Robert Kirkwood wrote 03/08/2010 11:03 AM raised hackles when chasing squirrel #268201 - 03/08/2010 11:03 AM
Robert Kirkwood Webboard User Reg: 12-23-2008 Posts: 252 Loc: Toronto, ON, Canada Offline	I noticed something the other day that confused me a little. My dobe got raised hackles when chasing a squirrel through my backyard. It's not really all that important more just curiosity. I know that raised hackles are a threat display and i always assumed he chased squirrels out of prey. I know that these drives over lap and it's not as clear cut as that. What the behaviorist prospective of that. Is it due to critical distance to "the den" and he feels the need to defend it... even from a squirrel? one would think if he intended to catch it he would not make himself look big and bark a lot. any thoughts? Rob
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Jessica Pedicord wrote 03/08/2010 11:11 AM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: Robert Kirkwood ] #268206 - 03/08/2010 11:11 AM
Jessica Pedicord Webboard User Reg: 10-29-2009 Posts: 610 Loc: SouthWestern PA Offline	My pup raises his hackles at the following: -strange sounds, strange people, strange dogs, the sound of dogs barking, the sound of trains, the sound of barges, plastic grocery bags, new toys, small children, birds, rabbits, cars parked in the parking lot, snow drifts, aquarium fish, barbie dolls, cats, icicles, thunder, lightning, and any other force of nature you can think of-- ...you get the point. Basically he raises them when faced with ANY stimulation whatsoever. Its weird. But its a phase they tell me. lol
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ann freier wrote 03/08/2010 11:40 AM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: Jessica Pedicord ] #268214 - 03/08/2010 11:40 AM
ann freier Webboard User Reg: 11-20-2005 Posts: 673 Loc: NE Nebraska Offline	my pup does the same thing jessica--i hope with spring coming and finally the chance to get him out a LOT, he'll get over it (he's 8 mo old now). i've always had "winter" pups, but none i wasn't able to get out for exposure to stuff. i've had them in the past hackle at unexpected stuff, but the important thing here is recovery time. i don't care if they hackle so much, what i want to see is what happens next, and how long it takes. ETA: when we went to a sch trial/koerung in nov., he'd hackle at first (few secs), then settled right down and the next 3 days didn't hackle at all.
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Wendy Lefebvre wrote 03/08/2010 11:42 AM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: Jessica Pedicord ] #268215 - 03/08/2010 11:42 AM
Wendy Lefebvre Webboard User Reg: 12-08-2005 Posts: 1271 Loc: Stoney Creek , Ontario, Canada Offline	Hey Robert Tucker raises his hackles almost anytime he's chasing anything. He just gets that worked up & excited. Don't complain....TRAIN!!!
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Lynne Barrows wrote 03/08/2010 11:48 AM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: ann freier ] #268217 - 03/08/2010 11:48 AM
Lynne Barrows Webboard User Reg: 09-22-2007 Posts: 2531 Loc: S. Florida Offline	My girl is also a hackler; she has very short hair and it's easy to see her hackles. For her, the response occurs when merely excited about something (chasing a squirrel along our fenceline would be an example),but also when she sees something new, or when she's defensive about something. She's 2 1/2, and this response still occurs frequently and is part of her temperment, IMO. She's a 'sharp' dog, but not weak-nerved. I think Natalya once described hackling as an involuntary reaction, kind of like shivering. That made sense to me, and put the hackling in perspective...
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Jessica Pedicord wrote 03/08/2010 11:51 AM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: Lynne Barrows ] #268219 - 03/08/2010 11:51 AM
Jessica Pedicord Webboard User Reg: 10-29-2009 Posts: 610 Loc: SouthWestern PA Offline	There's a lot of misunderstanding about hackles. Someone told me that I needed to muzzle my dog yesterday because he raised his hackles at a puppy. All he wanted to do was play!
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Robert Kirkwood wrote 03/08/2010 12:05 PM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: Lynne Barrows ] #268222 - 03/08/2010 12:05 PM
Robert Kirkwood Webboard User Reg: 12-23-2008 Posts: 252 Loc: Toronto, ON, Canada Offline	it's true he does raise his hackles in a lot of situations. Hopefully that is just a phase lol. I'm glad to hear that it's normal. I think my dog is rather sharp too, however i've been told by people more experienced than myself that nerves and confidence are not his issue... at least not when he is on the sleeve thanks everyone for helping me make sense of that Rob
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Anne Jones wrote 03/08/2010 06:02 PM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: Robert Kirkwood ] #268286 - 03/08/2010 06:02 PM
Anne Jones Webboard User Reg: 04-29-2004 Posts: 3825 Loc: Northeast Offline	My 3 1/2 yr old male will raise his hackles in excitmenmt when running out in the field or yard with my female & also when they are retreiving their balls. MY DOGS...MY RULES
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Al Curbow wrote 03/08/2010 06:10 PM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: Robert Kirkwood ] #268289 - 03/08/2010 06:10 PM
Al Curbow Webboard User Reg: 06-30-2005 Posts: 974 Loc: northeast Offline	It's called piloerection. Increased arousal, conflict, excitement. My dogs back end raises when chasing the ball.
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Lauren Jeffery wrote 03/08/2010 07:31 PM Re: raised hackles when chasing squirrel [Re: Al Curbow ] #268309 - 03/08/2010 07:31 PM
Lauren Jeffery Webboard User Reg: 01-16-2010 Posts: 1389 Loc: Offline	This is cool to know. Just the other night a cat ran through the side yard and Tasha hackled up at the shoulders, her tail went up and she gave a single, growly bark. One "leave it" and she turned away from the cat. I was wondering what that was all about!
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