I want to re-visit the “dog body shake” because I rarely see it discussed anywhere else.
I’m curious, do you think dogs consciously use the “body shake” or the “collar scratch” to break from a stay position? Or, is this always a subconscious thing?
I think a lot of of the time the body shake is a subconscious way to ease or avoid anxiety (Oh, back from a walk – phew! Time to relax!). but I think it can also be a behavior the pet dog learns to use to his advantage to avoid doing something.
What the heck is the ‘dog body shake?’
The “dog body shake” is when a pet dog shakes his whole body as though he’s getting out of the water, but really he’s already dry. It’s typically used when a pet dog is transitioning from one thing to another (done playing, time to relax) or to ease minor anxiety (meeting that pet dog was fun, time to relax).
If you think about it, you probably do you own version of the body shake to ease some minor anxiety or to transition from one thing to another. For example, when I reach the starting line of a race I’ll do a little body shake to transition into racing mode. Or, after I return from meeting someone new I might let out an audible sigh which actually involves loosening any tension, nearly like a “body shake.”
For me, and I think for dogs, these types of actions are subconscious. I do not choose to sigh after meeting someone new. It just happens. My pet dog does not choose to “shake it off” after passing another pet dog on a walk. It just happens.
What about when a pet dog uses the body shake to break from stay?
The best example of this is an obedience class. If you observe the other owners in a class, especially in a beginner’s class, you will see them place their dogs into the sit position when asked by the trainer. After being placed in a sit, it’s nearly guaranteed a few of the dogs will scratch themselves around the collar or do a little body shake and pop ideal back up. “Co bude dál?!”
I think this reaction is subconscious for the majority of these dogs. They’re still learning what to do. The class environment is stressful or at least exciting to a lot of of them. They may or may not have serviced the sit command at home. They probably haven’t learned that “sit” indicates “sit and remain sitting until I release you.”
But then, there is always a pet dog in class who seems to have learned he can control his owner with these moves. For example, the owner will tell her pet dog to sit, and the pet dog right away shakes his body and begins sniffing something on the ground. The owner then waits patiently for the pet dog to stop sniffing, which could take minutes, and then asks the pet dog to sit again.
Or, the owner asks her pet dog to heel, and right away the pet dog sits down and drastically scratches around her collar for a good 45 seconds. Then, as the owner waits patiently, the pet dog does an Oscar-winning body shake and then decides to heel.
I’m not saying this is downright “deviant” behavior, but to me it’s a pretty clear signal that the pet dog is saying “I will do this on my own terms. Děkuji mnohokrát.”
So, if you’re aware this is happening with your own pet dog and you don’t really care, that’s fine. But if you want your pet dog to listen to you, then stop waiting around and instead just make it happen.
You don’t have to worry about being – God forbid! – dominant. just make him do what you asked. If you told your pet dog to sit, put him in a sit position. I don’t care how you do it. just make it happen. If you told your pet dog to heel, then start walking. Tug on the leash if you want. use treats if you want. just walk and get your pet dog to follow.
And the truth comes out. Ace is outsmarting me!
So, what is happening when Ace breaks from a stay position in a low-stress, non-challenging situation by shaking his body and then walking up to me?
I have to say, he’s beating me in chess.
I think he’s maybe a bit bored and absolutely testing my limits just like some of those young dogs in beginning obedience class.
To me, it seems like Ace is pushing the limits to see what he can get away with (quite a lot, lately!). As he’s gotten older, he’s absolutely learned to neglect me more, and I’ll be the first to admit it’s because I’m much much easier on him now than I used to be. I don’t really care when he breaks from stay in the living room.
To do this, he does the body shake and then walks up to me swaying his tail and body in a relaxed, submissive way. I’m sure he’s responding to my expression and body language that says “Oh you did something wrong but you’re cute anyway.” So I’m absolutely satisfying and encouraging the behavior. Jdi zjistit. I’m just being sincere here.
Do I want a perFECT, SHELK-SOLID, poslušný pes? Spíš ne. Takže jsem trochu volný se svými pravidly a můj domácí pes to ví.
Nepředpokládejte, že tělové chvění je deviantní chování.
Chci strach, že po většinu času je pes psí pes chvění podvědomým chováním kvůli tomu, že se pes pociťoval stresovaný nebo ohromen. Je tak důležité si toho být vědomi, abychom mohli buď odstranit naše psy ze stresujících situací, nebo jim pomoci naučit se vyrovnat.
Například můj domácí pes udělá tělo protřepávat v Pet Dog Park, pokud ho otřást mladším psem. Mladší pes s vyšší energií by mohl skákat na Ace nebo na něj otravovat a Ace se otřásl a pokusí se odejít. Zatímco zavrčení nebo snap by se dostal lépe, oceňuji, že můj pes se obvykle uchýlí k vrčení. Mohu mu pomoci tady tím, že si všimnu, když se cítí stresovaný a zasahující.
V této situaci bych pravděpodobně rozptýlil mladšího domácího psa nebo bych mohl povzbudit Ace, aby hrál, pokud se zdá, že potřebuje jen nějaké povzbuzení. Nebo by mohlo být nejlepší jen vzít mého domácího psa a odejít, což je obvykle to, co dělám. Pokud se zdá, že Ace nechce hrát, nenutí ho hrát.
Mnohem více si uvědomujeme, že jsme jako majitelé, tím lépe. Vím, že by bylo možné zabránit spoustě bojů a oděrů pro psy a oděrky, pokud si majitelé věděli, že si užijí a rozpoznávají tyto „jemné“ rady, které jsou ve skutečnosti docela zřejmé, pokud víte, co hledat.
Zde je můj seznam znamení, že pes pes je zdůrazněn.
Ale opravdu od vás chci slyšet na toto téma.
1. Dělá váš domácí pes „tělový chvění“?
2. Zdá se, že je to podvědomí?
3. Zdá se, že se váš pes někdy rozhodne záměrně protřepat tělo, aby se něco nevyhýbalo?
4. Udělal váš pes někdy tělo, když se cítí stresovaný nebo ohromen?
Dej mi vědět! Provrhá váš domácí pes jeho tělem?