Why Is It Funny For A Dog To Be Aggressive

[raineth]

That is a great chart! I have a high strung dog and he quite often does the "shake off" - now I know it is to relieve his stress :) I asked the vet a few times why he does it so often and his response has always been "oh - dogs just do that". Well they do if they are nervous apparently :D

Out current behaviourist taught me to praise and reward Justice any time he does an action designed to bring his stress levels down, including shake offs, as it encourages him to deal with his stress in a healthy way rather than using reactive behaviours to cope. :)

oh that is brilliant Snook thanks for sharing it :)

[Loving my Oldies]

That is a great chart! I have a high strung dog and he quite often does the "shake off" - now I know it is to relieve his stress :) I asked the vet a few times why he does it so often and his response has always been "oh - dogs just do that". Well they do if they are nervous apparently :D

Out current behaviourist taught me to praise and reward Justice any time he does an action designed to bring his stress levels down, including shake offs, as it encourages him to deal with his stress in a healthy way rather than using reactive behaviours to cope. :)

oh that is brilliant Snook thanks for sharing it :)

Yes. How interesting is that. Jeune does that quite a bit when we are out walking, but because she pulls back to constantly stand and sniff (she'd take an hour to go 50 yards, I swear!) I've always thought it's because of the harness . I'll be taking more notice as well to try to work out whether it is just to get comfortable or she is actually stressed.

Edited May 10, 2013 by Danny's Darling

[LisaCC]

That is a great chart! I have a high strung dog and he quite often does the "shake off" - now I know it is to relieve his stress :) I asked the vet a few times why he does it so often and his response has always been "oh - dogs just do that". Well they do if they are nervous apparently :D

Out current behaviourist taught me to praise and reward Justice any time he does an action designed to bring his stress levels down, including shake offs, as it encourages him to deal with his stress in a healthy way rather than using reactive behaviours to cope. :)

I did this with my old boy, it was seemed to help in certain stressful situations such as vet visits.

Also handy after swimming and you want to get back in the car and the dog hasn't shaked off yet

Edited May 10, 2013 by LisaCC

[rubiton]

Why do people not even think to put their small dogs on leads especially when they are dominant and not listening to them. Walk the dogs this morning and see the lady with the two small dogs one on lead (this dog isn't the issue) and the other dog that is always offlead and it sees us coming and immediately marks something and gives us the stare. Our young dog reacts to this but I thought he'd missed it but I must have been wrong. Well I move off the path to let these dogs and owner past and the off lead one starts to hang back and not only does the young dog react but the older one starts barking at this dog (don't ask me what the small dog was doing I was busy hanging on to the young dog). Owner by now has stopped adjacent to me calling and calling this other dog that swerves towards us before eventually getting close. Finally she moved both dogs on so as I was just doing a loop we came them again a few minutes later with the off lead dog well ahead of the owner this time. I just had enough space to go along the road and the small dog this time didn't look at us so young dog looks but listens and we go on. Go past another young dog - he looks gets a little excited but listens.

end of walk I've done a big circle owner with small dogs coming past again - we always stop so young dog can get exposure with just standing or sitting and watching people or whatever going past. Noticed owner had finally put little dog back on lead - complete change its just walking along no longer all dominate - young dog watches but sits happily (note going past the second and third time we are a little further away as there was space to move well away from the path - but even then he will try and fix on people and dogs if there is an issue).

Seriously if someone has a very excited dog they are hanging onto off the path do you really stop a couple of metres away and call and call and call your offlead dog OR do you put your own dogs on the lead (or at heal under control) when you see others approaching and continue on your way til you are well past.

[Little Gifts]

Snook I have started doing this arm shaking gesture now and making a 'brrrrrrr' noise now with my girl to encourage her and even do the arm thing and say 'shake it off' if we've done something stressful (like a vet visit). She likes me doing something silly and it totally shifts her emotions onto something more interesting. Such a great idea.