Body Language!

Ozfozz

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#1
Because I want MORE threads lol.

How well do your dogs pick up on the body language of other dogs? As in, if a dog expresses that it is uncomfortable with the way your dog is interacting, or adversely expresses interest in playing, will your dog typically take the cue or take no notice and continue what s/he was doing?

How well do your dogs express body language? If they are unhappy with something, can you tell pretty easily and early on? Can other dogs?
Do they have a series of cues that they go through before a physical correction or does it seem to be a relatively quick jump from uncomfortable to correction?
 
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#2
My 11 year old shih tzu is a social genius :) She reads other dogs cues very well, respects them, and wants to be respected herself. I can read her body language very easily.

My 5 month old Bouvier - I can read his body language very easily. The jury is still out on how well he reads / respects other dogs body language. Right now he's a big goofy puppy who wants to play relentlessly, and he doesn't respect the shih tzu's clear signs and warnings that she does NOT want to play. Like, ever. It bothers me, and I am constantly calling him off her because he doesn't take her seriously.

He seems careful around other dogs initially, until he can goad them into a session of "jump around, paw the air like a stallion". Time will tell how astute he ends up socially.
 

Slick

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#3
Depends on his mood :rofl1:

He is normally very good about interacting with all other dogs and reading their cues. However, every once in a while (maybe once a month), he will be just way too hyper and excited and will be totally rude in his interactions with other dogs, basically dive bombing them to get them to play. He is almost always so good at reading when dogs don't want to play, but somehow every once in a while he just can't seem to help himself. This doesn't happen very often anymore, and is decreasing with age. When it does happen, sometimes I can get him to cool down by putting him on a time out, but I have had to leave the dog park before because he was just too hyped.

As for him giving cues, I think the fact that he doesn't have a tail hurts him, since he can't tuck it. He is pretty decent about giving calming signals and other such things before things escalate. If other dogs don't respect his cues though and he really gets upset, he is VERY GOOD at letting the other dog know :lol-sign:. He gets extremely loud in his snarking at them, but otherwise doesn't make contact. Even the derpiest rudest dogs get the message from Leo when he wants to be left alone. He makes himself very clear, but then is absolutely happy to continue to game once the other dog wises up.
 

JacksonsMom

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#4
Jackson's pretty good. He's also good at adjusting play styles (for the most part). His biggest fault is how loud he is when he plays. He will often bark/grumble a lot during play (and it's high pitch) when a dog attempts to play with him, and even though he will be play bowing, etc, sometimes his loudness gives OTHER dogs the wrong idea and they get scared of him, and then he backs off, and then no play happens LOL.

But no yeah he is really good at reading other dogs signals and body language in general. On leash and off.
 
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#5
I think Crystal sucks at reading it, lol. She typically thinks dogs that are just a bit overly exuberant are instead threatening her, so she goes on the defensive.

On the other hand, Crystal has a very expressive face and body. I've learned to read her very well, also. I find it very easy to tell when she is getting uncomfortable with another dog, so I can recall her, or when she is being amiable.
 

BostonBanker

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#6
Gusto is fabulous at reading other dogs. He's very happy to play with any dog that wants to, and will adjust his play style from dog to dog. He's trustworthy with little puppies, bouncy retrievers, and will quietly leave dogs alone if they tell him they want space. He's equally good at using body language himself, and is great at enticing nervous dogs into playing with him.

Meg is much less interested in playing, and she does show it clearly. She gives lots of warnings before she escalates, but she is not tolerant of dogs who don't heed her signals. I try not to put her in situations where she has to interact with dogs I don't know, because I don't like to force her to push for her space.
 
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#7
I think Maisy is somewhat socially inept. I often wonder if she grew up relatively unexposed to strange puppies and dogs.

Squash is amazingly fluent.

Pip is good at it.
 

amberdyan

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#8
Hugo is still young but he's pretty much AWFUL at reading other dogs body language. He'll ignore other dogs on lead unless they come up to him and then he's very "OMG! JUMP! PLAY! LET'S BE BEST FRIENDS FOREVER!" If the dog snaps at him he'll back off quickly and act completely shocked (even if the dog tensed up when he started jumping at them) as if he didn't know not every single dog in the world loves him. If the dog just acts annoyed/uncomfortable or avoids him to try to get attention from me, he's completely obviously.

Basically, I speak dog way better than my dog does.
 

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