IS YOUR DOG STRESSED?

Stress.  It’s all too common these days in both humans and dogs.  Dog owners will often tell me their dog is fine, he’s just being stubborn or lazy when he doesn’t perform.  Sadly, what I find instead is the owner missing the clear stress signals being given by the dog.  At home, in training, or at competition, a dog will often send out stress signs that are misinterpreted, leading to inappropriate corrections by the handler.  Squirt bottles, leash pops, and physical punishment are just a few poor methods chosen while the underlying cause of a dog’s failure to perform is ignored.  Use of aversive methods may cause the dog to shut down or it may suppress the behavior temporarily, but chances are it will pop up in a different form that is equally or more disturbing.  Likewise, just like people, dogs can’t learn when they are stressed.  As an educator for over fifteen years, I found that learning is enhanced by games and rewards.  That applies to dogs in training as well.

Folks love to tell me how much they enjoy watching The Dog Whisperer.  To me, using his show as a guide to train dogs is like watching Dr. Phil as a guide to cure Aunt Sallie’s mental illness.  Television is heavily edited and you only see what they want you to see.  One hour of select clips minus fifteen to eighteen minutes of commercial time doesn’t give one the whole picture (both shows also contain warnings about seeking professional help for good reason).  One good use of Millan’s show, however, is to turn off the sound and watch the stress signs given by the dogs. By learning to recognize them, you’ll be better prepared to work effectively and safely with your dog.  Here is a sampling of those signs:

·         Whale eye – the white of the dog’s eye appears like a half moon as he casts a sideways glance

·         Body freeze – the whole dog ceases to move and the body becomes stiff

·         Tail position – the tail may be carried unusually high or tucked in between the legs

·         Ears – the ears may be folded back against the neck

·         Mouth – the mouth is closed.  The corners may be pulled back and down or may be pulled forward into what is known as an offensive pucker.

·         Tongue flicks – unlike a dog licking its lips in anticipation of a yummy treat, the dog will give a quick flick of the tongue from the side of his mouth or on to his nose

·         Yawning – occurs at times when the dog is not tired

·         Sniffing – very common in training, the dog stops working and runs off to sniff

·         Shaking off – stressed dogs will shake off just as they do when they are wet

·         Brows – dogs actually pull their brows together just as worried people do

·         Panting – if it’s not hot, panting could be a stress sign

·         Sweaty paws – the feet are the only location of sweat glands in a dog and they can perspire when the dog is stressed

·         Refusing to take a treat – dogs who are “over threshold,” that is they are confronted with too many stressors at once, will refuse to take even the yummiest of treats

There are so many stress signs, it’s impossible to list them all in one column.  I strongly recommend  you look at the Doggone Safe website and the information presented there on Communication:  http://www.doggonesafe.com/dog%20communication.htm .  If you can become more aware of what your dog is trying to tell you, it’s possible to make more progress in your training and respond better to issues that may arise. 

What should you do if you realize your dog is stressed?  You will need to look at and adjust the possible causes including environment, medical issues, the clarity of your communication regarding your expectations, proximity of children, strangers,  or other dogs, and your own stress (dogs are quite good at picking up on the owner’s emotional state and reacting accordingly).  There is so much information out there to help you.  A few of the books I recommend are: Calming Signals: On Talking Terms with Dogs by Turid Rugaas, a classic on most trainers’ shelves.  It discusses how dogs use body language to calm those around them.   The Tellington Touch by Linda Tellington-Jones presents a hands-on method of using body manipulation to help dogs (as well as other animals) relax and be aware of their bodies.  My current favorite is Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt.  It is packed with exercises to help dogs learn to calm and control themselves, even in the face of high stress events such as trials.

Buzz and I hope to meet you at Bark in the Park this Saturday!

Jan Casey is a reward-based trainer in Cookeville and owner of Smiles and Wags Pet Services.  You can reach her at jan@smilesandwags.com .