Trying to control your movements or be physically on top of you, demanding attention/petting -- these are not the same as offering a paw. These are dominant behaviors.
Are there ever any exceptions to this? My dog can be a little over the top and show some of the behaviors you listed, but I really think he is far from dominant. I'm definately no expert on behavior though and could very easily be dead wrong.
Quote: Amber Morgan
they also blink a lot when they're submissive
Last night my wife and I noticed our dalmatian sitting in front of the couch looking at us and blinking NON-STOP. That explains it. Thanks! She looks really goofy doing it, too.
Kristel Smart Webboard User Reg: 10-03-2006
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Quote:
Trying to control your movements or be physically on top of you, demanding attention/petting -- these are not the same as offering a paw. These are dominant behaviors.
That's why I was wondering about the difference between offering a paw and clobbering with a paw.....although I haven't seen any other dominant or disrespectful behaviors.
Mike, they also blink a lot when they're submissive, and lick their chops and dart their eyes back and forth if they're feeling unsure.
Yeesh, first I felt like a numbskull reading Ed's yawn comments..."What? A yawn means they're stressed??"
I assure you, I would have never figured that one out on my own.
Now, along comes Amber..."What? A blinking dog means it's submissive??"
C'mon!! When is this learning curve gonna end?? Infantile rant aside, thanks for the information Amber.
My family jokes how my dog will stare us down and win if we had a competition. He just won't blink when he stares at us. We just thought it was interesting. We never could have figured out that it actually has a dominant meaning behind it. Nope. Never would have figured it out .
Look up "calming signals" on google. The yawn is considered one. They yawn to see if any other pack members notice the stress and if you yawn back, it calms them down. (something like that...) If they are almost asleep and yawn a long, lazy sigh of a yawn- they're tired. If they yawn during training, new environment, sights or sounds ect.= stress. It's usually a short, quick yawn and maybe a whine during it.
Top Paw Training: serving Canyon Lake & New Braunfels, San Antonio to Austin.
Kristel, I can relate to your comment when you used the discriptive term "Lummox". I have an almost 9 month old Doberman who I often refer to as a big Goof. He does not realize yet that he is not still puppy size. But on the inside he is deffinately one. It really shows when he greets me so excidetally when I arrive home. Or how he carries one of his stuffed animals when we go for a ride. People are amazed at his age because of his size and maturity when in the public. Though he is a dominant dog, I do get the submissive paw, and at the same time he lowers his head a little I notice. I also get the slapping paw designed to get my attention. He does it only once in a while and never more than once at a time.
Kristel Smart Webboard User Reg: 10-03-2006
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Loc: Vermont
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Exactly! A 90 lb. velcro PUPPY. My guy is also dominant in general, but has always been submissive to me, and has offered the the paw. But the other felt different; and the description is right: the "slapping" paw. Seems like they all do it, but I never had really thought about what it would mean. It always seemed to be an attempt at getting attention...there doesn't seem to be enough love in the world for them most of the time, and he usually whacks me when my mind is somewhere else. I don't like it because he gouges the hell out of me with his nails when he does it. I trim them every week and they are very short, but freshly trimmed nails are sharp. I don't give him attention for it other than to look at him and point to his "place". He doesn't do it on leash at all.
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