Remember, face to face dog greetings can cause tension, so allow both dogs to circle towards the other dog's rear end from side on, and keep things brief to begin with. Move around with your dog as they circle to make sure the leads don't tangle. It's best to position yourself next to your dog's shoulder.
Despite some variations, the basics tend to be the same. Dogs move toward each other in a calm and relaxed way, often approaching from the side or along an arc rather than head-on. Sniffing is a huge part of the process, and dogs may take an interest in any area with glands, pheromones or other scents.
One option is to train them to sit and stay in a specific spot when visitors arrive. Make it a comfortable place, such as a dog bed or bean bag. If visitors want to greet the dogs, they get to interact; if the visitors choose not to, then the dogs stay quietly in their place.
Do not panic if either dog growls, raises their hackles or snaps a little. This is perfectly normal and is just their way of communicating with each other. Look out for these body language signals that shows a dog is uncertain, and take action to give them more space from each other.
When dogs don't feel able to move away – which they may not when in physical contact with us – they may resort to telling us to back off in less desirable ways. Give dogs a way of “opting in” to social contact by using the “3-second rule” of petting. Pet for no more than three seconds, then stop.
The Three Second Rule: -Three seconds is the maximum amount of time an initial greeting should last. Three seconds is 'one elephant, two elephants, three' then space apart or walk away. Many owners make the mistake of waiting that bit longer after three and the meet and greet then turns unpleasant.
Teach Your Dog an Incompatible Alternative Behavior
For example, they can't lunge towards another dog and turn to look at you at the same time. If you heavily reward this alternative behavior, your dog will eventually choose to do it in place of lunging even when their trigger is close by.
It's never too late to socialize an adult dog. If your woof lacks experience in the world, take them outside and get started today. We wish you the best of luck and, when your pooch is ready, we'd love to see them at Hounds Lounge for doggie daycare! While we're on the topic, get social with us.
The hardest part of dog training is doing nothing. It's standing like a statue, not saying anything, not doing anything, while your dog acts a fool. She's barking, jumping, biting at the leash. If you're in public, it's embarrassing and you want to make her stop.
When it comes to where dog's get their daily calories, we recommend following the 90/10 rule: 90% of calories from a complete and balanced diet, 10% from treats! Treats can be considered the splurge, but more often, the actual act of giving a treat means more to the dog than the actual treat itself.
Dogs don't shake hands like people do, they use their nose to say hello. So, hold your hand in a fist so they can approach and sniff if they choose. Don't thrust your hand at the dog. They can smell you just fine from a distance, and the sudden movement could startle them.
One of the common ways your dog will try to say sorry is by making “puppy eyes” or tucking its tail between its legs. Avoiding eye contact and lowering their ears are also common ways for dogs to apologize.
Quality of life is the key issue. If your dog is unable to function in a way that assures you that he is still enjoying a good quality of life, then it's time to seriously consider releasing him from his body.
Instead The Dog Calming Code communicates to dogs in a way that they will immediately understand and love that they should be listening to you. You won't have to explain why to them or train them to understand it because it's all what they know instinctively.
Dogs may growl during playtime to show their enthusiasm or excitement. If you observe that your dog is wagging its tail while growling, it's a good indication that they are enjoying themselves.
A dog might growl to threaten another dog, or it might be a response to feeling cornered. Growling is also a common symptom of resource guarding. An injured dog will often growl to keep others at bay. In these cases, and more, growling indicates something is bothering your dog.
Learning to settle and be calm in a variety of environments is a life skill many owners appreciate from their dogs. Training using positive reinforcement is an excellent way to teach calm and settle. Every dog has wants and needs, including social interaction, physical exercise, intellectual exercise, and time to rest.
A Matter of Seeking Attention/Engagement
If your puppy is normally calm in your presence and starts acting hyper when your husband comes home, he or she may misbehave as a way to get some attention.
When do puppies start to calm down? Most puppies start to calm down as they approach their maturity age, which is usually around 12 months, but for larger breeds it can be more likely to occur between 18 months and 2 years.