The Truth About Muzzles

The Truth About Muzzles

What is your first thought when you see a dog wearing a muzzle?

I had never thought about the stigma attached to muzzles until I was at a pack walk prep class with a trainer I used to work with. Riley was a distraction dog and I’d walk her around the area where the owners were working with their dog to learn to walk them in a “pack” setting.

One of the dogs was also in training with the trainer and was muzzled for the session. She had been desensitized to the muzzle and to her it just meant she was going to get freedom and engagement. Sometimes this dog became fearful and over-stimulated and while she was learning to regulate a muzzle kept her and everyone around her safe.

She was not a bad dog. She was loving and kind once you got to know her. But people can be foolish when they see a dog and they can rush in and crowd them and unknowingly present a very real threat.

Her owners were working hard with her, and she was doing well.

As I went to my car after the session was over, a family was getting in their car a couple spaces away and I heard the mother say, in a disgusted tone, “If that dog is so dangerous it has to wear a muzzle it shouldn’t be in public.” Her tirade continued but I had to block her out.

I was livid and it took a lot of self-control to just load Riley up and leave without saying anything. I fumed all the way home and thinking about it still makes my blood boil.

Really? A dog has no right to leave the house and be outside if they need to wear a muzzle. Who was she to judge? She didn’t know the owners or the dog. She didn’t know why the dog was muzzled but her first and only assumption was that the dog was dangerous and shouldn’t be outside.

Over the years, I’ve heard people make similar comments and I think it’s important to clear some things up.

First and foremost, there are many reasons a dog might be wearing a muzzle. And, in my opinion, muzzle training is valuable for every dog. The more comfortable a dog is in a muzzle, the less stress they will experience if they ever need one.

So let’s look at some reasons dogs might wear a muzzle:

Let’s get this one out of the way first. A dog might be a bite risk. They may be aggressive to other dogs or people and the muzzle is to keep them and those they might encounter safe while they are being rehabilitated.
Protect veterinary staff when dealing with a sick or injured dog, even if that dog has never been a bite risk. Hurt animals can be unpredictable and a muzzle keeps everyone safe.
Prevents dogs from eating garbage or other things that might be dangerous to them. There are a lot of dogs who will eat anything, and it can put them at risk of, not only being poisoned but even requiring surgery to remove dangerous objects from their stomach or intestinal tract.
Learning to play appropriately with other dogs. Some dogs have never played with other dogs and during an introductory stage wearing a muzzle can protect the dog wearing it from receiving corrections while learning proper play and engagement without using their mouth.
Can give a nervous dog confidence when out on walks or in new situations.
Keep groomers safe when dogs are being desensitized to having their nails done or grooming is being performed.
Introducing a new/unknown dog to a new place. For instance, people who foster dogs may want to utilize a muzzle when bringing the dog into their home.
Introducing two dogs who don’t know each other. Both dogs wearing a muzzle is not a bad idea in this scenario, even if you really trust one or both dogs.
A dog may have really high prey drive and is learning impulse control in areas where prey is likely.
Boarded dogs when they are in close proximity to new dogs and new people without their owners may benefit from a muzzle.
New people coming over that the dog has yet to meet. A muzzle can make the greeting much more comfortable for your dog and your guests.
Clearly communicates to people around that the dog might need some space.

As you can see, muzzles have many different uses and most of them have nothing to do with aggression or a dog being a ‘bad” dog. In fact, none of them have to do with a dog being a bad dog. If a dog is aggressive and wearing a muzzle in public it means they have a good owner or trainer who is actively working to rehabilitate them and that should be applauded, not criticized and judged.

I believe it’s the stigma of “only mean or bad dogs wear muzzles” that keeps well-meaning dog owners from doing the training necessary to make wearing a muzzle comfortable and stress-free for their dog and that’s too bad. At some point, we have to stop worrying about what other people are going to think of us or our dogs and just do what’s best for them. If more people did the work in public with their dogs to help them thrive wearing a muzzle, the story would begin to change but the stigma keeps people working on muzzle training in hiding.

Muzzle training takes time and intentionality, but it starts with choosing the right muzzle and there are a lot to choose from. I encourage you to work with your trainer or vet to find out what kind of muzzle would work best for your dog, as well as to get pointers on how to do the training.

From my perspective, there are 2 pieces to the training.

First step, getting the dog comfortable putting the muzzle on. You don’t want to force it on their face. So, teaching them to put their nose in the muzzle and allowing you to secure it is step one.

Second step, wearing the muzzle in different situations and locations so they begin creating positive associations with the muzzle.

The second piece of this is ongoing. It doesn’t just end once you think your dog is comfortable. Even if you only pull it out and do something fun with them once a week with the muzzle on, do that. You want as many positive experiences as possible so when you pull the muzzle out the dog’s first thought isn’t, “Oh no! Vet!!!!”

There are so many kinds of muzzles, different shapes, different materials, and different purposes. This is where the advice of a professional who knows your dog and the situations in which you’d be using a muzzle can be really helpful.

The muzzle I use for Riley is made by a company called Khaos Collars.

It is a basket muzzle, custom-made based on her measurements, and I got to pick out great colors that make it look less threatening. It gives her plenty of pant room and I opted for a treat hole so that she can still eat treats while wearing the muzzle.

I didn’t originally muzzle train her and I regret that.

I’ve done a lot of work desensitizing her to the muzzle, but I have more work to do to make it as positive as I’d like it to be for her. So, I’m taking my own advice and incorporating the muzzle into at least one outing per week and one play session in the apartment per week.

So, back to the original question: what do you think when you see a dog wearing a muzzle in public?

I hope your answer is, “Good dog. Responsible owner. Hard work.”

Education

The Three D’s of Off-Leash Time with Your Dog

Dogs love and need off-leash time. Time to run, play, explore, climb, and satisfy their innate drives. They need time to just be dogs.

As much as most dog owners want to give their dogs a fulfilling life, many are unprepared for the effort required to allow a dog this amount of freedom. It can be exhausting!

I say it a lot, the more freedom Riley has, the more responsibility I have. If I’m allowing her time to go into prey drive and hunt squirrels, then I’m also accepting responsibility for all the things that she can’t and won’t see because her focus is set on whatever she is tracking or treeing.

Let me talk a little more about this.

Riley’s breed was created to hunt and to herd, so she has a very strong prey drive and to a lesser extent a herding drive. In fairness, I have seen the herding drive in action and it’s there but it’s not something I’m in a situation to facilitate for her as readily as the hunting drive, so it’s not nearly as developed.

When Riley is focused on prey, what I call being in “hunt mode”, she develops tunnel vision I have seen her run at top speed past a person with less than an inch between them and it’s evident that at no point did she see or register that a human being was there. She only saw the prey. It can be difficult for her to hear and to switch gears (we do a lot of work to help with this, and I’ll talk about that in another post).

With all that said, if she can only hear and see certain things and blocks out everything else then it is my job to be aware and vigilant for her. For me, it means I’m looking for what I call “the three D’s” – Danger, Distraction, and Diversion. This is also why I don’t have as much video footage of her as I would like to have because taking video and even photos when we’re out like that takes too much attention away from what I need to do to keep her safe.

Let’s look at each of these things

DANGER

Danger is going to look different depending on your dog, their drives, their training, and your environment. What is a danger for Riley and me when we’re hunting squirrels in a treelined business complex is different than what I would look for in an off-leash park or on an off-leash hike.

If we’re in a business area, I’m watching for cars, people, and dogs (both on and off-leash). Essentially anything that might be a threat to her and her safety. I’m watching the ground for unexpected things that could cause injury – broken glass, garbage, holes in the ground.

If we’re in an off-leash area, the danger is different. The odds of there being a moving vehicle in an open field are pretty low but there are natural/physical pitfalls – treats or food left on the ground (Riley is very sensitive to chicken), holes she might not see, garbage, broken glass and other things that might harm her. I watch how people engage with their dogs to decide if I’ll allow Riley to approach or not. Depending on where we are I may also watch for animals that could be a danger to her.

Anything that she might miss that could cause her harm falls in this category and I watch for as much of it as I possibly can, especially when I’m allowing her to hunt and burn off some energy.

DISTRACTIONS

People and dogs fall under danger and distractions I’m watching for distractions to determine if they are dangerous or not.

What does that mean?

If she is tracking a squirrel and we’re close to the street and I see another squirrel across the street, that is a dangerous distraction. If she sees it and I don’t get her attention in time, she is likely to bolt after it and not pay attention to cars or anything else that might be between her and the squirrel. I need to see it before she does, so I can redirect if necessary.

If the squirrel or rabbit or whatever she’s tracking is being “squirrely” meaning it looks likely that it’s going to bolt across the street instead of staying in whatever area it’s currently in – I will call her out.

If crows are messing with her or trying to get her attention, I’m watching to see where they are circling. They tend to follow a pattern so I can tell if they are going to stay where I want her or they are going to lead her somewhere I don’t want her to go.

Distractions could also be things like maintenance and landscape crews working in the area or construction crews whose equipment might make a lot of noise. These distractions could create a situation where she gets fearful and has an anxiety response. Not only might that distract her from what she’s doing, but it may also shut her down or send her into an avoidance response where she struggles to hear me or remember that I’m there at all. Survival mode can kick in.

There’s a lot of overlap between dangers and distractions.

DIVERSIONS

Diversions are places and things I identify in the environment that would allow me to help her switch gears from hunter-brain to paying attention to me. Something that is still stimulating and offers engagement but helps transition her from that single-focused, high-alert, adrenaline-pumping mindset to something more relational and engaged with me.

Riley loves to climb trees, go upstairs, jump on and off rocks and walls, and hop up on tables. Knowing this, I look for places where I can take her to do these kinds of things.

To help manage her energy and focus and keep her from getting overstimulated, I alternate between opportunities to run amok and chase squirrels and exercise that prey drives and other more relational activities that allow her to calm down and focus on me even as she continues to exert mental, emotional, and physical energy.

These kinds of activities also often double as confidence-building exercises; things that challenge her and make her think. So there is a lot of benefit in incorporating them in our outings.

Finding and using these diversion opportunities has made a huge difference in our walks because I walk her through some things before I put her back on leash which puts her more into a pack mentality, which helps her pay attention to me and walk with me nicely when I put her leash on to head home.

Here’s an example: A Saturday outing might include 10 minutes chasing squirrels, followed by running up and down a flight of stairs or playing hide and seek; back to hunting and chasing squirrels; then climbing over rocks or up in a tree; more hunting; then some obedience and impulse control work before leashing up and walking to a local coffee shop where we do obedience and desensitization work on the patio; then walking home.

PAWS AND CONSIDER

What drives does your dog have that you either want to fulfill or already have ways you fulfill?
What frame of mind is your dog in when they are engaged in that drive?
What dangers does this frame of mind present that might not be dangers when they are not actively engaged in that drive?
What people and things in the environment might your dog be a danger to?
What distractions might you encounter when you’re spending time off-leash with your dog?
What might the result be if your dog were to be distracted?
How could you get their attention if they are faced with a danger or a distraction?
How certain are you they would respond, particularly if they are off leash?
What backups do you have if they don’t respond to your voice and are off-leash?
What does your dog enjoy that provides the opportunity for them to engage with and focus on you?
How might you blend some of these diversions in when you’re allowing them to exercise other drives?
How can you be aware of the Dangers, Distractions, and Diversion opportunities in the environment in which you usually work with your dog?

Education

TRAINING CLARITY: Factor Yourself into the Equation

Introduction

Getting training for your dog can be a lot of work, even confusing. Finding the right trainer, knowing what to look for, ask for, and expect; understanding your role and theirs, even knowing what success looks like for you.

In this series of posts, I’m going to talk about Training Clarity.

Keep in mind, as with all the other posts I write, that I am not a trainer. I train one dog, mine. With that said, I have worked with multiple trainers – not just in training Riley, but as an office assistant and training developer. I’ve had an inside peek and been the person who needed help with their dog.

I’ve had the experience of using Riley as a distraction dog in training sessions and helping with puppies on puppy play dates.

That’s the place I will write these posts from.

Factoring Yourself into the Equation

One of the things I learned working in the office of a dog trainer is that many clients don’t factor themselves into the equation when considering working with a trainer.

What does that mean?

You should know yourself and what you need. Here are some things you should know about yourself:

How do you learn best?
- Verbally
- Visual
- Written
- Hands-on
- A combination (and what combination)
How do you prefer to communicate?
- Email
- Phone
- Text
- Videos
- Writing
- Audio
Do you prefer someone who gets straight to the point or someone who explains in detail?
How much communication do you like or want between sessions?
How much access do you want to a trainer and what kind of access?
Are you open to using “tools” such as an e-collar, prong collar, slip lead, etc.?
- If so, which ones are you open to?
- If not, which ones do you prefer not to use and why?
- Are you open to being educated about any of the tools you prefer not to use, if a trainer deems it appropriate for your dog?
Do you know what you want out of training? E.G., what are your goals with your dog?
- Basic obedience
- Behavior modification
- Advanced obedience
- Sport training
- “Work” training (therapy dog, service dog, ESA, protection)

It doesn’t just matter if the trainer is a good fit for your dog. It matters if they are a good fit for you. So, knowing these kinds of things are important.

As you’re talking to trainers, pay attention to these things in addition to what they have to say about their general training philosophy and approach:

Do you like their personality?
Do they communicate in a way you understand? Using words that make sense to you and explaining things that don’t?
Is their training style aligned with how you learn?
Do they listen to you, your needs, and your goals?
In training sessions are they going to be doing most of the handling or are they going to coach you through the handling?
How are they going to be communicating the training plan and progress with you?
Will their approach work for you?

You are an essential element in the training of your dog and your ability to communicate with and understand the trainer is very important, but it’s something many owners don’t even consider.

Yes, you want your dog to like them and respond to them. You want them to be experienced and knowledgeable. You want them to have the availability you need so you can make training work. But don’t forget to factor yourself into the equation and consider your needs, too.

Education

TRAINING CLARITY: Recognizing Patterns in Your Dogs Behavior

Introduction

In this series of posts, I’m going to talk about Training Clarity.

I’ve had the experience of using Riley as a distraction dog in training sessions and help with puppies on puppy play dates.

That’s the place I will write these posts from.

Identifying Patterns of Behavior

A dog lies on the couch, looking out the patio door.
A person walks by.
The dog barks like crazy.
The person keeps going.
The dog stops barking.

The part of this series that creates a problem for most of us is the dog barking. We don’t have a problem with the dog lying on the couch watching out the door, in fact, a lot of the time we feel good about it because we feel like we’re letting them do something we think they like – watching for squirrels, or whatever.

We try to correct step 3. It’s step 3 that bothers us. But it’s step 1 that sets our dog up to fail.

By allowing them to lie on the couch and watch out the door, we are giving them a job to do – protect the house. It seems harmless. It’s not a “job” to us. We just want them to be happy and we think looking out the window or door makes them happy. But what if, what makes them happy is the “job” that comes with it?

Every person, dog, or squirrel that goes by is a threat and the dog is doing what they think we want them to do by barking, alerting us to the presence of danger.

They are rewarded whether you are there or not – because the threat goes away and that’s their job, making the threat go away. It doesn’t matter that the person was passing by anyway, they don’t know that. They saw that the threat was present, they barked, and the threat left. Success. That is their reward.

If you correct them, at any point once they’ve started barking, it matters very little. They were already rewarded. The threat went away and that’s what they wanted. Cause and effect. I bark. The threat leaves.

Dog jumps on person.
Person waits until dog puts all four paws on the floor
Dog puts all four paws on the floor
Dog gets attention.

Sometimes dogs jump to control the greeting. So, the reward is controlling the greeting by jumping.

Sometimes the dog just wants the attention. Jumping equals attention. It doesn’t matter about the adjustments between step 1 and 4. Cause and effect. I jump. I get attention.

Just like “I bark and the threat leaves”.

Understanding this can help you understand where you need training and guidance, where your dog needs clarity, what needs to change in the pattern. It can also help you understand why a trainer may not work on the behavior you think needs attention but at something upstream of it.

I want to take this example a little further but will apply it to Riley because her pattern doesn’t start with jumping up on someone, it starts when I say, “Riley, look your grandma is here.” or “Is that your auntie?” or “That’s your friend.”

That’s one place I have an opportunity to break the pattern.

What if I don’t say that when someone comes over? What if I do something different, create a different starting point to create a new pattern?

What works for me may not work for you. I get to figure it out because I know me and I know Riley, and what I want. It’s a great discussion to have with a trainer. Exploring the pattern and the opportunities for interruption and change.

Here’s another example.

There are times I take Riley out intending to let her chase squirrels and get into her hunter brain and just let her be a dog. This produces a lot of adrenaline but I know that. It’s a choice. When that time is over, it can take a lot of time for her to burn off the adrenaline.

If I immediately leash her and expect her to heel and walk nicely with me, the rest of the trip home is going to be a nightmare. She’ll be pulling, reactive, and still be in hunting mode.

If, on the other hand, I give her some freedom, some time to calm down, and do some obedience work, it helps her get out of prey drive and into a calmer, more attentive state of mind. We have a great walk home. She is not reactive or at least only mildly reactive. She heels well and pays attention.

It’s a pattern and I get to decide what to do with it. I get to explore the pattern and everything surrounding it to see where the pattern can be interrupted and decide how I can do it.

Your Turn

Thinking about behaviors from the perspective of patterns, are there any patterns you see that have been established with your dog, even unintentionally? What are they? Can you see anywhere in the pattern that you can interrupt it and maybe get a different outcome?

I encourage you to write them down. Then, even if you can’t figure out how to interrupt the pattern or change it you’ll have something to discuss with a trainer or other professional who can help you.

Education

TRAINING CLARITY: Behavior that is Allowed is Repeated

Introduction

In this series of posts, I’m going to talk about Training Clarity.

I’ve had the experience of using Riley as a distraction dog in training sessions and help with puppies on puppy play dates.

That’s the place I will write these posts from.

Behavior that is Allowed is Repeated

One of the most impactful things I heard a trainer say is, “Every behavior that is allowed is repeated.”

That was the moment I really understood that training is not an event or a task, it’s not an isolated weekly session with you, your dog, and a trainer. It is every moment of every day, every interaction, even what happens when you’re not there. All of it is training.

My first thought was, “What do I allow with Riley that I don’t want to repeat?”

It began to give me clarity. Finally, a question I could answer.

I didn’t want her to pull the leash after we calmly got out the door.
I didn’t want her trying to take off after squirrels, birds, or anything that looked like prey, without my permission.
I didn’t want her jumping on people when they come to visit.
I didn’t want her lunging and barking at dogs we pass on walks.

Those were my top four.

Not only did this give me clarity about what I wanted from training, it also gave me clarity as far as what I was allowing that I didn’t want to allow.

“Allow” was a keyword for me.

What am I allowing?

It was empowering.

If I could allow one thing, then I could change what I was allowing and how I was allowing it. It didn’t mean I knew HOW to change it, but I was aware now that I was allowing things and what I allowed would be repeated.

Every time I allowed something I didn’t want; I was training her. Every time I allowed something I did want; I was training her. It was ALL training.

If you’re considering training, even if you’re not, one thing to look at is the behaviors you are allowing; the ones you need someone to guide you through changing. Those will be a great starting point.

Education

Deciphering Dog Body Language: Understanding Spatial Pressure

Dogs are physical. Sometimes we forget that. Besides barking, their primary means of communication with us and other animals is through their body language. They make themselves big. They make themselves small. They appease. They push. They raise their lips. They bear their teeth. They paw. They jump. They invade space or pull away.

This became abundantly clear to me one day when I was walking Riley and I noticed how she directed me. Yes, she was directing me, and all the time I thought I was leading the walk!

When she walked on my left she would move her body closer to me to get me to go right. She would pause, just slightly, and look left to get me to go left. She would move ahead faster hoping I’d keep up when she had somewhere she wanted to go but didn’t think that’s where I was going to lead. And all of it was communication. She was not pulling on the leash. She was using her body, eye contact, and pace – what trainers call “pressure”.

This one walk taught me so much about how she communicates and how I could use the same kind of pressure with my body, eyes, and pace to communicate with her. I felt like I finally understood what learning to work with pressure in dog training meant.

There are all kinds of pressure: eye pressure, vocal pressure, social pressure, and spacial pressure to name a few. What I described with the walk above was all physical or spacial pressure.

BASIC SPATIAL PRESSURE

She moved closer. She sped up. She slowed down. She created distance. It’s all about space. She wants us to move together (this is “pack drive” in action, which we’ll talk about in another post) and she’s using her body to not only lead the walk but keep us moving in the same direction.

Using spacial pressure like this, she creates a sense of safety and it gives her confidence. The pack moving together, seamlessly following the spacial pressure created by one another as needs and wants are communicated physically, without words, protects.

Looking at how she did this with me, I began applying the same principles on our walks.

Yes, sometimes I let her lead and follow her but there are also times that she needs to follow me, for any number of reasons. In those cases, I step closer to her to get her to turn to the left. I create space to get her to turn to the left. I slow down to get her attention so we can recalibrate. I speed up when I want her to go somewhere she may not necessarily want to go and wasn’t as cute as I thought it was.

I also listen to her. If there’s a direction she absolutely does not want to go no matter how much pressure I apply and I can’t see any reason not to go that way – I trust her instincts. I remind myself that she can hear, see, and smell things that I cannot and if she doesn’t want to go a certain direction, I pay attention. Pack drive. Safety. Confidence. She trusts me and I trust her. That’s the goal. And part of that is speaking the same language.

HEAD AND PAWS

Sometimes dogs use their head or paws to communicate and create pressure.

When Riley was a puppy, if she wanted to initiate play with a dog that was ignoring her, she would go up and put her head over their back or a paw on their back. Even though she was usually much smaller than them. I learned later this was her asserting dominance and trying to force them to do what she wanted.

Another way she would initiate play was to lay in the middle of the park on her back and flail her paws around. She was baiting the dogs into thinking she was submissive and weak. It was remarkable. They would circle her like prey and when she was ready, she would spring into the air and go after them.

She was communicating, faking them out, but communicating. “I want to play. I want to engage. And I’ll do whatever I can to get your attention.“

If she wants something from me and I’m not paying attention to her, sometimes she will put a paw (or two) on my leg or lay her head on me. She’s not being adorable and cuddly, she’s asking for my attention. If I don’t see her body language then she can’t communicate, so this is one way she gets me to look at her so she can communicate with me.

Observing this taught me that I can use my hands to communicate with her, too. I can put a hand on her shoulder or her chest to gently get her attention. If I want to get her to play and she’s not being very playful, I’ll put my hand on the middle of her back (like she would do with other dogs and her paws) or lay on my back on the floor. One of these almost always gets her attention, and always makes me laugh as I realize I’m doing to her what she used to do to other dogs.

GUARDING

Spacial pressure can also show up as guarding.

When Riley does not want another dog, person, or other animal or thing in my space, she tries to put herself between me and whatever the “intruder” is. This is spatial pressure, too. She’s putting pressure on the other person or critter to back away from me.

This is not a type of spacial pressure I allow. I won’t let her guard me like that. And we’ve worked hard on that. That’s a choice I have made about what I will and won’t allow in our relationship. This kind of pressure creates tension and anxiety and that’s not the kind of energy I want to foster.

With that said, I do “guard” her. I do this as a means of advocating for her and creating space so she can make good decisions, but also so she knows I have her back. I will step between her and strangers or other dogs. I will step in front of her when we are approaching a new object or environment and scope it out first. All of this communicates to her that I am the one guarding her and she can relax.

Note: this is an oversimplified example of guarding. If your dog has guarding behaviors, I encourage you to talk to a trainer to learn how to address these behaviors.

CONCLUSION

Oh, we humans, don’t like the idea of using pressure to train and communicate with dogs. We have this idea that it is negative, bad, or mean. But the truth is, dogs use it to communicate all day long and it’s as natural and instinctual to them as breathing.

Part of the disconnect comes in because we think that dogs should figure out how WE communicate. They should figure out OUR vocabulary. And, it’s lazy. Sure, they will figure it out over time and with repetition, but if we want to invest in our relationship with our dogs, we’ll take stock of how THEY communicate with us. Their language. And we’ll mirror it back to them to communicate with them.

Think about it this way, have you ever started a new job in an industry you weren’t familiar with and suddenly found yourself facing a whole new vocabulary, new acronyms, almost like a whole new language? It can feel like you’re an outsider, never fully understanding what is being said and not really knowing what is being expected. That’s frustrating, lonely, and stressful.

The same thing happens with our dogs. They come into our homes – a whole new set of expectations and a foreign vocabulary. Even if they lived with humans before, they have never lived with you. They don’t know how you communicate, what your words mean, your unique tones, and hand motions and physical movements. Rather than stressing them out more than necessary, isn’t it an incredible kindness to learn their language so they can begin to put things together and make sense of the world they find themselves in (particularly when that world is your life)?

So, I encourage you to put aside the negative connotations and beliefs about pressure and begin to observe them, “listen” to their body language and spatial pressure, and as you learn what they mean, begin practicing communicating back with them in similar ways. It takes time and effort, but something amazing happens when we intentionally take the time to speak someone else’s language, even when that someone else is your dog. It’s one more way you can re-imagine dog ownership and enhance your relationship with your dog.

And, as always, I encourage you to work with a trainer to help you decipher your dog’s unique communication and enhance how you communicate with them.

Education

Deciphering Dog Body Language: Hackles

What is the first thing you think when you see a dog with raised hackles?

The average person believes that raised hair on a dogs back, neck, and/or shoulders means the dog is angry, aggressive, and ready to attack. And, while this may be the case, it is not necessarily true.

Watch this short YouTube video of Riley hunting for tennis balls.

Do you notice the raised fur on her back, the place where the fur is much darker? That is her “hackles” being raised. She’s not angry or aggressive. So why are her hackles raised?

Raised hackles on dogs (technically called piloerection) happen for A LOT of different reasons. Here are some things that might cause a dog’s hackles to go up:

Excitement
Curiosity
Fear
Tentativeness/Caution
Overstimulated
Focus
Hunting
Fight or Flight
Aggression

Raised hackles don’t happen voluntarily. It is an involuntary response to stimulation caused by the dog’s sympathetic nervous system, kind of like when a person gets goosebumps.

In the video, you see Riley doing something she enjoys – she’s hunting for and finding tennis balls. It’s very stimulating for her, but ordinarily not overstimulating. What you don’t know just by watching the video is that Riley had a vet appointment a couple of days prior and it left her a little off-kilter. She was just starting to feel like herself, but wasn’t 100% back to normal.

So what do her raised hackles, in this video, communicate to me as her owner? First, because I know they aren’t normally raised when she’s hunting tennis balls, I can see she’s still very sensitive to stimulation. Knowing this allowed me to dial back what I had planned for her that day because even though she was feeling better, she still needed recovery time. Second, it tells me that she is having fun, it’s just a lot for her tired nervous system.

Here are some other times I’ve observed raised hackles on Riley, what it tells me, and what I do in response. Every dog is different so you may not notice raised hackles on your dog in the same scenarios.

AT PLAY

When Riley is playing her hackles often go up when she’s getting overstimulated or overly excited. This isn’t a bad thing and ordinarily she will take a break within a minute or two of her hackles going up, shake it off, and then re-engage or take a longer break and go chew on a stick. As her owner, I watch her when she’s at play and if I see her hackles up but she doesn’t take a break relatively quickly, then I intervene and ask her to take a break. (Literally, the command I use is “Take a break“.)

I ask for a break if she doesn’t want to take one because it’s my responsibility to keep her safe and to advocate for her and the other dog she’s playing with. It’s easy for play wrestling and chasing to go too far when one or both dogs become overstimulated. Raised hackles are an easy clue that it’s time for a break. How long the break is depends on the needs of the dog. In Riley’s case, she often just needs a quick shake – which releases tension from the body and resets the nervous system – and then she’s ready to go back. That can be as short as a few seconds. If she needs a longer break, she’ll take it. Thankfully she’s good at regulating herself that way most of the time, not all dogs are. Some dogs need support to know when it’s safe for them to re-engage.

HUNTING/CHASING SQUIRRELS

Often Riley’s hackles are raised when she’s chasing squirrels. Rarely does it happen while she’s stalking them, but it almost always happens once she begins chasing them or has them treed. The more time she spent stalking the squirrel or the more squirrels there are, the more likely her hackles will go up.

This is excitement and part of her prey drive. Raised hackles make dogs look bigger than they are, increasing the intimidation factor, which protects them while they are focused on their prey.

In this case, I don’t ask her to take a break. It’s just part of her body language when she’s chasing squirrels and I’m okay with that. She’ll shake it off when she’s ready to.

Let me clarify this a little further, there are times that I intentionally take her places where she can hunt and chase all the squirrels she wants. There are other times when we’re walking and chasing a squirrel or other small prey is not the point, her hackles up are not the first sign that she’s ready to chase but if I see anything in her body language that indicates she’s in hunting mode/prey drive during these times, I get her attention. This is part of impulse control and it’s vital.

For my purposes with Riley, I want to be able to give a command and have her transition from prey drive back to attention on me (sometimes called pack drive but also an element of handler awareness) even if she’s mid-run after a squirrel she has been actively stalking. We work on this regularly and most of the time she’s very good at it. There are still occasions where the hunter wins and she tries to take off (or does take off) but that is 1 in 1,000 times and is part of owning a dog.

NEW OBJECTS IN A FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT

If we’re in a familiar environment and there is something out of place or something new often Riley will get rigid and her hackles will go up. Her body is saying, “There’s something here that I didn’t expect and I don’t know what it is. I need to be cautious and prepared to fight or run away.”

Depending on what the thing is, where we’re at, and what we’re doing, I let her explore it. As soon as she deems it not a threat, her hackles go down and her body softens. How quickly that happens depends on what the thing is and her state of mind before seeing it.

Let me give you an example.

A child leaves a toy in a grassy area where we frequently walk.

Most of the time Riley’s body will stiffen, she may even stop completely while she looks all around to see if there are other changes. Her hackles will rise and she’ll begin walking toward the unrecognized object in a weaving pattern, puffing out her chest making herself as big as possible. (Note the hackles and puffing of the chest are not voluntary responses. It’s a protective mechanism.) She sniffs the area near the object as she continues approaching and when she’s satisfied it’s safe, she relaxes and moves on.

I’ve seen this behavior with tools landscapers have left lying beside a building, toys, napkins, or paper bags lying on the sidewalk or parking lot, portapotties, traffic cones, etc. Once she’s ascertained there is no threat, she’s good to go.

Not every dog is skeptical or cautious about new items in their environment, but I know Riley is, and her raised hackles let me know she’s feeling uncertain. I can use this information to walk with her toward something that is scaring her to help show her that it’s safe if it’s not something she’s willing to approach on her own. Doing this increases her confidence and allows her the opportunity to safely explore new things with less stress.

NEW ENVIRONMENTS

A new environment might be a place we have never been, a place we have not been in a very long time, or a place we go often but under different circumstances. For example, if I take her to do public access training at a store when it is not busy but one day take her to that store where there is a lot of activity (maybe it’s freight day, or a sale is going on, or there are just more people than normal) it may as well be a completely new environment because so much in the environment is new or different.

Sometimes I see her hackles go up in this scenario and sometimes I don’t. It depends on how she feels about the environment and how she’s feeling generally. It’s easy to forget that dogs have off days too, and something that wouldn’t be a problem most of the time, can be an issue when they aren’t on top of their game. Raised hackles can communicate that this might be too much, depending on the rest of their body language.

In new environments, I give Riley time to acclimate. I also do a personal check-in – am I nervous, anxious, or on edge? I try to do that personal check-in before we go somewhere new because I know she feels about new environments how I feel about them and if I’m impatient, anxious, or not feeling great then I’m not going to be a good resource for her in a new space.

With that said, depending on where we are, if her body language doesn’t relax after several minutes, I won’t keep her in an overstimulated state. We’ll leave and go somewhere that she can relax and try again later. Sometimes it requires multiple exposures to an environment to get her to a place where she can navigate it calmly and I’m okay with that.

YOUR DOG

I encourage you to take some time in the coming weeks to observe your dog and take note of when you see their hackles raised. What are they doing? How do they seem to be feeling? How quickly do they shake it off and the hackles go back down? Are there environments where raised hackles happen more often than others? Are there people or dogs you see the hackles go up around? What are the people doing? What are the dogs doing? What is the rest of your dog’s body doing?

If your dog is nervous or reactive, sometimes seeing raised hackles can be a stressor because you’ve seen them so often in reactive situations. But if you start to watch you’ll likely discover early warning signs that can help you support them successfully navigate high-stress situations; which could contribute to you being more calm and present.

The more you know about your dog and how they communicate – voluntarily and involuntarily – the better you will be able to communicate with them, and the more harmony you’ll find in your relationship.

READ THE WHOLE BODY

I’m going to do more posts about deciphering dog body language because I think it’s one of the most confusing things as a dog owner and incredibly valuable. Especially when you begin learning to decipher what your dog is communicating. Just keep in mind as we go through the series, that it’s rarely one thing that tells you what your dog thinks, feels, or needs but a combination of things. Raised hackles are a piece of the communication puzzle, but their eyes, tail, head, chest, neck, the way they are walking, and even the position of their body relative to you are components that need to be understood and considered as well.

Of course, the best way to know what your dog is telling you, is through intentional observation and engagement, and that takes time.

Education

What Do Colored Bandanas Mean?

Did you know that not all dog bandanas are cute accessories? Sometimes, dog owners use them to communicate important information, and while this isn’t universally known and understood, it is very valuable information, so I want to take a moment to introduce this to you. If you see a dog wearing a solid color bandana, it never hurts to ask the owner if it means something specific.

For example, I have a cooling bandana that I use for Riley that just happens to be red – while it’s true I don’t want people approaching her without permission and instruction, the bandana is simply a cooling device. She also has other cute bandanas that she wears from time to time. They don’t “mean” anything. I also know how to advocate for Riley and have a lot of practice telling people, “No, you can’t touch my dog.” And “Please don’t approach us with your dog, child, etc.”

With that said, here’s a review of the generally understood meanings of each of the different bandana colors for dogs.

GREEN

A GREEN bandana means the dog is friendly and sociable with humans and dogs. They are likely playful and enjoy both on and off-leash interactions. They might be young and energetic.

YELLOW

A yellow bandana means approach with caution. This dog may be nervous, anxious, or fearful. They may need space or require time and care when being introduced to new people. Ask before approaching but do so from a distance, respecting what the owner may be trying to communicate with the bandana.

ORANGE

An orange bandana often means the dog is friendly toward humans but is not okay with other dogs. If you’re out with your dog and see another dog in an orange bandana, give them and their owner some space.

RED

A red bandana often means do not touch or approach the dog. Give them as much space as possible. The dog may be nervous or fearful, they may also be reactive. It’s likely, if the dog is wearing the bandana as a communication to the public, that approaching the dog might trigger a reaction. Don’t look at or talk to these dogs and don’t approach them.

While this is just good etiquette around any dog you don’t know, it’s especially important with dogs whose owners are doing everything they can to work with them while communicating their needs to the public in a non-confrontational manner.

BLUE

A blue bandana might be communicating that the dog is working or in training. Not every working dog or service dog wears a collar or vest. The blue bandana lets you know to leave the dog alone and allow them to do their work, or practice doing it.

WHITE

A white bandana can indicate that the dog has issues with hearing or sight; they may even be completely blind or deaf. Talk to the owner to find out if it’s okay to approach them, and how to do so in a way that makes it a positive experience for the dog.

PURPLE

A purple bandana may communicate that the dog has allergies or food sensitivities. Don’t offer any treats of any kind to a dog wearing a purple bandana without clearing it with the owner/handler first.

Education

Your Dog is NOT Friendly

Here’s the truth: no matter what you think about your dog, their personality, and temperament, they are not universally friendly.

Some people are afraid of dogs. Some are a little afraid and others are terrified of them. Some have obvious reasons and others have none. Some are young and some are old. When your “friendly” dog runs up to them, off leash and out of your control; they are filled with terror and dread. Your dog is not friendly to them.

Some people are allergic to dogs. They are allergic to dander, fur, and salvia. Some are mildly allergic, and some will go into anaphylaxis shock if a drop of their saliva touches their skin. Some tolerate dogs anyway because they like them and some couldn’t tolerate dogs if they wanted to. You cannot tell that by looking at them. But when your “friendly” dog runs up to them, they see a trip to the doctor or a collision with life and death coming at them full speed. Your dog is not friendly to them.

Some people are working hard to support their reactive, fearful dogs. They are out there on a walk, on a leash, doing everything they know to do to get through the walk and back home. They are just praying they make it through without a reaction. Your dog is not friendly to them. Your dog is a threat. A threat to hours, months, maybe years of hard work, and hundreds or thousands of dollars. A threat who could set them and their dog back, who knows how far. Your dog is not friendly to them.

Some people have dogs who are old, sick, or recovering from an injury. They need to keep their dog calm, moving slowly, and very deliberately. Even if their dog is not reactive or fearful a high-energy dog, no matter how supposedly friendly, can cause fear, anxiety, and even permanent damage. Your dog is not friendly to them.

And guess what? Some people simply do not like dogs. And people who just want to take a walk or jog through a public park without being accosted by an off-leash, out-of-control, dog and they have the right to do so. People out with their kids who want to pay attention to them and not to your dog. And they have the right to do so. Your dog is not friendly to any of them.

So no, your dog is not friendly. You don’t have the right to let them off leash just because there is space. You do not have the right to allow them to run up to anyone and everyone and expect them to be okay with it. Just because they are a dog, does not give you the right to trample on everyone else’s rights to enjoy public spaces without unwanted and uninvited encounters with your dog.

Instead, you have a responsibility as a dog owner to train your dog. To walk them on leash and obey the law and respect others around you. And if you want to let your dog off-leash, then you have a responsibility to train them and perfect their recall; to ensure they can control their impulses and that they will come back to you the minute you call. It is your responsibility to teach them manners and to ensure that no one who does not want to engage with your dog, for any reason, has to do so.

There is a time and a place where your life with your dog is just about you and them; but if you are taking your dog in public that mindset doesn’t work. You have a responsibility as a dog owner to consider everyone you might encounter, their dogs, and their needs not just what you want. Yes, you have to advocate for your dog but you don’t have a right to insist that everyone around you accomodate them and their presence.

I don’t like being the bearer of bad news – but it’s true. Your dog is not friendly and keeping that in mind can help you decide what you want your life to look like and what training and support they need to get there.

Education

Re-imagining the Walk

I used to hate on-leash walks with Riley.

Off leash she was great. She would stay by my side, ask permission to run after squirrels, ignore people and dogs. On leash, she was a nightmare. Pulling, lunging, reacting to every dog or person, and completely ignoring me. And it didn’t matter if she was on a short leash or a long line.

So, I avoided on leash walks whenever possible. It was simple when I lived in a house with a fenced yard and could play with her back there. I lived close to several locations where I could take her on long walks off leash with plenty of freedom and opportunities to play.

I will admit it, I took the easy way out. I didn’t think about it at the time. Walking was miserable and I had ways around it, so why do something that neither of us enjoyed when I didn’t have to? And we had other priorities in training, so I didn’t prioritize it.

Then, one day we were living in an apartment, and I didn’t have a car and we had to figure it out.

It was a lot of work.

I started out by recognizing she had no idea what “heel” meant and that I had unfair and unrealistic expectations. So, we started from scratch.

I took the time to decide what I wanted a heel to look like. I had a good picture of it in my head. And then, we practiced several times a day, every day. It was tedious and often frustrating, but we persisted and in the process I began to realize that I might be telling the wrong story about walks.

What if they could be adventures? What if they didn’t have to look a certain way? Was it possible that she and I could do something that worked for us? What if it didn’t matter what trainers on social media said a walk should look like?

These questions allowed me to set everything else aside and gave me the freedom to ask what Riley and I needed; what would bring us joy and fulfillment. And, if I could say this to every dog owner I would – it’s okay to define what you want and need in the context of your life and who you and your dog are together and do that.

Today things are different.

I don’t dread going outside with Riley. I look forward to it, and the times I don’t look forward to it, we make it short and easy.

Riley has days she’s great on leash, and days she’s reactive. She can have a good morning and then a rough afternoon, or the other way around. But now, we take it one moment, one outing at a time. I stopped expecting perfection – from both of us. I stopped expecting every walk to look the same and started letting each one be whatever we needed it to be.

This change allowed me to breathe, relax, and start to focus on our relationship instead of what I thought a walk, or anything else we did, should look like – and that changed everything.

Here’s the thing, and I’ll likely drive it home again and again on this site: You are unique. Your dog is unique. Your life is unique. And it is okay for your relationship with your dog to fit your needs and your life. Your walks don’t have to look like everyone else’s. Your playtime doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. What matters is the health and well-being of you and your dog. Sure, there are basic foundational things that are valuable but how you use those skills and apply them in your life is completely individual and there is a lot of freedom in that.

Don’t let the “influencers” on social media rob you of the joy of enjoying your dog in the context of your own life. Breathe and discover what works for you. Sometimes that takes time and a lot of trial and error but it’s worth it.