Body Language - Stressed Vs. Relaxed

[Serket]

I've recently been reading Leslie McDevitt's Control Unleashed, and also recently started at a new obedience club. Something McDevitt says caught my attention in relation to an exercise we've been told to do at training, and got me thinking about the difference between 'calm/relaxed' body language, and stressed body language.

In Control Unleashed, under "stress displacement behaviours" McDevitt says (among other things)

"Is he looking away from you a lot, yawning a lot, licking his muzzle...." (p.40)

We were recently told to practice an exercise called "Be Still" with our dogs, which involves holding them by the collar and rubbing them all over (not really patting, it's firmer), in order to have them accept handling and learn to stand still. The dogs feet must not move, and you have to continue doing it until the dog displays one or more of the following behaviours:

1. Dog stops moving its feet

2. Dog does one or more of the following - dog licks its lips, blinks, breathes deeply or feet are still for 5 seconds

Once behaviour is observed, stand up, wait a few seconds, and then repeat the exercise. Sequence to be repeated 10 times in a row, and then several times throughout the day

So I suppose it got me wondering whether the behaviours in point 2 are actually signs of relaxation, or are they stress displacement behaviours in response to being restrained?

[Jigsaw]

The "Be Still" exercise is one of Brenda Aloff protocols. The "Be Still" exercise is one of putting pressure on the dog until you get a calming signal such as a yawn, lip lick etc. From my notes from conference early this year: BE STILL CUE – desensitises dog to touch – feel it relax. BE STILL - body rub until feet still – lip licking, yawning, deep breath – release of pressure, when stops moving take hands off.

The signals are described by Turid Rugaas as calming signals, used by dogs in situations to defuse stress whether from internal or external souces. A dog that uses calming signals is exhibiting normal behaviours, so yes the dog is using stress displacement behaviours in response to being restrained.

[corvus]

Sometimes I wonder if stress displacement behaviours can double as tension release. Like, I remember watching my old dog yawn when she was actually quite excited. It was as if she was regulating herself a bit and bringing herself down a notch or two.

But sounds like in your example it's stress displacement.

[Erny]

Sometimes I wonder if stress displacement behaviours can double as tension release.

If I'm working with a dog who is tense, I like it when I see it yawn. Sure - it's a sign that the dog is stressed, but to me it also means the dog's tension is easing enough to be able to give that yawn. And yes, the yawn helps to release tension.

There are some signals that indicate tension, yet another dog might show the same as calming signals.

All these signals need to be read contextually - both in relation to the other of the dog's body language as well as in relation to the environment and the situation that the dog is in.

[kayla1]

So is the Be Still exercise something that should be used for highly strung dogs? I’ve seen a trainer perform this technique with a highly strung dog who is fearful of strangers and he seemed to become even more stressed while being restrained, not calmer. The trainer released him after some time when he showed some stress displacement behaviours but the dog was still very anxious when released.

[Serket]

Forgot I started this thread oops.

So stress displacement behaviour = dog doing something to make itself feel better in a stressful situation.

So, restraining them is the stressful situation and then you want them to learn to cope with it, which they do by displaying those behaviours, and eventually learn to accept the restraint? Is that the general idea?

I have to say the idea of repeating it 10 times in a row, and doing it multiple times a day sounds like an awful lot. I can't say I've been doing my homework for this exercise at all, but then again Gypsy isn't really a highly strung stressed out dog and is happy enough to be restrained so I guess it doesn't seem like a huge priority compared to other things

[Erny]

So is the Be Still exercise something that should be used for highly strung dogs? I’ve seen a trainer perform this technique with a highly strung dog who is fearful of strangers and he seemed to become even more stressed while being restrained, not calmer. The trainer released him after some time when he showed some stress displacement behaviours but the dog was still very anxious when released.

The "Be Still" exercise that I was shown by Brenda Aloff is more than what's been described in a previous post and IMO would be best practiced TONNES of times at home, in a non-stressful environment. This, to get the dog to understand the exercise and be comfortable with it for what it is first. Then the "Be Still" exercise can be used, GRADUALLY increasing the distractions and teaching the dog to be relaxed in environments/situations that would otherwise be more stressful. The "Be Still" exercise is about the dog learning to trust the owner; learning that relaxing is what will 'win' its freedom; and learning as a result of these things that it can relax in the presence of what are worrisome stimuli. It is not just nor IMO, mainly, a "restraint' exercise.

[Jigsaw]

Not sure if you meant my post Erny but I acknowledge it was not a definitive description and was very brief due to my supposed to be getting dressed at the time to go to my son's Yr 12 Formal!! :D