I have a couple question on how to interpret some dog behavior.

My first one is about the dog marking his territory in the handler's presence. Is it a way to tell the handler who's in charge? I've seen a dog this week-end literally stop every 10ft or so to urinate, and when he ran out of urine he scratched the ground with his backpaws. The dog was unleashed (in a huge field) and the owned just kept walking an ignoring the behavior. There were several dog feces showing that other dogs had been there before, so the dog seemed urged to tell them he was in the house.

Edit: this was a place where the dog rarely goes, maybe 3-4 times per year.

My second question would be about a strange behavior my dog has to "shake off" orders when he's excited. For example, when I come home from work I bring him to the door to take him outside for potty and he's very excited so I ask him to sit/stay. But often he'll sit and then stand and "shake off" like someone throwed a bowl of water at him and then rush toward the door. Could this shake-off be a way for him to tell me he doesn't give a damn about what I'm asking him, or could this be some kind of reflex caused by excitement that actually makes him forget what he was supposed to do?

1. Male dogs mark. Females, too, although maybe to a lesser degree.

2. Stress. How it ties in to your particular situation, I don't know.

Maybe the distraction is too high. Maybe the command wasn't understood. Excitement. Don't know.

Dogs mark to communicate with other dogs - both urine and stool contain olfactory information that conveys information about a dogs gender, age and hormone levels. Sniffing marked areas allows dogs to "read up" on who's been there before them, and marking over previously marked areas is intended to announce both presence and yes, status (as in, 'I'm covering up what that dog did because you should really be paying more attention to ME!'). I don't believe any of it is in relation to a dog's handler, aside from the fact that the handler controls where the dog marks, so preventing a dog from leaving his scent all over the neighborhood could help prevent the dog from perceiving the whole neighborhood as "his" turf.

The shaking you describe is likely simply a calming behavior - yawns can be used the same way by some dogs - when the dog is amped up and excited, he shakes to relieve excess energy and regain focus. He's not blowing you off, rather, he's trying to calm himself down, and he can't shake from a seated position... working on focus and impulse control games with him should help him remain collected enough, even when he's excited, to comply with what you're asking.

~Natalya

 Quote: natalya zahn

I don't believe any of it is in relation to a dog's handler, aside from the fact that the handler controls where the dog marks, so preventing a dog from leaving his scent all over the neighborhood could help prevent the dog from perceiving the whole neighborhood as "his" turf.

This is where I was getting at... Being under the impression that leaving scents was the alpha's job, and by marking all over the place, the dog was telling his handler "this is MY playground". This said I don't think I've ever read anywhere on this site that dog's marking should be corrected in any way?

 Quote: natalya zahn

The shaking you describe is likely simply a calming behavior - yawns can be used the same way by some dogs - when the dog is amped up and excited, he shakes to relieve excess energy and regain focus. He's not blowing you off, rather, he's trying to calm himself down, and he can't shake from a seated position... working on focus and impulse control games with him should help him remain collected enough, even when he's excited, to comply with what you're asking.

Now that you bring this up, he does yawn sometimes too. I've always perceived it in a "wrong" way as in "stop boring me with your stupid commands".

It would be interesting to consider that the dog is actually trying to calm himself down (albeit failing lamentably at it)

Do you have any recommendations for "focus and impulse control games"? This sounds fun.

 Quote: francis daigle

...I don't think I've ever read anywhere on this site that dog's marking should be corrected in any way?

Well, I sure don't let my dog mark wherever she pleases, whenever she pleases. If we're going to be walking downtown, for example, I'll get her out of the truck, taker her to a couple spots to relieve herself, on command, then that's it. A simple "leave it" suffices quite well if she thinks about stopping and sniffing a lamppost or other object some other dog has used.

She's also not allowed to eliminate on a training or compeition field, on anyone's lawn or flowers, etc. Of course, you always have to make sure you've let your dog eliminate completely before taking her/him to a place they can't use, but that's part of the deal.

leih

Francis, as I read your post, I agree with the other posters, it is not a reflection on you. After a long day you strech, and maybe yawn, it is just normal I believe. Now if your dog is focus and ready for the helper, I have never seen on shakes or yawn. Dan

 Quote: leih merigian

 Quote: francis daigle

...I don't think I've ever read anywhere on this site that dog's marking should be corrected in any way?

Well, I sure don't let my dog mark wherever she pleases, whenever she pleases. If we're going to be walking downtown, for example, I'll get her out of the truck, taker her to a couple spots to relieve herself, on command, then that's it. A simple "leave it" suffices quite well if she thinks about stopping and sniffing a lamppost or other object some other dog has used.

She's also not allowed to eliminate on a training or compeition field, on anyone's lawn or flowers, etc. Of course, you always have to make sure you've let your dog eliminate completely before taking her/him to a place they can't use, but that's part of the deal.

leih

So if leave it doesn't work you correct the sniffing or the moment a dog raises his paw?

Whats wrong with just not letting the dog sniff and piss on everything while you are out walking?

Then when you are at an acceptable place (not someone's yard or downtown where people walk) let the dog be a dog.

Is this dog you saw this weekend your dog?

 Quote: michael_wise

Whats wrong with just not letting the dog sniff and piss on everything while you are out walking?

That was actually my question!

 Quote: michael_wise

Then when you are at an acceptable place (not someone's yard or downtown where people walk) let the dog be a dog.

Will the dog really be able to make the difference?

 Quote: michael_wise

Is this dog you saw this weekend your dog?

Not this time , but I was asking out of curiosity because I was intrigued about the message sent by this dog.

I interpreted it as "I'm owning this place, b*tches." And was wondering if it had anything to do with pack structure. Like, was he assuming alpha role by doing this? Because he wasn't just running aloof and then periodically urinating on a tree. The dog was unleashed, frantically running around like a rocket with its nose on the ground pissing every 10seconds and even scratching the ground (like I've only seen deers do before). It seemed like his GOAL was to mark the place, which is why it struck me.

 Quote: francis daigle

 Quote: michael_wise

Then when you are at an acceptable place (not someone's yard or downtown where people walk) let the dog be a dog.

Will the dog really be able to make the difference?

No.

Don't have to. That is why I'm there.

We would never step in poop if they did know the difference.

What I didn't get across very well was that a dog, off leash and "released", is going to be a dog.

They mark and smell. Doesn't mean they are looking to take over the house or US government.

My dog walks attentively and patiently by my side for miles. As soon as I say, "You're free.", he goes and pees on something or smells something. Acts like a dog.