affection

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Your Dog Is Talking To You – Are You Listening?

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Dogs actually have the ability to signal to us precisely how they are feeling at any given time. If we are attuned to their signs we will know what their emotional state is. Dogs can display various emotions including: happiness, sadness, boredom, excitement, and fear.

If you closely watch your dog you will notice that his eyes, ears, body, and tail are in an almost continuous, though subtle movement. This is his way of communicating his emotional feelings. Studies are confirming the fact that animals use a very inconspicuous and refined system of communication. The good news is that with a little effort we can learn to understand our domesticated dogs.

In studies conducted by Jane Goodall and Dr. Michael W. Fox, recognized authority on canine body language, confirmed that wild dogs of Africa and wolves communicated a wide range of attitudes to each other, including affection, dominance, submission, interest, disgust, joy, disappointment, and fear. These emotions were communicated using the slightest body movements.

Although our dogs have lost some sensitivity to the language that would be used if they were living in the wild, they still use much of this inherited form of communication. Learning to read your dog’s body language will require a keen eye and close observation over what is happening at the time that your dog is displaying any given movement.

There are some basic things you can look for but like everything else, not every dog follows the same pattern as the others. Here are a few typical guidelines to get you started. Dogs use their tails to signal that they are happy or afraid. If their tail is wagging they are happy. If it is tucked down they are showing fear and submission. When their tail is proudly held high they are feeling good about themselves. Ears are also very telling when it comes to signaling emotions. Dogs sometimes perk their ears in an adorable quizzical fashion as if to ask a question. They may also tilt their head to the side when puzzled. The ears may be held in a backward direction against the head when the dog is angry.

As you become increasingly skilled at reading your dog’s emotional language or identifying his moods, your bond with him will deepen and grow even stronger. Many professionals that have lots of experience in working with dogs have developed the ability to read canine language very well. This is true of dog behaviorists, dog trainers, veterinarians, groomers, breeders, and even life-long dog owners.

It seems that dogs are able to recognize and appreciate when you correctly read their emotional language. Perhaps this is why dogs seem to automatically like certain individuals. Maybe the dog immediately recognizes when a person understands him.

Your Dog Is Talking To You – Are You Listening courtesy Dog Articles.

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My Dog Won’t Stop Mouthing Me!

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Some dogs are very “mouthy.”  That doesn’t mean they talk or bark a lot.  It means that they use their mouths on everything, trying to taste things, or put their mouths on things.  Usually these dogs have not been completely taught bite inhibition.  Bite inhibition is when a puppy is taught that nipping and biting others hurts and that they shouldn’t go around using their mouths on things.  They generally learn it from their mothers and littermates, and later from their owners.  Singleton pups (one-puppy litters) may have a harder time learning bite inhibition since they don’t have littermates.

Dogs can also be mouthy as a way of showing affection.  Wolves tend to show affection to each other by mouthing muzzles, necks and paws.

Whatever the cause, mouthing people’s hands and feet, or any other part of their bodies, can be annoying.  Your dog may not use his teeth, but it does tend to cover you in dog slobber.  Having a dog grab you with his mouth is also simply not very good manners.

There are a few simple methods for teaching your dog not to mouth you.

Some people like to use Bitter Apple, a spray or cream product.  You can put this on your hands if that’s where your dog grabs you.  Most dogs hate the taste and your dog should stop grabbing at your hands.

Another method of dealing with mouthiness is to turn to stone whenever your dog grabs you with his mouth.  If your dog gets no feedback he will likely lose interest.

You can also use clicker training to teach your dog not to be mouthy.  When your dog grabs your hand or wrist being mouthy wait for him to let go.  Wait for a couple of seconds and then Click and tell him he’s a good dog.  Give him a treat.  Keep clicking and treating when he stops the mouthing behavior.  He will get the message.

If your dog is mouthing other things in your home, such as walls or furniture, you can try the Bitter Apple on them.  The bad-tasting product usually discourages dogs from mouthing and chewing things.

Remember that puppy nipping and mouthing are normal behaviors up to a point.  If you have a puppy who is nipping and mouthing you can work on bite inhibition.  When your puppy nips or mouths you all you have to do is make it perfectly clear that it HURTS when he does it.  Let out an OUCH to curl your puppy’s hair.  Leave him in no doubt that what he did really hurt you.  This is the same thing that his littermates would do if he played too rough with them.  If he does it the next time you play with him, get up and leave.  Puppies don’t play with a puppy that is too rough and you shouldn’t either.

For mouthy adolescent or grown dogs, the tips offered here should work.  Give them a try and it should stop the mouthiness.

My Dog Won’t Stop Mouthing Me courtesy Dog Articles.

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Beloved Companion and Therapy Dogs

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By far the most common use of today’s Labrador is as a home companion, a role at which he excels. Surprisingly, the Labrador Retriever was rarely kept strictly as a house pet until several decades after the breed’s introduction to the United States. The initial fanciers of the breed became acquainted with him through knowledge of the shooting game. When the breed was well established as a sporting companion, his docile, brainy nature won his way out of the kennel and into the home.

The Labrador Retriever’s ability to quickly adapt and respond to instruction made the transition quite easy. Today, puppies raised in the home actually become so entwined in the lives of their owners that they often suffer when relegated to the kennel life. (If you are planning to keep a kennel of Labradors, select puppies that are properly socialized but still familiar with kennel life.)

As a companion, the Labrador Retriever is good-natured and gentle enough to accept the roughhousing of youngsters without returning it. If properly socialized while young, a Labrador will share his “home with another dog, providing there is enough affection for all. It is more common for a Labrador to misbehave out of jealousy than out of dislike for another animal.

Labrador Retrievers are long on self-control and loyalty, but they do not make the most avid watchdogs. As a rule, they are not overly suspicious of strangers or highly protective of loved ones, and when natural instincts are not stimulated they can be inattentive to such a task. Always keen for a scent or sound, a Labrador Retriever would certainly give voice at the approach of an intruder, but he might be won over by a friendly gesture or a luscious piece of sirloin. If left on duty, a Labrador Retriever may wander off in search of a scent that has caught his attention. In short, he is a people-dog. If you really need a watchdog, get your Labrador a German Shepherd friend!

The value of companionship with this breed should not be underestimated. In recent years, obedience-trained Labradors as well as other breeds are being used as Therapy Dogs to enrich the lives of nursing home residents and even emotionally disturbed children. The process is simple: a group of experienced dog handlers, such as those trained by Therapy Dogs International, bring their dogs to visit, perhaps put on an obedience performance for the audience, and then let animals and humans mingle, if conditions permit. The dogs are all obedience trained and have proven themselves to be extremely gentle and outgoing. Their job is to make people feel wanted, and it works wonders for alleviating the loneliness and depression that often burden such lives. Labradors love people and the few hours Therapy Dogs share with others enrich both dog and man.

Beloved Companion and Therapy Dogs courtesy Dog Articles.

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