when he sees another dog?

The action of lying down in the presence of another dog is a calming signal. Having his stomach on the ground is indeed a calming act for the dog. In fact, if your dog lies down when he sees another dog, it may be to let him know that he doesn't want any problems and that he has pacifist intentions.

This behaviour is often seen in dogs playing together. If one of them has had enough or feels that the situation could get out of hand, he will lie down to say that he wants peace! This is the "theory"... Lying down is a signal of appeasement: OK!

On the other hand, in practice, it sometimes happens that a dog lies down at the sight of another dog and ends up jumping on him as soon as he is at his level. This can be to play (in many cases) or to attack him (in the worst case).

Then, lying down can also be an innate reflex. Sheepdogs and hounds, for example, will more easily have the reflex to lie down at the sight of another animal or what they consider to be prey in order to better identify it.

Thus, to the question why does my dog lie down when he sees another dog, we can distinguish several answers:

• He wishes to convey a pacifist message to his interlocutor,
• He wants to camouflage himself to better surprise his potential playmate,
• He has a reflex linked to his instinct (instinct of gathering, instinct of predation),
• He wishes to surprise his "prey".

Finally, your dog may lie down at the sight of another dog because you have simply taught him to do so. For some "reactive" and excited dogs, asking them to lie down can help them return to a stable emotional state, while for others movement and diversion will be more effective aids.

What to do when a dog lies down in front of another dog?

Personally, I have a whole male who sometimes has difficulty communicating respectfully with other dogs of the same sex and not neutered. Thus, I have taught him to systematically lie down in front of another dog so that, even when he is free, I can have time to call him back and/or reattach him (while waiting to ask the owner opposite for some information to find out if the meeting is possible or not).

In my case (and maybe in yours too), the fact that my dog lies down at the sight of another dog is a very good thing, I absolutely do not consider this behaviour as a problem, on the contrary, it is a solution!

Then, as mentioned before, the fact of lying down is a means of communication for the dog. In fact, wanting to suppress it is a way of "restraining" his dog and preventing him from transmitting the right messages to his fellow dogs. This can lead to conflicts if we don't let our dogs communicate with each other.

On the other hand, if you observe that this behaviour systematically generates problems (which normally shouldn't happen if the dogs are all well coded...), there are solutions to get around them:

• Teach your dog the notion of renunciation using the indication "you let go",
• Focus your dog on you by offering him an activity he loves,
• Divert your dog's attention with a treat or toy he loves.

If your dog remains completely frozen, you can also leave him in this position while you wait for the other dog to pass, but place yourself between the two dogs to prevent him from jumping on him at the last moment. By placing yourself in this position, you keep an easier control on your dog and you let him know that you are there to manage the situation.

Finally, because the best solution is prevention, socializing your puppy will often prevent you from having to deal with problems of this nature during encounters with other dogs. If your dog is used to meeting other dogs on a regular basis, he'll consider these times as "non-events" and won't have any particularly difficult reactions to the sight of a fellow dog.

Read More