Rolling Over

[Persian Spitz]

I have an 11 month old. When we're both in the backyard and he does something he's not supposed to I'll walk over to him in an intimidating fashion and he'll run into his dog house. I'll coax him out and then he'll roll over on his back. Does he want a tummy rub or is this some kind of submissive gesture?

[Sticks1977]

From what I know, it is a submissive gesture - yet I'm sure that most dogs also love a belly rub...

I was told at obedience training that if Henry is to bite or nip at me, that I should put him onto his back and hold him there as this is a submissive position for a dog to be in.

[Persian Spitz]

Yeah we were taught the same thing in puppy pre-school so the puppy knows who's in charge. I did that for a while and it worked I think because when I get home he doesn't jump at me like he used to, he sits and waits or lies down, it's different with other people though, he'll still jump at them.

However I don't really want to mistake one for the other when he rolls over. I wouldn't want him doing things he's not supposed to then he gets rewarded with a belly rub. On the flip side though, I wouldn't want to reprimand him more if he's saying sorry.

[Savane]

Do they say sorry? It's a submissive pose I would have thought if your telling him off, but I think he's more saying stop telling me off than sorry. My border Collie does it all the time, but I only growl at him when he mouths me or gets too nasty with the other pup.

[Gretel]

It sounds like he is scared of you.

[poodlefan]

It sounds like he is scared of you.

A dog that runs away from you is scared. If you're intimidating him one minute and coaxing him out of his kennel the next, he's also confused.

A dog adopts a submissive posture to stop unwanted behaviour from others. Is this really how you want your dog to react to you?

He's not learning much from all of this - other than to fear you. What is the unwanted behaviour you're getting in the back yard?

Edited March 3, 2010 by poodlefan

[W Sibs]

It sounds like he is scared of you.

kinda thinking the same thing.

Edited March 3, 2010 by charleswentworth

[Persian Spitz]

It sounds like he is scared of you.

A dog that runs away from you is scared. If you're intimidating him one minute and coaxing him out of his kennel the next, he's also confused.

A dog adopts a submissive posture to stop unwanted behaviour from others. Is this really how you want your dog to react to you?

He's not learning much from all of this - other than to fear you. What is the unwanted behaviour you're getting in the back yard?

We have small kids over sometimes and he'd jump at them which almost knocks them over so I walk over to him in an "I'm about to get you" way so he runs away. Is there a way to teach him to not jump at the kids without scaring him?

Edited March 3, 2010 by Persian Spitz

[Parkeyre]

He is submissing to you.

You intimidate him and he is frightened of you.

[persephone]

We have small kids over sometimes and he'd jump at them which almost knocks them over so I walk over to him in an "I'm about to get you" way so he runs away. Is there a way to teach him to not jump at the kids without scaring him?

I think so

have your dog ON A LEASH when kids are around.

Teach him to sit when told

teach the KIDS how properly to approach a dog/behave around a dog

Praise him calmly and profusely for staying in a sit- or at least for having 4 paws on the ground.

ANY behaviour you want your dog to do is going to mean work for you, his TRAINER

Dogs aren't always automatically calm. they do not know what we want unless we teach them .

If any of our dogs roll over, I know we've gone too far

You may enjoy reading thru this - it has some good hints/explanations

LINK

this too

LINK

[nicolatu]

We have small kids over sometimes and he'd jump at them which almost knocks them over so I walk over to him in an "I'm about to get you" way so he runs away. Is there a way to teach him to not jump at the kids without scaring him?

I think so

have your dog ON A LEASH when kids are around.

Teach him to sit when told

teach the KIDS how properly to approach a dog/behave around a dog

Praise him calmly and profusely for staying in a sit- or at least for having 4 paws on the ground.

ANY behaviour you want your dog to do is going to mean work for you, his TRAINER

Dogs aren't always automatically calm. they do not know what we want unless we teach them .

If any of our dogs roll over, I know we've gone too far

You may enjoy reading thru this - it has some good hints/explanations

LINK

this too

LINK

Those links you provided were very good. Hope they are able to teach a dog proper manners(I still haven't got my puppy yet but that should help). Thanks for that.

Nicola