A dogs body language
Have you ever wondered how to “read” your dog? Have you ever wondered why your dog does certain things such as shake himself when he clearly has no water on him? or would you know if your dog was giving you warning signs to back off?
This article aims to give you a clearer picture of what your dogs posture means.
signs of stress
Stress can be as a result of lifestyle, such as built up frustration from not being walked leading to excessive barking, or it can be as a result of being unable to accomplish a specific task such as learning a new command that he can’t get quite right.Dogs can not only show stress but can also give off signals that can have an assuring or calming effect on other dogs,perhaps to assure other dogs/humans it’s ok to approach. signs of stress include:
* submissive urination, tail down, rapid panting, excessive barking, body shaking, yawning, scratching, body lowered, sudden interest to sniff, ears pulled back and dilated pupils.

signs that your dog is attempting to relieve his own stress and stress of others including humans,this could be a sign that he is saying “it’s ok to approach”:
* body shaking
* not giving direct eye contact
* acts distracted
* lying or sitting down
* licking lips/nose
* circling Dogs can also attempt to stop any aggression, perhaps from a human scolding after an incident of bad behaviour, this is marked by a “guilty” expression.

food aggression

If you believe your dog poses a real danger, you should seek professional behaviour advice or a good dog trainer asap

Food aggression is not only dangerous and an inconvenience for you and the rest of the family but you may be “rewarding” this behaviour without even realising it, as every time your dog shows aggression by snarling or growling at you, you back off to avoid the confrontation, in doing so, you are rewarding this behaviour, in the dogs mind he has won, this method has worked therefore he will do it again and again (i am not encouraging anyone to stand their ground in a situation that could be potetially dangerous)
Understanding the body language of a dog like this may help to avoid a nasty bite, however the situation needs to be addressed properly and never rewarded, this could escalate into something more dangerous for all family members involved.
When a dog becomes protective or guards food, this behaviour usually involves toys also, as this behaviour may be as a result of your dog believing he is “alpha” he may show aggression or dominence over family members. The body language of a dog that is guarding something or feels threatened may pause,his eyes wide open and alert, watching for any potential threats, he may growl or snarl, warning you not to get too close, he may lash out and bite you.
This is unacceptable behaviour and should be stopped immediately. This type of behaviour is usually displayed by a dog that considers himself the “alpha dog” or ” pack leader” therefore it could escalate to more dominating or controlling behaviour and the dog may take the relevant actions to obtain order within his “pack” (your family) Your goal is to assign yourself as the dominent leader, this should not be attempted by showing aggression as your dog is showing aggression to you, this will only result in a “stand-off” and the dog will be more determind to keep his position as pack leader.
There a wide range of contributing factors, in most cases it is found to be one of the following causes:
* if you have a habit of taking things away from your dog that he/she enjoys such as food or toys etc, he/she will begin to see you as a threat (this will require you to change his mind on how he sees you)
* Your dog may have been deprived of basic needs such as food, for example, if a dog is rescued or rehomed, no-one knows for sure how that dog was treated prior to the rescue, therefore, if food deprivation plays a part that dog would then guard or protect his food thinking that it will be his last meal in a long time.
* It may be that the dog believes that behaviour is acceptable, in which case this requires a stronger communication between human and dog.
*Or it may be the dog doesn’t understand that you are the pack leader and has asigned himself to that role by “winning” every battle. for example, if you are afraid of a situation escalating therefore you back-off or you are not a confident, assertive owner. You need to establish your position and make it clear to your dog that you are the “pack leader”

general info for correction

* you need to control feeding time~ you own the food!

* if the aggression is directed at other dogs in the household, feed them in a seperate room or in individual spaces so they can’t interfere with each other.

* if you have a puppy or puppies, feed them during busy times when everyone is about and active, this is a good preventative measure in young dogs.

* ask a simple task from your dog before “rewarding” him with this food, such as “sit” * The leader of the pack will eat first, leaving the last in a rank only scraps, exercise this when feeding your dog, feed your dog when you and the family have finished eating.

* Do not respond to the dogs aggression with aggression of your own, this will only make his aggression worse the next time it occurs

* do not intimidate the dog, and encourage him to “work” for his food, do not allow him to “win” by growling at you, by allowing this to happen you will be taking steps back into the problem rather than moving forward to solve it. Tips for dog food aggression

* Stand at a distance that your dog is comfortable with during meal times, you don’t want to get too close that incourages him to growl, the distance should not be intimidating, at a later date you can begin to move closer to the food bowl and you could attempt to throw some treats into the food bowl, you could also throw some treats into the food bowl when you are passing it.

* call the dog away from the food bowl while he is eating with some palatable treats then allow him back to eat his food, you could also hold some food back at meal times, once he has finished he will still be hungry, you can then give him the remaining food.

* once the bowl is empty, you can lift it and at intervals place down the empty bowl, lifting again etc

* you could also attempt stroking the dog while he is eating The goal of these exercises is to gain control over your dogs food, you must be “the boss” and “in control” During his food preparation, give the command “sit” and only allow him to be released from this command after you have placed the food down. This is to establish your leadership role by controlling his meal times. Or you could involve another member of the family by attaching a leash on the dog and asking the family member to hold it to ensure he obeys the command, give the “sit” command and do not release until you put the food down, when you are ready you can then allow the dog to eat. Again it is another example of how to control the situation.

The “trade-up method” involves using obedience commands such as “leave” or “give” to trade toys or food with your dog. each time you take something away from the dog, it must be replaced with something more tasty or interesting than the object he was playing with or eating in the first place, once finished give back the item which you first took away. The goal is to make your dog happy to give up something he enjoys for something better which will change his way of thinking. * when you are with your dog it has been advised to use a pinch or prong collar with a leash, when the dog shows signs of aggression quickly corrct this behaviour by “snapping on the leash” you want to achieve a negative link with food aggression. Many experienced dog trainers use this method and agree that it is effective, however, many dog owners disagree with this method.

It is always important to remember that aside from the points already mentioned, there are some other point which can reinforce aggressive behaviour/leadership issues

* do not allow your dog to sleep on your bed or sofa/furniture etc

* always be the first to walk through doorways, upstairs etc

* always feel confident and in control, owning a german shepherd is not a dog for the faint hearted, weak or shy person. You must maintain a strong leadership role at all times and any behaviour issues should be corrected immediately.

The effectiveness of the information provided is not guaranteed, and every individual dog may respond differently, it is always advised that you seek professional help when dealing with dog aggression in any manner, the guidelines mentioned are not to be soley used without professional trainer or behaviour advise, and are only for guideline purposes.