Are the two dogs above fighting or playing?
(Scroll to the bottom to find out).
(Scroll to the bottom to find out).
Reading Body Language
ANY DOG WHO BEHAVES LIKE THIS NEEDS HELP FROM A PROFESSIONAL, NOT FROM AN ADOPTER !
Many adopted dogs end up behaving like this. It takes patience and time to fix this problem. Ignoring it or unwittingly rewarding it by dumping in a bowl of food and walking away only reinforces negative behaviors and makes the dog un-lovable forever. Sadly there are many dogs in shelters who are dangerous as pets for people who adopt an unbalanced animal. Our rescue had a dog who behaved this way and I know for a fact it was not ever allowed around the public. There is no way our rescue's founder would ever allow a dog to be adopted with issues like you see in the above picture. Reputable rescues do their best to temperament test before they rescue a dog. Shelters (like dog pounds) do not generally temperament test so buyer beware!
NABS, which I can attest for personally, does their best to match the rescue with the adopter by sharing all they can about the dog's past and personality. In addition they always allow home visits if requested. Many rescues DO NOT do this, but a reputable rescue's main concern is the health, happiness, and stability of their adoptable dogs. Adopting a dog is a lifelong commitment. Please take your time BEFORE you adopt so you make a wise decision.
The dog in the picture above is not mean or threatening. These pictures are deceptive because he is actually laughing! A frame is frozen so it is out of context because the rest of his body is saying he is submissive. His waggy tail and twisting body, his kind eyes and his position of his head are all submissive signals and that's exactly what you want in a family dog.
BUT I've seen many dogs who ARE dangerous and acted exactly like the picture who were up for adoption. I used the picture as a perfect example of a dog who should be passed over if you are not skilled at rehabilitating dogs with aggression problems.
Rehabilitating is not my cup of tea. I got an education from Breeze's dog aggression problem. Her problem is now a thing of the past, but I don't ever want to go through a red zone level aggressive dog again! Nor would I want my worst enemy to have to deal with the struggle of rehabilitating a severely aggressive dog. Slight aggression needs to be nipped in the bud. Many dogs have slight aggressive tendencies. Those aren't so hard to deal with if you are an experienced dog person. It is just so much easier to start with a happy dog that is balanced than with a dog who needs professional help. I prefer training a happy well balanced dog to become a Service Dog. There are so many well behaved dogs out there, why start with a problem dog?
Most of us have watched CESAR MILLAN who teaches: dogs need exercise, discipline, and affection to be mentally happy and healthy. If deprived of those basic needs, most, possibly all dogs develop mental problems.
NABS, which I can attest for personally, does their best to match the rescue with the adopter by sharing all they can about the dog's past and personality. In addition they always allow home visits if requested. Many rescues DO NOT do this, but a reputable rescue's main concern is the health, happiness, and stability of their adoptable dogs. Adopting a dog is a lifelong commitment. Please take your time BEFORE you adopt so you make a wise decision.
The dog in the picture above is not mean or threatening. These pictures are deceptive because he is actually laughing! A frame is frozen so it is out of context because the rest of his body is saying he is submissive. His waggy tail and twisting body, his kind eyes and his position of his head are all submissive signals and that's exactly what you want in a family dog.
BUT I've seen many dogs who ARE dangerous and acted exactly like the picture who were up for adoption. I used the picture as a perfect example of a dog who should be passed over if you are not skilled at rehabilitating dogs with aggression problems.
Rehabilitating is not my cup of tea. I got an education from Breeze's dog aggression problem. Her problem is now a thing of the past, but I don't ever want to go through a red zone level aggressive dog again! Nor would I want my worst enemy to have to deal with the struggle of rehabilitating a severely aggressive dog. Slight aggression needs to be nipped in the bud. Many dogs have slight aggressive tendencies. Those aren't so hard to deal with if you are an experienced dog person. It is just so much easier to start with a happy dog that is balanced than with a dog who needs professional help. I prefer training a happy well balanced dog to become a Service Dog. There are so many well behaved dogs out there, why start with a problem dog?
Most of us have watched CESAR MILLAN who teaches: dogs need exercise, discipline, and affection to be mentally happy and healthy. If deprived of those basic needs, most, possibly all dogs develop mental problems.
THE DOGS IN THE HEADER ARE PLAYING, NOT FIGHTING. YOU REALLY CAN'T JUDGE BY A PHOTO, BUT RATHER MUST OBSERVE THE BODY LANGUAGE OF THE DOGS, INCLUDING THEIR EYES AS THEY APPROACH ONE ANOTHER -- YOU MUST WATCH THEM
AS THEY MOVE. BETTER YET, GET HELP FROM SOMEONE WHO YOU TRUST TO ASSIST YOU IN FINDING A WELL BALANCED DOG, OR GO TO A REPUTABLE RESCUE TO ADOPT, LIKE NABS.
These are sisters. They are playing to see who is going to become the lead dog one day.
Not only do they learn who is stronger physically, but they learn who will give up and who won't ever give up.
The dog lying down is much bigger, but since this is all a game, she pretends by falling on her side to let the dog standing be the winner.
Tsunami on the left, Twister on the right. Dutchess, my daddy's senior NABS' Boxer behind them. Dutchess is totally uninterested in the commotion because she knows they are playing.
Tsunami paid her sister back by being rougher than her sister had been. Even though it was play, Tsunami retaliated to let Twister know, "If you hit me, I'll hit you back and I'll hit you harder!"
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No one gets hurt, but they learn through play how strong the other is. That way, no one gets hurt later.
This is a lesson in NOT chasing chickens.
The German Shepherds were a pair of sisters who had been found as strays running the streets of North Houston. When I pulled them out of the shelter, they were both very ill. Dr. Bob of Alvin is credited with saving their lives.
I ended up being extremely partial to one, Tsunami. Twister, the sister, had found a way out of our fence. I couldn't catch her getting out and I walked the 5 acres over and over and over looking for a sign like footprints or worn grass. In 26 years of living here, she was the first dog to find a way to run off and explore. She always came back, but she taught every dog we had how to follow her out. Eventually I discovered she was jumping the electric fence and the others had learned from her. Tsunami is on the right. I LOVE this picture! I can literally read Tsunami's mind, "I can't believe this! Seriously? Are you really putting your teeth on my throat?"
See how bored the other two dogs look? If this was a real fight, the other dogs would not be relaxed. Now it is over. Twister is on the left, looking curiously at the camera.
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Twister was a nibbler. She would playfully put our (human) fingers in her mouth as we walked along swinging our arms. Stop any kind of mouthing behavior as soon as you can to prevent them from challenging you for pack leadership one day. Just as Tsunami showed Twister to leave her alone, you must do the same thing if your dog is mouthy.
This is Tsunami, who I chose to be my next Service Dog. She was hit by a car and killed instantly when she followed her sister across the road after they jumped the electric fence. When Tsunami died, a part of me died with her. 2012
I couldn't stop feeling resentment that Twister lured Tsunami to go prowl with her. Tsunami would never have gone on her own. None of our dogs had ever gotten out before and went on excursions. In hind sight I wish I had not adopted Twister even though they were a bonded pair. If I had just taken the one I could give plenty of attention to, rather than taking both sisters, I might have Tsunami today. Twister had been jumping the electric fence stretched across our driveway. That's why I couldn't find prints or evidence of Twister getting out. Eventually Tsunami jumped it herself, and that first time was her last. A car hit her crossing the road and killed her. I locked Twister up until I could find a new home for her. For a time, I lost all interest in the idea of training dogs. One day I'll find another one who will be a easy trainer and a calm dog. Tsunami was just perfect. One day...but not now. 2012 |
Twister says, "I'm hungry. How does fresh chicken, feathers-and-all, sound to you?" they both slink off in the classic German Shepherd walk toward the stable. They are going in the opposite direction of the chickens to throw me off, but they will circle back toward the chicken house once they are safely out of my sight.
Twister was the hardest to break from killing chickens. Tsunami stopped when she understood I didn't want her to chase them anymore. Tsunami was more connected to me, and she was smarter than her sister. I spent months trying to teach Twister it was not acceptable to kill chickens. I spent many hours behind binoculars and hiding outside in different vehicles so I could catch them in the act. The dogs could smell me and never even looked toward the chickens when I was hidden outside. Twister didn't attempt to catch a chicken every day. The attacks were sporadic which made it harder for me to catch her. My husband strung a very strong electric fence around the chicken house. I begged him not to use it. But he was right. One pop stopped Twister from killing chickens for good. If I had just found a home for Twister then, instead of trying to keep the 'bonded pair' together, my beloved Tsunami wouldn't have died so young. |
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