"Good" behavior doesn't always equal "good" emotions.
The other morning on our walk we passed by a yard that routinely has a dog in it. This dog loves to run at the property line and bark at my dog-reactive dog Kaslo, something he is generally not thrilled about.
This morning was no different; the dog caught sight of us and erupted. My dog immediately turned to look at me, like he’s been trained to do, for which he earned a treat. We continued past the yard with my dog offering eye contact and readily disengaging from this very vocal dog, until we were past and the dog no longer felt we were worth his energy.
Now, to someone who doesn’t know my dog, they likely would have thought that my dog had navigated this situation with confidence - and he did handle the situation well.
But he wasn’t comfortable.
Even though this looked ‘easy’ for him, and he appeared to be ‘fine’ with the other dog’s presence and behavior, he found this situation stressful.
How do I know that?
Based off of how my dog was accepting the treats I was using.
Over time, I have learned that one of the first signs that my dog is starting to experience stress is by how he takes food. Normally he is quite thoughtful and gentle when taking a treat from my fingers, but when he is stressed, he takes treats with more force and intensity, almost as if he is snatching it from my hands. If I had zoomed out, I suspect I would have also seen a slightly backward ear posture and maybe even a change in his tail carriage, but it would have been subtle.
This situation is such a great example of why it is so important to learn our dog’s body language, and learn the signs or changes that start to occur when they are experiencing stress or discomfort.
Had I not known that my dog’s change in how he accepted food was a sign of stress, I might have stayed in that situation longer, which may have resulted in my dog’s behavior escalating into a classic “reaction” including lunging, growling, and barking at the other dog.
Fortunately for me, I know my dog, and as soon as he indicated that he was struggling, I helped move him out of the situation to a more comfortable distance.
Dogs almost always give us some sort of warning when they are experiencing stress or conflict.
Unfortunately for us, this is going to look different from dog to dog, and these signs can be quite noticeable or incredibly subtle. Some dogs will escalate rapidly after that first warning (0-60), whereas others will ‘ramp up’ their behavior more gradually.
In order to start to appreciate these changes so we are better equipped to support our dogs when they’re stressed, here are a few recommendations:
Learn all you can about canine body language. I highly recommend the book “Doggie Language” and Bravo Dog Training’s body language course.
Study your dog. Learn their body language when they’re relaxed, excited, worried, stressed, or otherwise. Take note of the small shifts that happen before your dog escalates to growling or lunging. - this is where you want to start your interventions, not after.
Intervene when you first notice signs of stress, not after your dog’s behavior has further escalated. If your dog is upset, guide them out of the situation.
Teach your dog how to cope with things in the environment in a productive way so they are less likely to feel stressed or conflicted about triggers in the environment.
Utilize management around stressors (like the dog in my story) to prevent your dog from being in a situation they’d prefer not to be in.
Body language is not easy to learn, but once you know what you’re seeing, you will have a much better understanding of your dog and the conversations they are likely trying to have with you on a regular basis.
Moving forward, I am going to be much more conscious of how my dog feels about passing this dog’s yard, and will likely employ additional management to reduce it’s intensity by walking on the opposite side of the road.
A simple, yet impactful change I can make to help my dog be successful.
Stay awesome,
Vanessa
Vanessa Charbonneau, is the author of Dog Care for Puppies: A guide to Feeding, Playing, Grooming and Behavior. She owns Sit Pretty Behavior & Training, employing force-free training techniques to work with companion dogs and their owners. Charbonneau lives in Prince George, BC with her husband, two daughters, and one dog.
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