The flehmen response in dogs is a reaction to new or unique smells.
The Flehmen response in dogs and many other mammals is a natural reaction to a new or strange smell. Urine is one of the most common causes of the Flehmen response in dogs, but some male dogs may show the Flehmen response when they smell a female dog nearby. The male dog may also show teeth chattering after sensing the female’s presence.
Classic signs of the Flehmen response are:
Curled-back and raised upper lip, often with wrinkles near the nostrils
Raised head
Exposed teeth, possibly with chattering
Open mouth
However, you may not always notice the Flehmen response in a dog.
Horses are widely believed to have the obvious Flehmen response with a marked raised upper lip, wrinkled nostrils, and a raised head. In dogs, says a study published in 2022 in Animals, it’s not as easy to identify: “The typical Flehmen reflex is not observed in dogs and cats because their upper lips are too rigid and firmly fixed via the frenulum to permit this type of movement. These animal species exhibit different attitudes of behavior, namely they assume a position with an upright head and neck, which they stretch forward for a short time.” In dogs, say the researchers, there often is a rapid retraction of the tongue that likely aids in the perception of pheromones.
This doesn’t mean dogs don’t do the Flehmen response (they do, read on). It just means it isn’t always obvious to an onlooker.
Jacobson’s Organ in Dogs
The open-mouth part of the Flehmen response allows Jacobson’s organ to be maximally involved. Jacobson’s organ, also known as the vomeronasal organ, consists of sensory cells in the front of the nasal cavity, just behind the incisors (the little teeth in front between the long canines, or fangs). Danish physician Ludwig Levin Jacobson identified Jacobson’s organ in 1813.
Jacobson’s organ detects nearly seemingly scentless things like pheromones. If pheromones are detected, the organ sends the information to what some experts call a “secondary olfactory organ” in the brain to trigger the mating instinct. Australian scholar Michael Stoddard published a paper in Nature (2000) that called the organ a “sixth sense.”
Dog’s Amazing Ability to Detect a Scent
It is possible that a dog who is panting more out of interest or excitement rather than fatigue may be using that open-mouth, tongue-out posture to bring more air past Jacobson’s organ to help identify a smell. Experts continue to be amazed at what dogs can find by smell. A dog’s ability to detect a scent is said to be 10,000 to 100,000 times that of a human, according to a 2018 research study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.
It’s interesting to note that scent work is a fast-growing sport. Both humans and dogs appear to be enjoying doing nose work (or scent work) competitions. Noting and tracking a scent is like reading a newspaper to dogs—it’s information. That love of smelling things is one of the many reasons experts encourage us to allow our dogs to sniff about when we’re on walks.
When your dog is scared, your job is to provide a calm, safe space for her. Credit: wdj | Getty Images
It is heartbreaking to see your dog be scared and upset. To help your dog, stay calm yourself and try to make the situation less stressful for her if possible. Here are some strategies to use in the moment to comfort your dog.
Scared Dog? Stay Calm
You are your dog’s person, his caretaker and partner in life. When he is scared, he will naturally look to you for comfort. Your job in these situations is to stay calm and be his rock.
Talk to your dog in a slow, soothing tone. High-pitched baby talk can be tempting, but this may just exacerbate a fearful dog’s distress. Channel your inner Morgan Freeman to calm your dog. It doesn’t matter what exactly you say, but some easy options are to talk your dog through what is going on and what you are going to do next or use human panic attack strategies such as listing things in the environment that you and your dog can see, smell, hear, touch, and taste. Grounding yourself will help to ground your dog.
Keep your movements slow and fluid, avoiding jerking motions. Taking a few deep breaths can help you to physically relax, which in turn signals to your dog that he can relax.
Doing a “slow blink” when your dog is looking at you is a calming signal. This says to your dog, “See—I’m comfortable closing my eyes. There is nothing to worry about.”
Safety First
Quickly assess your dog’s safety—is she in a secure location? Does she have a well-fitted collar or harness and leash? Frightened dogs often bolt and are not thinking straight when motivated by fear. You want to prevent your dog from running into the road or disappearing into woods or your neighborhood.
While not a long-term solution, a slip lead is the most secure for these situations. If there is any chance that your dog can get out of her regular collar, you can create a makeshift slip lead by pulling the snap end of the leash through the handle to create a loop. Then place the loop over your dog’s head so that it will slide and become snug if your dog pulls or bolts.
The other plus to a slip lead is that you can make the loop large to carefully put it on a nervous dog without touching her. This is perfect for fearful dogs who may snap or bite if you try to grab their collar.
Offer Physical Comfort
Physical contact is beneficial for many scared dogs. Pet your scared shaking dog with long, slow strokes from head to tail. You can also gently massage her ears to promote relaxation.
If your dog enjoys cuddling, hold her close to your body so she can feel your heartbeat. Take slow, deep breaths to encourage your dog to relax and match your breathing patterns. These slow breaths will also help to slow your heartbeat. If your dog is not keen on being held, holding her may not be helpful.
If you do not know the dog that you are trying to comfort, proceed with caution. A scared dog may snap or bite if she feels cornered. If the dog becomes more agitated as you approach or reach for her, step back a little and break eye contact until she relaxes.
Distractions
You can use a variety of distractions to calm a scared, shaking dog. Treats are an excellent option if you have food available—many dogs love food and the act of eating provides comfort. You can use whatever food you have on hand as long as it is not toxic to dogs (save the chocolate to comfort yourself!).
You can also talk to your dog, engage her in play, or ask her to perform some easy behaviors that she knows well. When using training as a distraction, praise any effort that your dog makes. For example, maybe when she is relaxed she has a really reliable hand touch where she presses her nose to your hand. If she is scared, praise her if she even flicks her head toward your hand when you ask her to touch. Your goal is to make it easy for her to succeed and then tell her how wonderful and smart she is. Gradually she will focus more and more on you and less on whatever scared her.
Identify Triggers and Avoid
Whenever possible, identify what is causing your dog to be scared and get her away from it. Here are some examples:
If your dog is afraid of the running vacuum, take her outside or to another room where she can’t hear it as loudly.
If your dog is upset by construction noises outside, play classical music or put the TV on to help drown out the scary sounds.
If your dog is afraid of a person approaching on the sidewalk, cross the street or make a turn to get away from the person.
If your dog is scared of a dog running toward her, pick her up or place yourself between the two dogs as a barrier.
Shelter in the Storm
If you can’t avoid whatever is scaring your dog, try to provide him with a hiding place so he can feel a little more secure. This might mean putting a blanket over your lap so he can hide under your legs in his own private fort or moving out of the center of a busy crowd and finding a quiet spot against a wall so your dog doesn’t have to worry about someone sneaking up on him from behind. Crates are an excellent “safe spot” for many dogs.
Oliver had his hands on one or the other of the dogs almost constantly. Fortunately, they welcomed his company!
Oliver came to California for an end-of-summer, two-week visit with us, and we enjoyed taking him for some fun adventures: a water park, paddle boarding, bike riding, a county fair, and so on. But I most enjoyed watching Oliver when he didn’t think anyone was watching him, playing with, talking to, and wandering around our property with my dogs. He wanted the dogs to accompany him everywhere (they were happy to) and to sleep on his bed (they did not want to; they have other sleeping spots they prefer). And he negotiated with me constantly about whether I loved him enough to give him one of my dogs when his parents finally agreed that they were ready to own a dog. (His mom says this won’t happen until after his 3-year-old brother enters kindergarten—but he’s not getting one of my dogs! Though I’d be happy to help them find and train a worthy candidate.)
Oliver was happiest when we could do activities that involved the dogs.
Part of the reason I love observing Oliver and the dogs so much is that I, too, was a committed dog-lover as a child. I was younger than my siblings by 5, 6, and 7 years, and we lived in the country with no kids my age close by, so my family’s dogs were really my closest friends when I was growing up. None of our dogs ever wore collars, and I don’t think we even owned a leash, so I had to rely on a friendly relationship with them to convince them to accompany or stay with me as I entertained myself in the outdoors around our house, in our 100-year-old barn, the creek bed that formed one of our property lines, or the fruit orchards we were surrounded by. (It turns out that this is a great skill to have for helping teach dogs to stay with you on off-leash walks!)
Many kids instinctively want to hold their dog’s leash on walks, or even just around the house, but I’ve found that this very quickly leads to the phenomenon of kids pulling, yanking, or dragging their dogs around against their will—not a recommended method for creating a close and loving relationship between them. With my grandson—who can frankly be a little smothering with his affection for my big dogs—I prefer to replicate the dog-handling methods of my childhood: I told Oliver that he’s not allowed to “make” the dogs do anything with a leash, physical force, or even just a bossy tone of voice, but he is welcome to see what he can “get” them to do by using a happy voice, food treats, and the sort of petting they like. And he was able to get them to do all sorts of things!
On Oliver’s visit last year, When Boone was just a year or so old, the shaggy dog was a little cautious around Oliver. He hadn’t had much exposure to little kids and was interested but also wary of Oliver’s sudden movements or being trapped in a hug. But this year, the now-2-year-old dog seemed to remember Oliver from last summer, and was thrilled to have someone nearly constantly pet him. Boone can still be a bit wary of strange children, but he truly loves being around Oliver.
Sometimes Woody would deploy his big tongue to get some space from Oliver’s affections. Other times, he’d stand over the small boy and “wash” his face very thoroughly as Oliver writhed on the floor with laughter.
Nearly 9-year-old Woody also loves Oliver and appreciates all the petting, but I did have to impose a new rule for their interactions: Woody loves to lick kids, and Oliver does not mind being licked one bit, even when the big dog’s tongue goes practically up his nose and into his mouth and ears. But sometimes, I have noticed, Woody uses his tongue as a very gentle but nevertheless persistent barrier to being hugged or snuggled. Sometimes he is truly giving Oliver an affectionate lick, but sometimes, I suspected, he licks for the response he usually gets from me: Yuck! Stop! I explained to Oliver that if Woody is licking him in the face, he should take a step back (or lean away) from Woody, and if the licking stops, then Woody might be trying to tell him that he needs more space. It’s a sort of “consent test,” and it worked: About half the time, Woody did seem to be trying to get Oliver to give him a little more breathing room as they lay together in one of our big dog beds or on the couch.
I’m just a step-grandma—Oliver has two other very loving and involved biological grandmas who see him more often than me—but I’m happy to have the ticket to his joy on our visits.
While many dogs will tolerate a lot from children—and are even happy to do so—failure to understand when a dog is uncomfortable and trying to get away can lead to serious bites. Credit: andresr | Getty Images
While many dogs love children, or are at least comfortably tolerant of them, kids and dogs don’t always do well together. Without proper education and supervision, children (and adults, too) can—in all innocence and with the best of intentions—put a dog in a position where the dog feels like her only recourse is to bite. On a mission to prevent children from experiencing such pain and trauma and to save dogs from being rehomed, surrendered, or euthanized after a bite, the Center for Canine Behavior Studies (CCBS) recently launched an initiative called Be BiteSmart.
Be BiteSmart is a free program dedicated to reducing dog bites by educating children and their caregivers. Using multimedia designed for children, the initiative seeks to help kids as young as 3 years old identify dog body language and respond appropriately to signals given by their canine family members.
“A little over a year ago, I ran across an article with a horrific photo of a 4-year-old child that had been horrifically bitten in the face by the family dog. The child needed plastic and reconstructive surgery, and very likely psychological counseling. The dog was also a victim as it was euthanized,” said CCBS co-founder Chris Janelli. “As the co-founder and chairman of the 501(c)(3) Center for Canine Behavior Studies that for over 12 years has studied the relationship dynamics of the human-canine bond, I asked myself what, if anything, we could do to address this biting issue.”
While looking into pediatric facial dog bites, Janelli found “dozens of peer-reviewed scientific and medical papers specifically addressing this issue” most of which suggested better education for children, parents, and guardians as the best means of prevention. Janelli noted that, according to information gathered by the Center for Canine Behavior Studies, over 31,000 children ages 5 to 9 years go to emergency rooms in the U.S. each year as a result of dog bites, a number that does not include bites sustained by children younger than 5.
“What I learned was so horrific that I decided the Center would try to find a way to prevent this from happening to any child or family dog,” Janelli said. “Thus, the seeds for the CCBS Be BiteSmart initiative were planted.”
Developing Be BiteSmart
Developed by a team of experts in child psychology, child development, education, canine behavior, and children’s multimedia, Be BiteSmart gets its inspiration from successful children’s programing such as “Sesame Street” and “Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood.” The initiative’s animated videos, which feature a boy named Alex and his dog, Charlie, use short songs that incorporate mnemonics to present information in ways young children will be able to understand and retain.
Titled “Paws to Prevent,” the first episode of Be BiteSmart launched April 2024 and is intended to be part of a series for 3- to 5-year-olds. Currently, nine more episodes are planned, each featuring a common bite scenario. From there, the team intends to work on similar programing designed for 5- to 9-year-olds, 10- to 13-year-olds, and teenagers 13 and older. There is also an app in the works that will feature interactive games designed to develop empathy for dogs and increase understanding of dogs, the world they live in, and how to communicate with them.
Be BiteSmart is funded through donations, grants, and sponsorships. According to the team, release dates for future episodes are dependent on funding.
About the Center for Canine Behavior Studies
Co-founded by Janelli and veterinary behaviorist and Tufts University professor emeritus Dr. Nicholas Dodman, CCBS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that seeks to “reduce the number of dogs surrendered into shelters, or euthanized, due to behavioral issues.” The Center has been conducting and publishing research on canine behavior for 12 years, looking at “the human-canine bond, relationship, interaction, and particularly canine aggression.”
Dogs can get tumors, cysts, lumps, and bumps just as we can and reporting them to the veterinarian sooner than later aids in successful treatment. Credit: Todorean Gabriel | Getty Images
Terminology is important when it comes to lumps or bumps on your dog’s skin. A “cyst” is a capsule that usually has fluid in it, although it can have air as well. “Tumor” is a general term, basically a generic swelling or mass. The terms tumor and neoplasm tend to be used interchangeably.
Overall, lumps and bumps tend to be solid tissue masses, but a bump like a superficial abscess may have pus as well as some solid tissues.
Should You Worry About a Lump?
Most benign growths are superficial. They are only in the outermost layers of the skin, so they are movable and not firmly attached to the body and underlying tissues. They are not usually red or inflamed or painful. Most develop slowly.
If you notice any growths on your dog, track the location and size. Checking once a month is a good recommendation. If things change, contact your veterinarian for an exam. Your chart of the growth’s history will be helpful.
If your veterinarian has any concerns, the first step is generally a needle aspiration, which is done without any anesthesia and provides your veterinarian with cells to examine under the microscope.
Sebaceous cysts: These cysts tend to be firm and white or gray in color. They do not drain easily and may rupture and become infected.
Skin tags: Small skin tags and wart-like growths tend to be benign but may irritate your dog due to their location. If they’re irritating, you can discuss removal with your veterinarian.
Lipomas: Lipomas are fatty neoplasms that tend to be smooth, often round, and benign. They can be moved around in the skin a bit and you can usually feel underneath them. Some of these can get quite big and may not be as movable then.
Mast cell tumors: These tricky skin growths usually appear benign, somewhat superficial and with no inflammation. Often, if they are rubbed, they will have a temporary increase in size, the skin will get red and warm, and your dog may bite or itch at them. This is all due to histamine release from the irritated mast cells. Mast cells growths require veterinary intervention.
Just like us, our dogs can have a variety of skin tags, growths, lumps, bumps, and cysts—and hygromas. Most of these are benign, but some can indicate other problems or even cancer. Erring on the side of caution with a veterinarian appointment is wise. Everything is easier to handle when caught earlier.
The dog pictured here shows many of the signs typically displayed before a bite including an intense stare, raised hackles, bared teeth, and tense posture. Credit: Volodymyr_Plysiuk | Getty Images
Living with a dog who bites their owner, or other people for that matter, can be scary, stressful and in some cases – dangerous. It is essential that a dog who bites people is assessed by a qualified professional to ascertain whether the dog’s aggressive behavior can be successfully managed and modified to prevent further injury to people. Dogs who bite can be very dangerous and it’s important to understand whether a dog who bites their owner can be safely managed whilst they undergo behavior modification and training to address the aggression to significantly reduce their bite risk.
Does the dog have a bite history?
For a dog who has bitten their owner it’s important to understand whether the bite was an isolated incident or if the dog has a bite history. When considering a dog’s bite history the severity of the previous bite(s) should be thoroughly evaluated. Not all bites are equal. A dog whose bite causes minimal damage, such as a scrape to the skin, is generally considered to have a much better prognosis by professionals compared to a dog whose bites cause severe damage including deep lacerations requiring medical intervention[1].
The most common reasons why a dog might bite its owner, or another person, are a medical issue (e.g. the dog is unwell or in pain) and stress, fear or anxiety. Many dogs learn through experience that aggression is an effective tool to accomplish a desired outcome. For example, a dog who is in pain and does not want to be touched or carried learns that growling, snapping or biting either delays or prevents a person from touching or picking them up. Similarly, a dog who is guarding a valued resource, such as a bone, learns that showing aggression delays or prevents the owner from taking away the valuable resource.
What to do with a dog who bites their owner
Research shows that pain or an underlying medical issue can cause dogs to show aggression towards people[2],[3]. First and foremost, any dog who bites their owner must be taken to the vet for a thorough examination. This allows a vet to either identify and treat, or rule out, a medical issue causing or contributing to the onset of aggression.
When it comes to dogs with a bite history, where a medical issue has been ruled out, the owners should work with a qualified and reputable ethical dog trainer that specializes in aggression cases, an applied animal behaviorist or veterinary behaviorist. These professionals typically complete a thorough health and behavioral history and assessment of the dog, the environment, the interactions between the dog and owner and the previous bite incidents.
This process helps to identify and understand any contributing factors and triggers for aggression, as well as the severity of the bites inflicted. The professional can then advise on the prognosis and, if deemed safe to do so, how the dog should be appropriately managed to significantly reduce or prevent any further bites. These professionals will also teach and demonstrate ethical training and behavior modification strategies to work to address the underlying cause of the aggression. In rare cases, the professional may recommend behavioral euthanasia for dogs who pose a significant danger to people1.
How to incorporate a dog with a bite history into your home
A dog with a bite history that’s deemed safe to live with people can be successfully incorporated into your home. This requires a thorough professional evaluation to ensure the dog is a good fit for the new owner, their lifestyle and the home environment as well as a management and behavior modification plan for the new owner to follow. Incorporating a dog with a bite history into your home requires an understanding of the risks and commitment to following the professional advice provided in terms of management and training to work to prevent or resolve the aggression.
How to recognize the difference between playful/overexcited nips and escalating/aggressive biting (and how to address each).
Compare this dog’s body language to the dog in the image up top. Given this puppy’s soft eyes and relaxed posture, she is likely mouthing her owner to teethe, play, or get attention. While she should be redirected to a more appropriate chew toy, this type of biting is not driven by aggression. Credit: SolStock | Getty Images
There is a difference between playful or over-excited bites and nips and true aggressive biting. You can recognize playful or over-excited bites and nips in many puppies and younger dogs. They often bite, mouth or nip when they’re teething, playing or when they’re excited. These bites tend to be more gentle, although they can still be painful, compared to aggressive bites which are intended to hurt.
The body language is also different. For example, playful biting and nipping often coincides with jumping up and the dog wanting attention or wanting to play. Whereas dogs displaying true aggression are typically seeking distance from the person they bite and their body language is a lot more tense. These dogs look threatening, often baring teeth with and intense gaze, ears held back, body stiff and their hackles raised.
Playful biting and nipping can be addressed by redirecting the behavior onto a toy and reinforcing the dog for biting and mouthing the toy. Any playful biting or nipping directed towards people should be ignored so as not to accidently reward it. Done consistently, the dog will choose to bite and mouth the toy because that behavior is more reinforcing than biting or nipping people.
Aggressive biting can be addressed by working to resolve the underlying cause of the aggression which is usually fear, anxiety or stress. This typically involves using gradual desensitization and counter-conditioning to the trigger for aggression to change the underlying emotional response to the trigger from a negative association to a positive or neutral association[4]. This training is best done in consultation with a qualified professional to ensure accurate understanding and implementation for best results.
Dogs can bite their owner for different reasons including pain, fear and anxiety. Working with a professional can help you identify and address the cause of the aggression to help prevent it from happening again.
[1]Dunbar, I. Dr. Ian Dunbar’s Dog Bite Scale (Official Authorized Version) An Assessment of the Severity of Biting Problems Based on an Objective Evaluation of Wound Pathology 2017. (T. A. of P. D. Trainers, Ed.). 104 South Calhoun Street, Greenville, SC 29601. Available online. (accessed on 4 June 2019).
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Whether you choose to use Dawn Dish Soap or a commercial dog shampoo to bathe your dog isn’t as important as ensuring your dog has a positive experience getting the bath.
For a normal dog who doesn’t have atopic dermatitis or any other skin irritation, you can use human hair shampoo to bathe your dog. And, as the TV ads like to remind us, Dawn Dish Soap is safe and cleans animal coats (and feathers!) quite well. Frankly, for many of us, dish soap is what we reach for first when our dog adds a layer of mud to his coat. Baby shampoo, since it is specifically made to be gentle and not irritate the tender skin on human babies, is a good choice for your dog, too.
Overall, your choice of shampoo depends upon your dog (and your wallet, of course). We would be extra cautious with dogs with sensitive skin or any immune disorder, but if your dog is just fine, your choice of a shampoo probably isn’t critical.
It may take some experimentation, though, and many dogs do best with a shampoo treatment best suited to their individual coat. “My go-to for bath time is Dawn first, followed by diluted Bio-Groom Wiry Coat,” says WDJ Executive Editor Kate O’Connor, who owns and competes Airedales. “Airedales can get greasy. They are nice and water-resistant but hard to get really clean without pulling out the dish soap. Dawn followed by the Bio-Groom leaves them clean with a nice crispy coat.”
If you are bathing your dog frequently because he’s a show dog (or a Pigpen!), look for a mild dog shampoo that gets the job done and minimizes the risk of drying out the skin or hair. In other words, for most dogs, we recommend choosing a gentle, moisturizing dog shampoo that gets the job done. Our favorites? The Original Buddy Wash and Burts Bees for Dogs Oatmeal Shampoo.
When to Bathe a Dog
While there are times when the dog is simply filthy—whether from swimming in a lake, rolling in mud, or coming in with leprechaun-like green legs from romping through fresh grass clippings—in general dogs don’t need many baths. (They do, however, need regular grooming at home, whether long-haired, short-haired, or wire-haired).
“For normal dogs, the biggest issue probably isn’t the shampoo itself but how often the bath is given and what the whole bathing protocol involves,” says William H. Miller Jr., VMD, DACVD, Professor Emeritus of Dermatology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “Many people over-bathe their dogs, as far as skin health is concerned. You can cause some skin issues if you bathe your dog too often, even with a very mild shampoo.”
Also, while most groomers will tell you that a dog must be completely dried after a bath prevent aggravating fungal skin conditions (especially if the dog has an extremely heavy coat), Dr. Miller contends that “intense blow drying after the bath can only make things worse.”
Selecting a Dog Shampoo
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By and large, we will choose to use dog shampoos when we can. It’s true that dogs and humans have slightly different pH levels of their skin and hair, but the numbers aren’t all that different (nor completely agreed upon). Some groomers aren’t buying the widely held belief that you must choose a shampoo that has the same pH as the hair coat—few companies even list the product pH on the label.
Here’s what we think about bathing your dog:
If your dog is smelly and dirty, bathe him. If you have dog shampoo on hand, great. If you don’t, baby shampoo, your shampoo, or Dawn Dish Soap will work. Rinse well. Towel dry unless you must use a blow dryer.
When choosing a commercial dog shampoo, look for one that includes the least number of ingredients (read the label). We avoid perfumes, dyes, and fragrances.
We skip adding a follow-up coat conditioner, unless there’s a reason for it, like a long-coated dog who constantly tangles or a wire-haired terrier. (A shampoo with an added conditioner, like our favorites above, is fine.)
If a dog has particularly dry skin or may be hypersensitive, you may wish to sacrifice suds to avoid sulfates (including sodium lauryl sulfate, TEA lauryl sulfate, triethanalomine, and alkyl sodium sulfate) on the ingredients list, as these can irritate dry skin. (Sulfates make suds.) Don’t confuse sodium lauryl sulfate with the mild detergent sodium laureth sulfate, which is widely used as a water softener and in baby and other non-irritating shampoos as a cleansing ingredient.
We wouldn’t bother using a dry shampoo for dogs, unless there is no other choice and you simply need to get some stink out of his coat. Otherwise, give him a wet bath and get him really clean.
From happiness and excitement to wariness and fear, dogs appear to
use tail wagging to communicate a wide array of emotions. Credit: sinseeho | Getty Images
It’s something we all know: our dogs wag their tails because they’re happy. Because they’re thrilled to see us. Because they love us. But it turns out that what we “know” may not be the truth. Or it may be only part of the truth.
As certified behavior consultant and trainer Pat Miller wrote in her article “Tell-Tail Signs: What’s Your Dog’s Tail Language?”, just because a dog’s tail is wagging doesn’t necessarily mean it’s happy. It simply means the dog is stimulated. It certainly may be happiness or excitement that’s the stimulation, but it could also be anxiousness, fear, or even aggression. (Yes, contrary to popular opinion, an angry dog approaching you could also be wagging its tail. Just ask someone who’s been bitten by a tail-wagging dog.) You need to carefully observe the dog’s entire body to reach any kind of meaningful conclusion about what that wagging tail really means.
Think of it in human terms: while we may use our hands to gesture, those gestures can have a variety of meanings, depending on the context. We might be pointing toward something, we might be explaining how tall or short or long something is, we might be gesturing while telling a story, we might be using our hands to communicate our excitement or love or even dislike. Yet even though these kinds of gestures are linked to communication, other gestures can be instinctive and spontaneous, not something we do intentionally. The same could be said for dog tail-wagging.
How Did Tail-Wagging Evolve?
Four European researchers recently investigated over 100 past studies on dog tail-wagging to see if any patterns emerged that would give a single, conclusive answer as to how dog tail-wagging evolved, as well as what it means. That research led them to develop two main theories about the evolution of tail-wagging: first, that over the tens of thousands of years that humans worked to domesticate dogs, breeding them for traits like friendliness and tameness, we unintentionally selected for tail-wagging because it was linked to those positive characteristics.
The second theory that emerged was that we bred dogs for tail-wagging because of an innate yet unconscious human appreciation for rhythm. “Perhaps because humans have this sort of propensity for rhythmic themes, we were actually breeding dogs that wagged more,” explains Taylor Hersh, one of the study’s authors. “We may not have been aware that we were doing it.”
The Many Meanings Behind Tail-Wagging
So, why do dogs wag their tails? No one doubts that dogs wag their tails to communicate, but beyond that, opinions range far and wide.
For instance, some research suggests that the directionality of a tail-wag can express a dog’s emotional state: a tail that wags more to the right may suggest the dog is curious and wants to approach, while wagging to the left can mean the dog is uncertain or wants to retreat.
The position of a dog’s tail can hint to its general mood and feelings as well, say other researchers. For instance, according to veterinarian Dr. Brittany Grenus, graduate of Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, when a dog is showing happiness or friendliness, their tail will be either parallel to the ground or held slightly upward or downward and wagging in sweeping side-to-side movements. “The more excited a dog is, the faster their tail typically wags,” she says, and in times of extreme excitement, you’ll often see what can only be described as a whole-body wag.
On the contrary, a tail held low, pinned down against or tucked between a dog’s back legs, strongly indicates insecurity and submission. Sometimes, that low position can be accompanied by a fast wagging motion that’s only at the tip, which tends to show that the dog is anxious, fearful, or perhaps wants to appease another dog.
Do Other Animals Wag Their Tails?
Dogs aren’t the only mammals that wag their tails, but they are by far the species that does it the most. While dogs wag primarily to communicate, other animals “wag” their tails for different reasons: whales swing their tails in order to move through the water; horses, cows, as well as many wild animals like moose, elephants, zebras, and giraffes use their tails to swat away flies and other pests; flying squirrels glide from tree to tree by moving their flat tails like rudders; white-tailed deer often wag their tails in alarm or when they’re about to run from a threat.
You might think that because dogs are descended from wolves, wolves might also be tail-waggers, but generally, the answer is no. While wolves frequently use their tails to communicate, they score almost at the bottom of the persistent-tail-wagging scale when compared to their evolutionary heirs. While subordinate wolves will wag their tails during reunions after separation, Taylor Hersh explains that “What we don’t see in wolves is this huge amount of tail wagging across a variety of situations. In wolves, it’s mostly confined to a submissive individual signaling to or appeasing a dominant individual. They’ll wag their tails slowly and often pretty low.” What you’ll never see in wolves is the I’m-so-happy-I-could-burst kind of tail-wagging we see in our domestic dogs.
Some people also believe that foxes and coyotes wag their tails, but again, researchers have never been able to confirm this. In fact, in Portland, Oregon, where coyotes are pervasive, the Portland Urban Coyote Project states that “You’ll never see a coyote’s tail held high or wagging. If you see that, you are probably looking at a dog.”
While we know a fair amount about why dogs wag their tails, further research could have a number of advantages. For instance, learning more about tail-wagging behavior could have profound animal welfare impacts. A case in point is the practice of tail-docking, which many researchers and animal ethicists say not only causes unnecessary pain, it also may have an adverse impact on a dog’s ability to communicate with other dogs. At the same time, it negatively affects a dog’s balance and support.
Additional research into why dogs wag their tails would certainly allow us to understand more about dog behavior and their interactions with both humans and other dogs and will help close the gaps in the scientific literature as well. The experts who explored the studies on dog tail-wagging are hoping for a more in-depth examination of the phenomenon, including neuroimaging through noninvasive brain scans. One of the questions they’d like to answer is whether our dogs’ tail-wagging is conscious or unconscious. Perhaps, as with human gestures, they’ll discover it’s a little bit of both.
In the end, while science—and our own experiences as dog lovers!—can offer some clues and ideas, a great many mysteries remain about why dogs wag their tails..
Your puppy needs to develop at his own pace, learning as he goes along. You need to provide patience, yummy treats, and give him a chance to learn without being stressed. Credit: Jessie Casson | Getty Images
So . . . you got a new puppy, and you’re probably wondering when you should begin your puppy’s training. Well, the answer is NOW! No matter how old your pup is when you walk through the door with him, he is starting to learn, and it’s important that you guide him in the right direction.
Remember that the younger the dog, the shorter the training sessions should be. Puppies tire quickly. Several very short sessions throughout the day—with yummy treats—will accomplish your goals faster.
And remember that you never stop training your dog. Everything you do is training, and you need to reinforce the behavior you want with positive reinforcement. You’re teaching your puppy every time you handle him.
Be very careful not to overwhelm your puppy. Puppies need socialization, time to get used to new and different things, other dogs, new people, and so on. You do not want to scare them! “A robust body of research has shown that puppies are deeply, quickly, and often permanently impacted by what they experience during what’s now called the ‘sensitive period,’ from about 3 to 14 weeks of age,” says trainer and family dog mediator Kathy Callahan.
When to Start Crate Training
It would be wonderful if your breeder got your pup used to a crate before you got him, beginning at 4 weeks of age. But not all of us have that luxury. The younger the dog is, the easier it is for him to become accustomed to a crate. However, most dogs, of any age, can be persuaded to think of their crate as their den. With the help of treats, stuffed Kongs, and patience, a dog can learn that a crate is a place of peace, quiet, and safety. Make sure you do your research on crate training as some mistakes are not easy to fix. For more information on crate training, read “Crate Training to Keep Your Dog Content.”
When to Start Potty Training
I start potty training my puppies as soon as I get them home, whether it be 10 weeks or 10 months. Only they don’t know they are being potty trained. They only know that they are getting a tiny treat and lots of praise when they go potty outside, which encourages them to do the same next time.
The younger the puppy, the more frequently he will have to go out. Rush him outside when he wakes up from a nap, shortly after a big drink of water, after meals, and after playtime. I would not consider a puppy housebroken until he has learned to tell you he has to relieve himself. Some dogs “get it” at a very young age. Others, well, it can take till their 6 months old or even later. It’s up to you to be patient and consistent.
Walking on a leash, sit, and down training: Basic lessons are learned from day 1, whether it be the 10-week-old pup you just picked up from a breeder, a 6-month-old that you’ve adopted, or an older rescue whose life you saved. Dogs of any age appreciate praise, treats, and toys. This positive reinforcement will encourage them to repeat that performance. It can be very helpful to sign up for a puppy class and work with a trainer who can advise you and help with problems that might appear during your puppies training.
Be careful that you do not teach undesirable behavior unintentionally. For instance, if you are practicing a “stay,” did you forget about that stay when you answered the phone? If you are teaching your dog not to jump, do you allow the neighbor to praise him when he jumps up to greet her?
Enjoy that new pup of yours. Just remember that living with a trained, housebroken dog with an off switch is much more enjoyable than one that is not.
There are benefits and disadvantages of feeding your dog every type of food imaginable. We tend to throw our lot in with smaller pet food companies who use high-quality, domestically sourced, whole ingredients in their products. Photo credit: lupengyu, Getty Images
I’m asked from time to time why we don’t include foods from giant dog food companies such as Mars PetCare (whose products include Royal Canin and Pedigree), Purina (who makes ProPlan as well as Dog Chow and Purina One), or Hills (Science Diet et. al.).
It might make the most sense for me to formulate a response in terms of pros and cons of feeding products from these corporate giants.
Pros:
Competitive pricing. These companies are global giants, with massive purchasing power and extensive manufacturing capabilities, so they are able to produce high volumes of product at a lower cost than smaller companies. Their products can be offered at lower price per pound than products made in smaller facilities. (However, in some cases, these saving may be offset by the enormous cost of marketing and research and development.)
Top-quality, professional processing. The dog food giants can afford to hire and retain a well-trained work force, and constantly upgrade their manufacturing facilities. Their plants are uniformly clean and well maintained, and usually have extensive in-house labs for running very frequent quality-control tests.
A plethora of R&D. The big companies maintain kennels of dogs (and cats) and teams of veterinarians and vet techs so they can test various diets and dietary innovations in feeding trials of their products’ taste, color, shape, and size, as well as the diets’ digestibility and ability to maintain the intended consumers’ health. They are more or less constantly tinkering with various ingredients (in order to maximize the products’ performance while minimizing their cost).
Cons:
Price pressure and global sourcing of ingredients can lead to inclusion of sketchy ingredients. Those of you who were pet owners in 2007 will immediately know what I’m talking about (the 2007 pet food recalls). The inclusion of less-expensive ingredients from China that had been adulterated with melamine and cyanuric acid (which artificially boosted the estimated amount of protein in the ingredients) led to the deaths and serious injuries of countless dogs and cats—perhaps in the thousands. An estimated 5,300 products were recalled as tests revealed the scope of use of the contaminated ingredients. Most of the largest pet food companies in the U.S. and Canada had multiple (sometimes hundreds) of recalled products; products were also recalled in South Africa and Europe. For months, as the extent of this disaster expanded, we held our breath, waiting to see whether any of the foods on our “Top Dog Foods” lists would be implicated—and none ever were. This strengthened our appreciation of smaller pet food producers who are committed to high-quality ingredients.
The largest pet food producers almost uniformly use already processed food by-products in the foods that they further process. Many of the dry foods made by the global pet food giants are made with meat meal only (without the inclusion of fresh or frozen meat) and/or meat by-product meal. Meat meals and meat by-product meals are already made through a fairly intense process—and then mixed with other ingredients into a dough that gets baked, or more commonly, cooked via high temperature and pressure in an extruder. Many of the carb sources used by these companies are by-products from human food manufacturing, such as tomato pomace, citrus pulp, beet pulp, brewers rice, etc. These ingredients may play a useful functional role in the formula (in addition to their nutrient content), such as providing useful fiber—but a whole ingredient, included without previous processing, may supply greater nutritional benefits. Given the potential for contamination, and the loss or degradation of nutrients that can occur with each processing step, we prefer products that include whole ingredients.
The largest producers tend to use lower-cost, lower quality sources of various nutrients. For example, beef fat is one of the lowest-cost ingredients available as a fat source for dog food, and it appears in many Pro Plan foods. Plant proteins, in the form of soybean meal, rice gluten, corn gluten, and wheat gluten, are commonly used by these food makers to support the amount of protein supplied by animal protein sources, which have superior amino acid profiles for canine nutrition. Some Royal Canin foods have corn as their first ingredient, rather than an animal protein!
All of the large food producers make their products in enormous This means, if there is a problem with an ingredient or formula, it can potentially affect many more dogs before the problem is identified and the product recalled.
Smaller Is Not Always Better
But don’t get me wrong; there are benefits and risks of buying products from smaller pet food makers, too. While they tend to use higher-quality ingredients, they sometimes lack meaningful control over the production of their products at third-party “contract manufacturers” or “co-packers”—or lack the resources to properly train or retain a reliable workforce or maintain clean facilities of their own. Production problems seem more common at smaller plants—but on the other hand, when foods are recalled, often the recalls affect only a small number of products, thanks to smaller production runs.
No Dietary Source Is Perfect
There is fairly clear scientific consensus that the least processed foods are healthier for every species of animal than highly processed foods. So many dog owners feel more comfortable making their dogs’ food themselves, with ingredients they have chosen. But if they aren’t equipped with reliable, well-researched recipes, or lack adequate knowledge of the dog’s unique nutritional requirements, they may unwittingly cause their dogs to develop nutritional deficiencies or imbalances that affect their health. There are risks and benefits of every way of feeding your dog (and yourself!).
Ultimately, you have to decide what you feel best about—and you have to watch your dog, with the understanding that nutrition does affect health. If you are aware of the hazards that could result from your choice, you can watch for signs of any acute adverse response to a food—or chronic signs that the diet isn’t maintaining your dog as well as another diet might.
And if your dog looks, seems to feel, and acts like a million bucks on his current diet—or, as we prefer, several foods that you rotate among—there may be no reason to change what you feed him.
Go ahead and share a bit of your apple with your dog—he’ll love it! Simonkr | Getty Images
Your dog may beg for some of whatever you’re eating—quietly with just his eyes if he’s been taught not to beg or a full-body “give me some” body wiggle if he just can’t resist—but you can’t give in on everything we eat. Apples, however, are a fine treat to share with your dog, as are many fruits.
Limit apples to a couple of pieces/slices so you don’t risk digestive upset (maybe a tad more for bigger dogs and a bit less for the littles).
You can give the dogs the apple skin but not the seeds as they contain tiny amounts of cyanide. (Don’t panic if your dog does consume a seed or two because the amount of toxin in an apple seed is small; it’s just best to avoid them.) Don’t feed the apple core either, which could be a choking hazard.
Dogs love red apples, but they can eat green apples, too, like Granny Smiths. Be aware, however, that because green apples are tart, they may not be as well received by your dog as a sweet Red Delicious, for example.
I’ve had a number of older owners book lessons with me lately—more than half a dozen individuals and couples in their 70s and even 80s, all wanting some training help with their new dogs or puppies.
