Is This Dog Being Aggressive?

[Tassie]

I agree with the others, there's no aggression here.

And it looks like a rock in the water that's to large for the Staffy to get.

This! The dog tries to get the rock quite early on - after looking at the camera person - failing to get the 'exciting thing' himself, the dog is now trying to tell the owner about it, and get the owner to get it. How I read it, anyway. :)

[Kajtek]

IMO. Not aggressive at all.

Gorgeous dog and great communication skills

Edited April 5, 2012 by Kajtek

[griff]

lol he is telling you that he wants whats in the water, for you to go get it.

[TheCheekyMonster]

LMAOOOO!!!! is that really a question? that sounds like Nala has swallowed too much water and really wants her ball thown back in...

not agressive... just being a playful staffy :)

[Katdogs]

There's a Staffy I saw at Glebe Point dog beach last Saturday that plays with rocks instead of balls!

My Kelpie and LabX will make the same commotion if they think I'm being stupid and not understanding their demands to play.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

This is my opinion only - the fact that the camera operator is not bitten inside 20 seconds for getting in the dog's face makes me think this dog is friendly and a bit frustrated.

There is something in the water that looks like a ball, the staffie tries to get.

The ears are down and back (friendly non threatening gesture)

Staffy looks away multiple times - also a friendly non threatening gesture. Also lots of lip licking as the others have said - more friendly help me (derived from feed me) gestures.

There is no lip rolled back teeth barred snapping and growling and lunging, and the camera person is not bitten despite getting in the staffie's face. If I did that to my dog I'd have the attention seeking nip about 20 seconds in for not helping her out. And I still wouldn't call that aggressive. Aggressive would be grabbing hold and shaking, or repeated hard skin ripping bites and then ducking out of reach and then returning... And most dogs will give some sort of warning growl indicating back off first. Unless they think you're a cat (prey) but they don't usually consider something bigger than them prey.

Hackles are not up, and the Staffy is not rushing forwards and backwards in direct threatening rushes.

And staffy gets distracted early on by some engine noise - no way a dog in a middle of an aggressive pose would lose focus from target of the aggression unless the target did something to encourage it to change its mind (like standing up to it).

My Mate Jack: What makes you think it could be aggressive? Frustrated maybe but aggressive no.

[mantis]

if that is the case, i'd like to hear which body language signals say that?

For me, it's the fact that he's barking at you and then looking back at the water, he does this repeatedly - "mum, mum, my ball" or "mum, mum, (or dad, dad!) come see what I found."

Totally agree, he can't get it so wants mum or dad to help him. :laugh:

[raineth]

yeah agree with the others.

When a dog is barking out of aggression, their mouth shortens. when seen from the side, the mouth makes a kind of side ways U. Also you will usually see eye rolling and a crescent-shaped eye whites.