(((ping)))
in fact, that last photo graphically proves my point. the people are playing snowman, but all the dog is doing is rubbing his back against this new central object, marking it as his property. he is saying “i don’t know what you’re doing, but it’s mine”
Thanks for post such a sweet story....
“If you notice your dog leaning gently against another or leaning against you, that’s a sign of caring or deferring to the other animal or yourself. Listen closely to his actions speaking, “I love and trust you. You are my friend.” He’s having a tender hearted moment. Show him you care. This is great bonding time. Don’t miss out on it”
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“When a dog is constantly leaning on you, putting his paw on you, using his nose to make you pet him, and always feeling the need to be touching you in some way, this is not your dog loving you, it is your dog displaying dominate behaviors. In the dog world, space is respect. A dog who is constantly nudging you and leaning on you, is not only disrespecting you, they are being the alpha dog.”
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” Dogs are very tactile and don’t always respect personal space. It’s common for them to lean against people’s legs. Dogs who merely lean, as opposed to a cat-like rubbing back and forth, may be attempting to expand their personal space by taking over yours. Conversely, some dogs lean to express an affectionate kind of possession, or to prevent you from going somewhere else. If your dog rubs against your legs, he is probably just trying to scratch a hard-to-reach spot.”
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“Depending upon the individual dog’s character, temperament, and his owner’s pack leadership skills, it could be interpreted as plain affection, OR, it could be a sign of dominance”
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“Over the years I have heard just about every look or movement from a dog described as dominance. A dog walks ahead of you: he is being dominant. He gets up on the couch: he is being dominant. A dog growls: he is being dominant. A dog jumps up on you: he is being dominant. Or a dog’s tail goes up and he too is being dominant. And on and on.
Thinking about dogs as either submissive or dominant is extremely simplistic, is it not? What follows is that dogs have two modes of being, dominant or submissive. This is a very black and white way to view such a wonderful and complex creature as the dog.
A dog leaning against a person might mean that he’d like a chest or belly rub if you’d be so kind, or that he is seeking warmth. Or it could mean that he is afraid and the contact with you gives him comfort or reassurance. It could just be the behavior of a dog who likes physical contact, a friendly sort of behavior. Or a dog might be unsettled or stressed and wants to make sure he knows where you are. Another possibility is that a dog might want to control the movement of the person he is leaning against. “
Great story. Thanks!
Doggie Ping
I’m not posting a pic cuz the ones in the first post tell the whole story :)
This dog came from the Best Friends Animal Society, whose dog trainers are incredibly experienced with working with dogs that have all kinds of issues, from serious aggression against people, to severe shyness, to PTSD due to coming out of a war zone in Lebanon (just an example of a few types of cases they work with). They were also responsible for bringing 22 of Michael Vick's pit bulls back to DogTown to rehabilitate them. The dogs are making amazing progress, this coming from one of the trainers I spoke with. Work with them is continuing, and one of them is close to adoption!! (story below)
Their dog trainers are very aware of signs of dominance & potential aggression, and watch the dogs they are training very carefully for those signs. I work with an animal rescue group not all that far from Best Friends, and see their adoption/dog training staff on a semi-regular basis. I also have been out to DogTown, their actual facility in Kanab, Utah. Does this make me personally an expert in dog behavior? No, and I'm not claiming to be. I can simply say the first sentence confidently because I have personally talked with their trainers, and have seen some of their techniques while I was at their facility.
Best Friends trainers are especially aware of signs of dominance/aggression of their own dogs. These pictures were sent to, and posted by, Best Friends on their own website. I feel very certain that if the trainers saw these pictures & had even a bit of concern over what they saw, that they would not post them. I'm sure they would instead contact the adoptive family that the dog is with & talk with them about it.
If Best Friends is not concerned about Scarlet showing dominant behavior based on those pictures, especially how well they know the signs & they know that particular dog, there's really no reason for anyone else to have that concern. Since they are not, I know I am not / :-)
As far as the dog laying on the couch, Best Friends clearly is not a bit concerned about that either, or they would not have posted the picture, as it would show a bad example for others.
There's another pit bull named Halle that was rehabilitated at Best Friends...Halle was actually one of the Michael Vick dogs (now known as the Vicktory dogs at Best Friends). Halle went to a home where after a 6-month waiting period, she can be adopted! I know I've told Halle's story before, but it's worth repeating, because the picture that accompanied Halle's story on the Best Friends website shows Halle laying on the couch with her friend (and likely soon to be brother, Tacoma, also a pit bull). Again, if Best Friends was concerned that that could be a sign of dominance, they would have contacted the family instead of posting the picture of what would be a "bad example".
Here's that picture of Halle & Tacoma:
Also, check out this video taken of Halle while she was at Best Friends.
I can understand where some of you would have those concerns after watching "Dog Whisperer", or elsewhere, but I hope you can see another side of it now by other (numerous) dog trainers who are experts in behavior (especially coming from their own pit bulls & other dogs).
Actually, they have their own show on National Geographic, the same channel that airs the "Dog Whisperer". It is called "DogTown", and is really worth watching. It follows the trainers around as they work with various dogs. You should check it out!! It airs on Friday evenings, but I'm almost positive they have reruns of it during the following week.
DogTown on National Geographic
Getting back to what this thread was originally about ~ thanks so much for posting this, meandog! I love reading about success stories like this!!
:-)
Great story. Thanks.
As for the ‘experts’ coming outta the woodwork tell them all...Bite it. :)
Here's a photo of my rottie exhibiting dangerously dominant behavior while being brushed:
She's allowed on one loveseat to rest her sore old hips...but even though she's the primary occupant of said loveseat, she gets off without even a mutter if a human wants to sit there.